If you’re planning a trip to India, I’d say relishing Indian street food should be at the top of your itinerary. It is definitely bucket-list worthy! Here, I’ve crafted a roundup of the must-try Indian street food dishes for you.
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India Street Foods: An Introduction
When I travel, I make sure to taste the local food, especially street food, to get a deeper, more meaningful understanding of the destination I’m visiting, because, honestly, food is a window into local culture and tradition.
The street food in India is one of the tastiest, spiciest (after all, India is world-famous as the land of spices), and most creative in the world. That makes Indian street food famous around the world.
Indian streets are brimming with street vendors offering delicious dishes that draw locals and travelers to get lost in their vibrant colors, rich aromas, and intricate flavors.
Each state, region, and city has its own delicacy. There’s not even a tinge of similarity between north, south, east, and west. In fact, there’s an astonishing variety. And I, as an Indian, take pride in our culinary diversity.
Best Cities for Street Food in India
Though every Indian city has its own distinctive range of street food, there are cities in India that are famous around the world for their incredible street food scenes: Delhi, Jaipur, Amritsar, Lucknow, Varanasi, Mumbai, Indore, Kolkata, and Hyderabad.
So, if you are heading to these Indian destinations, you know what to do!
Must-Try Indian Street Food Dishes & Drinks
From famous Indian snacks like chaats, samosas, kachoris, golgappe, and tikkis to little-known delicacies exclusive to the region that invigorate the Indian street food menu, this post about the best street food in India is your go-to Indian street food guide.
So, without further ado, let’s go on a ride to taste Indian culture through its famous street food.
Jalebi
There are Indian street food dishes that are easily found throughout India and, in fact, outside India as well. They dominate the Indian food scene. Jalebi is one of those celebrated Indian street food delicacies!
Made with a fermented batter of all-purpose flour, gram flour, baking soda, and water, this crisp & juicy sweet is deep-fried, dipped in a sugar syrup, and served piping hot.
This spiral-shaped, exotic, bright orange, melt-in-the-mouth classic Indian dessert can be found everywhere, literally, every corner of the country.
It has different names and different avatars from one region to another, but promises the same magical textures and flavors – crispy, sweet, and addictive.
It’s called jalebi in northern and western India, jilapi or jilipi in eastern India, and jilebi in south India.
This beloved Indian dessert is enjoyed on its own and sometimes paired with other dishes, sweet or savory, to enhance the experience.
Poha jalebi in Indore; rabdi jalebi, doodh jalebi, and ice cream jalebi in Delhi; dahi jalebi and kesar jalebi in Uttar Pradesh, fafda jalebi in Gujarat and Maharashtra; khoya jalebi or mawa jalebi in Jabalpur; Khowa jalebi in Hyderabad; and paneer jalebi or chhena jalebi or chhena jilapi or chhanar jilipi in Odisha and West Bengal.
And a pair of spicy samosa and sweet jalebi screams ‘evening chai’ and ‘family time’.
Indore is also famous for its king-sized jalebi, rightfully called Jaleba.
Let’s meet the distant cousin of Jalebi now – Imarti.
Jalebi is made with all-purpose flour (maida) while Imarti is made with vigna mungo (urad dal or bengal gram) flour.
Imarti is called Amitti, Amriti, Emarti, and Omritti in West Bengal, and Jahangir and Jangiri (or Jangri) in Kerala, Andhra, and Tamil Nadu.
If you are in Delhi, head to Old Famous Jalebi Wala in Chandani Chowk for quintessential jalebi. For drool-worthy doodh jalebi, stop by Makhal Lal Tika Ram in Kashmere Gate. Gurdas Ram Jalebian waale in Amritsar is your best bet for tasty jalebi.
We, Indians, although it doesn’t have Indian roots, love jalebi so much so that we’ve made it our national dessert, the national sweet of India!
Insider Tip: As you relish this traditional Indian dessert, observe the way a jalebi maker crafts a jalebi. Yes, making a perfect spiral jalebi is an art!
Panipuri
This has to be the best Indian roadside food ever!
Panipuri, golgappa, phuchka, gupchup, or pani ke patashe – whatever you may call it, this yummilicious Indian street food is a treat for taste buds!
The moment panipuri goes into your mouth, your taste buds experience the splash of spicy, tangy, and sweet flavors – all at once.
Dotting the streets of India, panipuri stalls not only sell this humble Indian snack but also happiness. It’s known to be an instant mood enhancer!
A crispy, hollow, fried semolina dough ball called puri is stuffed with boiled potatoes or boiled chickpeas, or white peas curry, filled with spicy, tangy water and date tamarind chutney, and gobbled in one bite.
