Our journey began in 1939 as Paragon Baking Company, founded by Mr Govindan Panhikeyil and his son Mr P M Valsan. They sold delicious mutton puffs, fluffy breads and buns, and dark plum cakes that quickly became a beloved treat in Calicut, India. This humble beginning marked the first step toward becoming one of the world’s most cherished restaurants.
Mr Govindan Panhikeyil
After Mr Govindan and Mr Valsan, the restaurant was run by Mr Valsan’s wife Mrs Saraswathi. She did this in a time when it was taboo for women to work in the forefront in the culinary industry, in Kerala, India. The shift from a baking company to a restaurant started under her leadership and the business saw more success than it ever had.
Mr P M Valsan
Like every journey, ours had severe trials. We faced a significant setback when a part of our restaurant was lost to land acquisition. This challenging period marked the end of Mrs Saraswathi’s leadership and the beginning of a new chapter with her son, Sumesh Govind.
Mrs Saraswathi
A new chapter in our history began when young Sumesh Govind took charge of the operations. Paragon regained its prominence and went on to become a landmark of Kozhikode. With his wife Liju by his side, over the years, Sumesh Govind has taken the business across seas and is touching new heights, with outlets soon to open in the UK & USA, apart from the UAE.
We proudly operate many beloved outlets in India and the UAE, and have equally successful sister concerns – Fort Paragon, Salkara, Salkara Xpress, M-Grill, Brown Town, Cafe Calicut, Meat & Mackerel, and Appam & Co.
Today, we are the 5th Most Iconic Restaurant in the World (2023-2024) & 11th Most Legendary Restaurant in the World (2023); ranked by the esteemed TasteAtlas, an experiential travel online guide. We were also acclaimed as India’s Best Restaurant for Coastal Cuisine at the Times Now (India) Foodie Awards, were ranked #24 on Top Restaurant Awards 2017 list by Condé Nast Traveller and consistently ranked among Dubai’s best restaurants at TimeOut Dubai Restaurant Awards, and are loved equally by the world.
- Calicut
+91 495 4040000 - Lulu Mall Kochi
+91 484 4011000 - Trivandrum
+91 471 2555551 - Banglore
+91 80 65476749
