Guides · Updated October 2026

How to write a Kannada + English menu card customers can read

Plenty of Bengaluru customers read Kannada first, and plenty of newer residents read only English (or Hindi). A bilingual menu serves both without making either hunt. Here's what works.

Transliterate dish names, translate descriptions

Most dish names are already Kannada words, so write them as people say them, not as a literal translation. "Masala Dosa" is ಮಸಾಲೆ ದೋಸೆ, not a word-for-word translation. Short descriptions ("served with chutney and sambar") are where translation helps.

English	Kannada	Hindi
Idli Vada	ಇಡ್ಲಿ ವಡೆ	इडली वड़ा
Masala Dosa	ಮಸಾಲೆ ದೋಸೆ	मसाला डोसा
Bisi Bele Bath	ಬಿಸಿಬೇಳೆ ಬಾತ್	बिसी बेले भात
Filter Coffee	ಫಿಲ್ಟರ್ ಕಾಫಿ	फ़िल्टर कॉफ़ी

Put both names on the same line

Side by side (or English on top, Kannada just below) is easier than two separate menus. Customers pointing at a dish and the waiter reading it see the same line.

Use a proper Kannada font

Many design apps silently break Kannada letters (vowel signs detach or appear in the wrong place). Check every word on the final print or screen. On web pages, Noto Sans Kannada renders correctly on almost every phone.

Have a native reader check it

Spelling mistakes in Kannada get noticed. Ask a staff member or a regular to read the final version once before printing or publishing.

On a phone, let customers choose

Paper has limited space; a QR menu page doesn't. A one-tap switch (English + Kannada, or English + Hindi) keeps the screen clean. Try it on our demo menu.

Keep prices in one place

Prices are the same in every language, so put them in one column. If you update prices often, a QR menu page means you change them once and both languages update together.