Several Kolkata restaurants have turned to social media to clarify their licence status and reassure customers after civic authorities suspended the licences of 40 eateries, triggering confusion over which establishments had faced action and why.
Kolkata | September 9, 2026 — The restaurant posts seek to counter misinformation, distinguish affected outlets from those that remain operational and address questions about hygiene and food safety. Businesses with multiple branches have also moved to prevent action against one location from affecting customer confidence in their wider brands.
Shimla Biryani was among the first establishments to issue a clarification. The restaurant said its outlets at EM Bypass, Lake Town and Chinar Park remained open, while only its Topsia outlet had been shut. “We have been receiving several calls and messages from customers over the last 24 hours asking whether our outlets were open,” the restaurant said in a social-media post. It added that claims that the other outlets had also been closed were incorrect.
Nafees Ahmed, manager of the eatery, said the business supported efforts by the state government and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation to strengthen food-safety standards. “Hygiene and food safety have always been our priority,” he said.
Koshe Kosha also said it remained operational and committed to hygiene, food safety and quality. The restaurant said misinformation had circulated about some of its outlets being raided and subsequently suspended, and urged customers to rely on official channels for accurate information.
The confusion has extended beyond restaurants directly affected by civic action. The co-owner of an eatery with several branches across Kolkata and its suburbs said the impact could reach other outlets under the same brand. “The impact is not limited to a particular branch. We have several branches across the city with thousands of loyal customers. Something like this dents their trust and impacts our association,” the co-owner said.
Similar concerns arose over establishments with comparable or easily confused names. Girish Chandra Dey & Nakur Chandra Nandy issued a clarification after receiving calls from customers. The business said the establishment referred to in reports was not its shop and stated that its only outlet was at 56, Ramdulal Sarkar Street.
Big Boss in Tangra also disputed claims circulating about its inspection. Edwin Hsieh said officials had made no finding or declaration that any items were spoiled, rotten or unfit for consumption. He added that no stock samples had been collected for laboratory testing and said reports that 500 kg of stock had been affected were factually inaccurate.
Arsalan separately addressed concerns about the preparation of its Achari Kebab. Hamza Ahsan, chief operating officer of Arsalan Restaurant and Caterer, said the preparation used an achari-style marinade with tangy and pickled notes. The naturally tangy aroma, he said, should not be interpreted as evidence that the meat had spoiled.
The restaurant clarifications follow the suspension of licences of 40 eateries and highlight the difficulty consumers face in distinguishing official enforcement action from forwarded messages and social-media claims. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation and the state government have said they are working to strengthen food-safety standards, while affected and unaffected establishments continue to direct customers towards verified information about individual outlets.