Where to Eat: Prabhu Chaat Bhandaar in Delhi, Elco in Mumbai, Dilip Da’s Puchka Centre in Kolkata, Brijwasi Chat Bhandar in Amritsar, Lalaji Patashi in Jaipur, Sahoo Gupchup in Bhubaneshwar, Kashi Chat Bhandar in Varanasi, Shukla Chaat House in Lucknow, and Paliwal Chat Bhandar in Indore
Insider Tip: After completing a round of panipuri, don’t forget to ask the street vendor for extra puri – that’s the Indian way of eating panipuri 🙂
Masala Chai
In India, a cup of tea is not just a drink but a ritual, a tradition, and an emotion. It’s a cup full of warmth, love, passion, and happiness!
A morning cup of tea brings hygge into our daily lives. A mid-day cup of tea is one of the ways we feel Ikigai. An evening cup of tea with a samosa on the side is how we fika. A late-night cup of tea is our idea of me-time.
And then there’s a cup of I-feel-like-having tea (because anytime is tea time) that makes us feel tea-riffic!
It’s an essential ingredient in our lives. It helps us start our day, carry on with our day, and end our day. It acts as a medicine when we are exhausted, stressed, or have a headache, cold, or cough. It’s how we greet our guests. It’s how we share conversations. It’s how we bond. It’s how we love.
In essence, a cup of tea is a solution for everything in India. It brings us back to life.
Each region in India has its own way of brewing tea. The local flavors add rich aromas and dynamic consistency. You’ll come across unique preparations of Indian tea as you travel the length and breadth of the country.
Masala chai, a quintessential chai, brewed with milk, sugar, and Indian spices, is the most popular of all Indian teas.
Other Indian tea innovations are Adrak chai, Tandoori chai, Cutting chai, Irani chai, Parsi choi, Sulaimani chai, Kahwa, Noon Chai, Gud chai, Kulhad chai, Butter tea, Nilgiri tea, Darjeeling tea; we are still innovating.
Insider Tip: You must try tapri wali chai when in India. The sheer bliss and warmth of sipping desi (authentic) masala chai at tapri (a hole-in-the-wall tea stall) is matchless.
Do you prefer coffee over tea? Read more about the coffee culture around the world.
Aloo Tikki
A crispy and delicious potato patty, aloo tikki, has its origins in north India but is available in every nook and cranny of the country. It’s the best Indian street food.
It’s made from a mixture of mashed potatoes, green peas, lentils, spices, and herbs, shaped into a flattened ball and deep-fried till golden.
A plate of aloo tikki served with spicy and tangy date, tamarind, and mint chutneys is heavenly.
Where to Eat: Bittu Tikki Wala in Delhi and Kashi Chaat Bhandar in Varanasi are well-known for aloo tikkis.
Insider Tip: Dust a pinch of chaat masala on aloo tikki and relish the magic.
Samosa
Samosa is, unarguably, the most popular street food of India. In fact, it’s one of the quintessential tea-time snacks in India.
This humble Indian triangle-shaped deep-fried pastry stuffed with potato, onions, peas, and paneer has made a place globally.
The stalls selling samosas dot the streets of India and are the biggest crowd-pullers.
Samosas are best enjoyed with mint-cilantro or date-tamarind chutney.
You can relish authentic samosas at Old Famous Jalebi Wala in Chandani Chowk.
Insider Tip: Eat the corners of the samosa first, dip them in chutney, and then slowly eat the rest so your taste buds can savor all the flavors.
Chaat
Chaat is one of the most desirable comfort foods in India. It’s by far the most popular Indian street food. In fact, it’s a celebrity in Indian street food.
There are endless variants and regional nuances of chaat in India.
And the best part is that you can customize it to your taste and relish a plate of chaat with sweetness, tanginess, saltiness, spiciness, and the ingredients you choose.
Basically, we, Indians, have the superpower of making chaat out of any food item, literally anything.
The different types of chaats around India include bhalla papdi chaat, dahi papadi chaat, aloo chaat, aloo tikki chaat, gadbad chaat, basket chaat, samosa chaat, peanut chaat, palak patta chaat, bhel puri, jhalmuri, alu muri, chana jor garam, churmur, ghugni chat, ragda pattice, sev puri, sweet potato chaat, fruit chaat, and whatnot – phew!
Where to Eat: Natraj Dahi Bhalla and Raju Chaat Bhandar in Delhi, Arora Chat Bhandar in Jodhpur, Rawat Mishthan Bhandar in Jaipur, Laxman Chat House in Bikaner, and Shukla Chaat House in Lucknow.
