Thiruvonam, in Chingam (August–September) · 23 items · ₹450–₹800 a plate
The Onam sadya, item by item
Twenty-six items, entirely vegetarian, served on a banana leaf in an order that has not changed in living memory. This is the full list, in that order.
An Onam sadya is a vegetarian feast of roughly 24 to 28 items served on a banana leaf, traditionally about 26. It runs upperi and sharkara varatti at the top left, then pickles, thoran and pachadi, then olan, avial, erissery and kootukari, with rice on the lower half taken first with parippu and ghee, then sambar, then rasam, then pulissery, closing with moru. Two or three payasams are served alongside. In Bangalore in 2026 a catered Onam sadya runs about ₹450 to ₹800 a plate depending on the number of payasams and whether the leaf carries the full twenty-six.
The full leaf
Every item, in serving order
The crisp things
- Upperi — banana chips fried in coconut oil
- Sharkara varatti — jaggery-coated chips
- Pappadam
Pickles and the sharp corner
- Puli inji — ginger, tamarind, jaggery
- Naranga achar — lemon pickle
- Manga achar — mango pickle
The dry sides
- Thoran — beans, cabbage or carrot with grated coconut
- Mezhukkupuratti — sautéed yam or plantain
The curd sides
- Kichadi — cucumber or beetroot in curd
- Pachadi — pineapple or ash gourd, sweeter than kichadi
The wet curries
- Olan — ash gourd and cowpeas in thin coconut milk
- Avial — mixed vegetables, coconut, curd
- Erissery — pumpkin and beans with roasted coconut
- Kootukari — yam and chana
Rice and what goes on it
- Matta rice
- Parippu — moong dal, with ghee
- Sambar
- Rasam
- Pulissery or kalan
- Moru — buttermilk, last
Payasam
- Ada pradhaman — rice ada, jaggery, coconut milk
- Palada pradhaman — milk and rice ada
- Parippu pradhaman — moong dal and jaggery
Served on the leaf in the order above — why the order matters. One server to every twelve leaves.
Before you book
Come and eat it first
We cook the sadya at our own kitchen for you before you sign — the same chef who will cook it on the day, the same coconut oil, the same matta rice. How the tasting works.
Questions people ask
How many items are in an Onam sadya?
Traditionally about 26, though families run anywhere from 24 to 28 and a grand sadya can go past 30. What matters more than the count is the order: upperi and pickles at the top left, the curries across the middle, rice on the lower half taken first with parippu and ghee, and moru to close.
How much does an Onam sadya cost per plate in Bangalore?
About ₹450 to ₹800 a plate in 2026 for a catered sadya. The two things that move the figure are how many payasams you want and whether the leaf carries the full twenty-six items or a shorter fifteen-to-eighteen item version.
Is Onam sadya always vegetarian?
Yes. The sadya itself is entirely vegetarian, and traditionally without onion or garlic in many families. Non-vegetarian dishes are served at Onam in some communities, but not on the sadya leaf.
How many servers does a sadya need?
About one server for every twelve leaves. That is what keeps the rasam hot at the far end of the row and what allows second helpings to be offered rather than asked for.
Get a menu and a per-plate quote, usually the same day
Date, head count, the cuisines you have in mind. Enough for the first reply to carry a menu and a number rather than a brochure.
What happens after you send the ticket
- A written reply, usually the same day. A first menu built for your occasion, the per-plate figure it comes to, and the two or three questions we need settled before the number is firm.
- A tasting. For weddings and events of size we cook the shortlist for you before you sign. Each cuisine on the menu is cooked by the chef who will cook it on the day.
- The plan for the day. Counters, service staff, timings against your muhurtham or your agenda, and the venue's rules on outside catering, checked with the venue by us.