Bhubaneswar: In a significant push to elevate its cultural identity on the national stage, the Odisha government has announced financial support for establishing premium restaurants serving authentic Odia cuisine in major Indian cities and key tourist destinations.
The initiative aims to showcase the state’s rich and diverse culinary heritage, encompassing temple-inspired dishes, coastal seafood specialties, tribal flavors, pitha varieties, and festive offerings, while boosting gastronomy tourism and cultural pride.
The move forms part of the recently amended Odisha Tourism (Amendment) Policy, 2026, which aligns with the state’s Vision 2036 (and broader Vision 2047) roadmap. This policy positions tourism as a driver for sustainable development, economic growth, cultural preservation, and enhanced global competitiveness, with ambitions to create 15,000 star-category hotel rooms by 2036 and generate substantial employment.
As per the plan, Odisha Tourism has offered incentives — reimbursement of up to 30% of eligible project costs capped at Rs 5 crore and operational expenditure (electricity charges capped at Rs 2 lakh per unit per month and and state GST ) for three years — to draw private investors to set up such restaurants, according to reports published in Business Standard and Indian Express.
Private investors, companies, hospitality firms, and individual entrepreneurs can avail incentives to set up these outlets, which must feature a minimum seating capacity of 25 and reflect Odisha’s cultural ethos through design, ambience, and trained staff familiar with traditional culinary practices. A minimum project investment of Rs 20 lakh (excluding land and building) is required.
In the first phase, up to five restaurants can be established in each of the five major metros — Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Kolkata — and up to two in each of five prominent tourist destinations: Agra, Varanasi, Goa, Kochi, and Jaipur. Additional outlets are also supported at notified tourism sites within Odisha, with reports indicating plans linked to 77 designated locations overall.
The Tourism Department has invited Expressions of Interest (EOI) for the project, emphasising immersive dining experiences that highlight local ingredients, crafts, stories, and the deep connection between Odia food and the state’s cultural and religious life. Complementary efforts, such as food festivals, influencer campaigns, and cuisine awards, are also planned to build awareness.
“Odia cuisine is an integral part of our cultural heritage. Through this initiative, we want to showcase our traditional dishes, ingredients and culinary practices to people across the country and position Odisha as a key destination for gastronomy tourism,” Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida was quoted as saying.
Industry stakeholders have welcomed the scheme as a long-overdue boost for popularising lesser-known Odia dishes like dalma, pakhala bhata, chhena poda, and seafood preparations such as machha besara, while noting the need for smooth implementation and sustained operational support.
Applications and further guidelines are available through the Odisha Tourism Department.