Insider Tip: If you find yourself in Lucknow on your trip to India, head to Royal Cafe in Hazratganj for unique basket chaat.
Lassi
Lassi is a thick, creamy, and frothy blended dahi (yogurt) and water drink, flavored as per taste – can be salty or sweet.
It’s supposedly the first-ever smoothie, making it one of the world’s oldest drinks. According to ancient Indian scriptures, lassi originated around 1000 BC in Punjab and Multan (now in Pakistan).
A salty version is spiced with roasted cumin powder, black pepper, and other herbs and spices and garnished with mint leaves.
Sweet lassi is a bit thicker, flavored with saffron, cardamom, or other floral essences, sometimes topped with cream and fresh fruit, and garnished with nuts.
There are many amazing flavors available to choose from, like mango lassi, strawberry lassi, banana lassi, chocolate lassi, honey lassi, caramel lassi, rose lassi, and more.
Lassi is a perfect blend of taste and health. It not only quenches your thirst on a hot summer day but also helps replenish the electrolytes and water your body has lost. It’s also good for digestion.
Where to Try: Gian Di Lassi in Amritsar, Blue Lassi in Varanasi, Shri Mishrilal Hotel in Jodhpur (famous for makhaniya lassi), Lassiwala in Jaipur, Amritsari Lassi Wala in Delhi, and Jai Shri Krishna Dairy Farm in Mumbai.
Insider Tip: This ancient Indian beverage tastes best when served chilled in a kulhad (a traditional earthen pot), topped with an extra dollop of soft and buttery cream.
Paratha
It won’t be wrong to say that the Indian food scene is incomplete without paratha or parantha.
It’s a staple breakfast in Punjabi households.
We, Indians, especially Punjabis, have our special love for this delicacy and don’t really need a reason to relish it.
Flaky and crispy, this flatbread is made with unleavened whole-wheat flour, seasoned with salt and spices, and cooked with a generous amount of ghee.
They can be of many types – plain, stuffed, fried, and tandoori. There’s versatility in stuffings, too.
From aloo paratha, paneer paratha, gobhi paratha, mooli paratha, pyaaz paratha, dal paratha, methi paratha, to laccha paratha, and mughlai paratha – there are so many varieties to savor this inexplicably delicious and soulful dish.
Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal have their own versions of paratha – malabar parotta, veechu parotta, petai porota, and dhakai porota.
Traditionally, the parathas are served with white butter, curd, or pickle.
Where to Eat: Moolchand Parantha and Paranthe Wali Gali in Delhi, and Bharawan da Dhaba in Amritsar
Insider Tip: Pair your paratha with a glass of buttermilk (chaas).
Kachori
This sweet, spicy, and super crispy deep-fried pastry is one of my favorite snacks in India. It tastes yum!
Crafted by Marwaris, kachori has quickly become one of the most adored street foods in India.
There are many types of kachoris available based on the stuffing, viz., dal kachori, pyaaz kachori, matar kachori, aloo kachori, and mawa kachori (sweet version).
The most delicious and authentic kachoris can be found in the bylanes of Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Mathura-Vrindavan, Varanasi, and, of course, Delhi.
Khasta kachori is served with tamarind dates chutney, green chutney, aloo sabzi (potato curry), pumpkin subzi, or curd.
Kachori-Jalebi is a staple breakfast in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, while Poha-Jalebi is relished as a breakfast in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
Where to Eat: Rawat Misthan Bhandar in Jaipur, Shahi Samosa and Janta Sweet Home in Jodhpur, Jodhpur Namkeen in Kota, Oma Pehalwan Kachauri Wale and Roopa Kachori Wala in Mathura-Vrindavan, Kachori Gali in Varanasi, and Fateh Chand Ki Kachori, Jung Bahadur Kachori Wala, and Sharma ji Kachori Wale in Delhi
Insider Tip: Pair this flaky and tasty snack with a steaming hot cup of masala chai.
Pakora
Pakora – just saying the name of this tasty, deep-fried fritter brings smiles to our faces. It’s our favorite tea-time snack, especially on a rainy day.
A timeless duo of chai and pakora is how we Indians celebrate monsoons!
It’s not that we don’t gorge on pakoras outside of monsoon season. We don’t need any reason or season to eat this sinfully delicious snack.
We take an assortment of vegetables like onions, potatoes, cauliflower, fenugreek, spinach, chilies, and paneer, slice them, dip them in a spiced gram flour batter, and deep fry them. And then serve them with a medley of sweet-and-tangy sauce.
It has different names in different regions and states – bajji in South India, bhajia or gota in West India, and telebhaja or bora in West Bengal. I found this pakora map of India quite interesting.
