New Restaurants in Chittagong (July 2026)

TL;DR

• 🍛 Chittagong's restaurant scene expanded significantly in early 2026, with new biriyani houses, kabab stalls, and sit-down dining rooms opening across multiple neighborhoods
• 🗺️ Agrabad, Chawkbazar, Sonaichhari, and the EPZ corridor all have fresh additions worth tracking
• 🥘 Biryani dominates the new openings, but Chinese, Thai, shawarma, and burger options are gaining real ground
• 🌟 Several spots have settled into consistent crowds since opening — competition among biriyani operators is sharper than it has been in years
• 📍 This guide covers 20 new and recently opened restaurants across Chittagong as of July 2026

Chittagong moves fast, and its food scene reflects that energy. The port city has always had a serious relationship with its kitchens — from the old-school bhat ghors of Chowdhury Market to the polished hotel dining rooms of Agrabad — but the first half of 2026 brought an unusually dense cluster of new openings. From dedicated biriyani houses in Chawkbazar to Chinese restaurants near the commercial district, the options available to residents have expanded across price points and cuisine types. This guide covers the most notable arrivals.

The Biriyani Belt: New Entries in a Crowded Field

Biriyani is not a passing fashion in Chittagong. It is the meal around which social life organizes, and the competition among biriyani specialists is correspondingly fierce. Several serious new entries have arrived in 2026.

Haji Biriyani House at 215 Lal Chand Road (Kacha Bazar Mor) in Chawkbazar has become one of the more talked-about openings of the year. The Chawkbazar location drops it into one of the city's most commercially active neighborhoods, where foot traffic during lunch is constant and evening service draws families from surrounding lanes. The menu centers on biryani and Asian-inflected preparations, with portions that have satisfied the famously exacting standards of the local clientele.

Out on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway, Haji Biriyani operates a separate establishment that captures the commuter and traveler demographic — a different crowd from the Chawkbazar regulars, but one that takes quality just as seriously. Highway-side dining in Chittagong has its own culture, and this spot fits that tradition.

Darbaran Restaurent & Biryani House (the spelling on the signage is as listed) has found its footing, as has Rangdhonu Restaura & Biryani House — both serving neighborhoods that have absorbed new residents and needed corresponding dining options. Khabar Aayojon & Biryani House and Jhal Bitan & Biryani House fill similar gaps in their respective areas, while Shah Amanot Bhat Ghor Biryani in Chowdhury Market takes a stripped-down approach: rice, accompaniments, no pretense, executed well.

Alankar Hotel and Biriyani House and Hotel Samudra Bilash and Biriyani House both operate in the combined hotel-restaurant format that Chittagong has long preferred for travelers wanting reliability. Neither needs to chase novelty — the model works, and both establishments serve it faithfully.

Agrabad and the Upmarket End

The Agrabad Access Road corridor continues to attract dining investment, and Gharana Restaurant at 93 Agrabad Access Road is among the more considered new arrivals. Operating from 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM, the restaurant anchors itself in Bengali cuisine — not fusion, not hybrid, but the preparations that the local professional class returns to when it wants something familiar and well-made. Agrabad's mix of offices, business travelers, and long-established commercial activity gives Gharana a reliable customer base, and the kitchen's focus keeps the quality consistent.

GEC Palace Hotel & Restaurant on O.R. Nizam Road serves a similar professional market from the hotel dining room format, with a mixed clientele of locals and visitors passing through the city.

Beyond Biriyani: Diversifying Options

Not every new opening is a biriyani specialist. Bonjour Restaurant brings Chinese and Thai preparations to a market that has traditionally been underserved in those categories. The restaurant's number on file is 01714041183 for those wanting to confirm service hours or availability before making the trip.

Sadia's Kitchen has built its early reputation around shawarma and burgers — a combination that reflects the eating habits of younger Chittagong diners who move comfortably between different culinary references. The kitchen operates under the number 01618445566.

Impala Chinese and South Indian Restaurant holds a distinctive position in the market. South Indian preparations are rare at scale in Chittagong, and a restaurant that takes them seriously alongside a Chinese menu fills a gap that has existed for some time.

Panjery Garden Resturant (the spelling as it appears) mixes regional preparations with burgers, which is an increasingly common combination as the city's urban younger demographic blends local staples with formats imported from fast-casual dining culture.

Kabab Specialists and Neighborhood Anchors

Abul Kabab House continues Chittagong's tradition of treating grilled preparations as a discipline in their own right, not a sideline to a broader menu. Kabab Bari occupies similar territory, though the two establishments serve different neighborhoods and have developed separate identities.

Roji Hotel & Biriyani House near C.E.P.Z Gate serves the workers and residents of one of the city's more industrially active zones. The EPZ area brings a high-volume lunch crowd, and Roji's kitchen is built to handle the throughput without sacrificing what the regulars come for.

Nizam Uddin Hotel & Restaurant in Sonaichhari, Chattogram and Haji Biriyani in Kumira serve neighborhoods that don't always get attention in food coverage focused on central Chittagong. Both are neighborhood institutions in the making — the kind of restaurants that communities build their routines around over years.

Insider Tip: The Agrabad and Chawkbazar areas offer the densest concentration of new openings within reach of each other. Gharana Restaurant on Agrabad Access Road is a reliable midday anchor before you head to the Lal Chand Road corridor in the evening. For Haji Biriyani House in Chawkbazar, arriving before 12:30 PM on weekdays avoids the lunch rush — by noon on weekends, seating fills completely.

FAQ

What neighborhoods have seen the most new restaurant openings in Chittagong in 2026? Chawkbazar, Agrabad, and Sonaichhari have seen the most activity. The EPZ corridor near C.E.P.Z Gate is also picking up new establishments.

Are there options for diners who don't eat biriyani? Yes. Bonjour Restaurant offers Chinese and Thai options. Sadia's Kitchen focuses on shawarma and burgers. Impala Chinese and South Indian Restaurant broadens the menu further.

Do these restaurants require reservations? Most casual and mid-range spots in Chittagong do not require reservations. Gharana Restaurant and Bonjour Restaurant are worth calling ahead on weekends.

Are there vegetarian-friendly options among the new openings? Impala Chinese and South Indian Restaurant is likely to have the most vegetarian choices. Several biriyani houses also prepare vegetable-based accompaniments, though the main draw is meat-centric.

What is a bhat ghor format restaurant? A bhat ghor is a traditional Bengali-style eatery focused on rice meals with multiple side dishes — a no-frills format that emphasizes straightforward cooking over atmosphere. Shah Amanot Bhat Ghor Biryani in Chowdhury Market follows this model.

Bottom Line

Chittagong's restaurant scene in mid-2026 is competitive and expanding. The biriyani tradition remains dominant, and the number of dedicated houses opening this year confirms that the format commands enduring loyalty. But the growth in Chinese, Thai, shawarma, and regional fusion options signals that the city's diners are ready for genuine variety. Whether you are near Agrabad, Chawkbazar, Sonaichhari, or the EPZ, there is a new opening worth investigating — and in most neighborhoods, more than one.