Mavalli Tiffin Rooms, known more popularly as MTR, was started in 1924. It was set up near Lalbagh Fort by two brothers, Yajnanarayana Maiya and Ganappayya Maiya who came down from a place called Parampalli, near Udupi. In 1936 Ganappayya Maiya decided to go back to Parampalli and Yajnanarayana Maiya assumed full charge of the restaurant. It was originally called ‘Brahmin’s Coffee House’, but the name was changed when it was shifted to a bigger premises in 1960.