Where to Eat: Khandani Pakode Wala in Delhi, Shri Ramdev Nasta & Sweet Centre and Jagannath Sharma Pakodi Wale in Jaipur, Om Ji Pakode Wale in Jodhpur, and Dina Chat Bhandar in Varanasi.
Insider Tip: Sprinkle chaat masala and pair it with mint chutney to enjoy the hot and crispy pakoras.
Indian Lemonade
Indian lemonade, aka nimbu pani or shikanji, is the most refreshing summer drink in India. A glass of chilled shikanji hydrates and offers instant relief from the scorching summer heat in India.
Traditional shikanji is simply a blend of lime, water, roasted cumin, pepper, ginger, mint, basil, and black salt, which acts as a probiotic and aids digestion.
You’ll also find a variation called nimbu masala soda, wherein soda (carbonated or sparkling water) is added to the lemonade.
Another variation is called jaljeera, in which jaljira spices are added to lime water.
Where to Try: There are endless stalls across India selling a traditional lemon drink. Pt. Ved Parkash Lemon Wale in Chandani Chowk, Delhi, is popular for its banta soda.
Insider Tip: Try a lemonade with a perfect balance of sweet, salty, & tangy flavors.
Meetha Paan
Made of betel leaf stuffed with a range of sweet spreads like gulkand, nibbles or condiments like tutti fruit, raisins, chopped dates, desiccated coconut, fennel seeds, and cherries, a variety of herbs, areca nut, slaked lime, and decorated with vark (silver foil); meetha paan is a delectable after-dinner treat, an excellent mouth freshener, and a powerful digestive enhancer.
In India, the most famous variety of paan is Banarasi Paan. If you are in Varanasi, head to Ramchandra Chaurasia Tambul Bhandar or Keshav Paan Bhandar for creative and flavourful paans.
Lucknow and Kolkata are also known for their love for paan. You can visit a paan vendor – Lucknow ki Shaan Azhar Bhai ka Paan for Lucknowi Paan and Taj Mahal Paan Shop, or Laxman’s for Calcutta Paan.
Insider Tip: To relish the fusion of flavors, chew the paan slowly.
Rabri
Rabri, or rabdi, is basically sweetened condensed milk. This royal Indian dessert is made by boiling whole cream on a low flame for hours until it thickens and becomes rich and creamy.
The flavors added are sugar or jaggery, cardamom, saffron, and other spices. Nuts like pistachios and almonds are used for garnishing.
Mathura-Vrindavan, Varanasi, Lucknow, Jaipur, Delhi, and Kolkata – all cities have innumerable stalls dotting the streets selling this iconic traditional delicacy.
In West Bengal, there’s a village called Gangpur or Aniya that prepares over a ton of rabri daily and sells it to Kolkata. It’s rightly called Rabri Gram.
Maharashtra and Gujarat have their own version of Rabri – Basundi!
Rabri can be eaten on its own, or you can pair it with gulab jamun, shahi tukda, ghevar, jalebi, puri, malpua, falooda, or kulfi (ice cream).
Insider Tip: Look for lachedar khurchan wali rabdi!
Chole Bhature
We Indians have a never-ending love affair with chole bhature.
A delightful concoction of tangy and spicy chickpea curry and a puffy, leavened, deep-fried flatbread made from all-purpose flour – chole bhature is considered more of a Punjabi dish; however, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh are world-famous for it!
Sita Ram Diwan Chand in Delhi is known to serve the world’s best chole bhature.
A bowl of chole is tastefully garnished with thinly sliced onion rings, a lemon wedge, and a dash of fresh, bright-green, crisp coriander leaves.
Insider Tip: Add a choice of pickle (mango, lemon, or green chilli) and a glass of buttermilk to your plate of chole bhature to enhance the taste and digestion.
Pav Bhaji
Pav Bhaji is the most-loved fast-food dish in Mumbai, Maharashtra. However, it can be found throughout India.
It’s a combo of thick, spicy, and tangy mashed vegetable (potato-based) curry and a soft loaf of baked Indian bread.
The street vendors garnish the bhaji with fresh coriander leaves, chopped onion, and a dash of lemon juice.
When in Mumbai, drop by Sardar Pav Bhaji for the authentic pav bhaji.
Insider Tip: Ask the vendor to add a dollop of butter (if he hasn’t already) on top of piping-hot bhaji to enhance the look and taste.
Poha
Those who think Indian street food is oily and spicy should definitely try poha. It brings health and taste to the same plate!
A breakfast staple in many Indian states, poha or pohay is a famous street food from India, more popular in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
Poha is a delicious, light, filling, and healthy Indian snack made with soaked, pressed, or flattened rice flakes, onions, potatoes, roasted peanuts, spices like mustard seeds and green chillies, and aromatic herbs like curry leaves and asafoetida.
