Kottayam is known for its traditional Kerala cuisine. Some of the popular dishes from Kottayam include fish moilee, beef fry, stew, puttu, meen pollichathu, kadala curry, appam and stew, pazhampori, olan, avial, paalada, parippu curry, and sambar. There are also several local snacks such as banana chips, tapioca chips, banana fritters, and boli. 

Many restaurants and cafes in Kottayam serve a variety of traditional Kerala cuisine as well as international cuisines. Some of the popular restaurants in Kottayam are Mango Tree, Dosa Corner, Annalakshmi, and Hotel Grand.

There are also many street food vendors in Kottayam who serve a wide range of local snacks. These include plantain chips, banana fritters, tapioca chips, pazham pori, and more.

Kottayam is also home to many bakeries and sweet shops which offer a variety of sweet and savory treats. Popular sweet shops in Kottayam include Kottayam Sweets, Sweet Land, and Padinjarekkara Bakery. These shops offer a variety of Kerala sweets such as payasam, unniyappam, and kozhukkata.