A plate of poha is garnished with coriander leaves and freshly grated coconut, which certainly embellish the look and taste.
Kaka Na Cha Poha in Mumbai is your best bet for tasty kande pohey!
Indore is famed for its unique combination of poha and jalebi. Chappan Bazar and Sarafa Bazar in Indore are famous for Indori street food, including the iconic poha jalebi.
Insider Tip: A dash of lemon juice adds a tangy note to the sweet-and-spicy poha dish.
Dosa
Originating in South India, specifically in the city of Udupi in Karnataka, dosa has carved out a place in the international food scene. Now counted among the world’s top foods.
Dosa is a thin pancake or crêpe made from the fermented batter of lentils and rice. That’s plain dosa!
The other most popular version – masala dosa has a spicy mix of mashed potatoes, curry leaves, and onions wrapped in a pancake.
Like other foods in India, dosa too has a large number of varieties for every taste – paper dosa or plain dosa, rava dosa, podi dosa, pesarattu dosa, neer dosa, moong dal dosa, paneer dosa, coconut dosa, onion dosa, Mylari dosa aka Mysore masala dosa, Kanchipuram dosa, and many more.
Dosa is served with sambar (a lentil-based vegetable stew, cooked with pigeon pea and tamarind broth), coconut chutney, and red chutney.
Delhi is home to many excellent South Indian restaurants serving a wide variety of dosa. Sarvana Bhawan and Naivedyam are two of the best!
Idli
Idli is a staple breakfast in South India, often served with sambar, coconut chutney, and garlic chutney.
The moulds are filled with a salted, fermented batter of rice, black gram lentils, fenugreek seeds, and nuts, and steamed to make this savoury cake called idli.
The other popular version of idli is rava idli, in which rice is replaced with semolina.
Insider Tip: Visit Ramassery village in Palakkad, Kerala, to taste the original idli.
Medu Vada
A type of fritter, cutlet, or dumpling – vada is one of the most popular savory fried snacks in South India.
Like idlis and dosas, this doughnut-shaped snack is traditionally served with sambar and coconut chutney.
This crispy, deep-fried snack is prepared from black gram flavored with aromatic herbs and spices.
Insider Tip: Immerse medu vada in a hot sambar, top it with coconut chutney and a dash of tomato chutney, and feel the soul of it!
Vada Pav
Vada pav is what we call an Indian street burger.
A deep-fried batata vada (potato dumpling) is sandwiched between a sliced pav (burger bun) layered with spicy garlic and green (coriander and mint) chutneys, tangy tomato chutney, and sometimes cheese spread, making this a Maharashtrian street food.
Vada pav = love for Mumbiakars.
So when in Mumbai, you gotta grab a bite of this go-to street food snack in the city!
Ashok Vada Pav in Dadar is where locals head to for the tastiest vada pav.
Insider Tip: Take a bite of vada pav, then a bite of fried green chilli, to taste the heavenly goodness.
Kathi Roll
Kathi roll or kati roll is a beloved street food dish in India, especially in Kolkata.
Basically, it’s a skewer-roasted kebab or other stuffing (meat or veggies) wrapped or rolled in a flaky paratha or chapati (Indian flatbread). The garnish of onion slices, diced cucumber, peppers, mustard sauce, and pickled green chilies enhances the flavor.
Mumbai is home to Frankie, an avatar of Kathi Roll!
Where to Eat: Nizam’s and Kusum Rolls in Kolkata, and Nizam’s Kathi Kabab, Khan Chacha, and Chowringhee Lane in Delhi
Insider Tip: The best way to eat the roll is by pairing it with fresh coriander chutney.
Kebab
Kebab is a ubiquitous street food found in every nook and cranny of India. But India isn’t the birthplace of this lip-smacking, juicy, delectable, and spicy appetizer.
It’s said to have come from the Middle East around 1200 AD. The love for kebabs has gone beyond the Middle East since then and has now become a global sensation.
Traditionally made from meat (chicken, mutton, beef, pork, or fish), vegetarian varieties (vegetables or paneer) are also available.
The meat is cut into pieces, skewered, grilled over a charcoal fire, and seasoned with aromatic spices and dried fruits.
While Lucknow is famous for its varieties of kebabs, you can also relish them in Delhi, Hyderabad, and Kolkata.
Seekh kebab, Reshmi kebab, Galouti kebab, Shish kebab, Tundey kebab, Shami kebab, Barrah Kebab, Kakori kebab, Dahi kebab, and Hariyali kebab are some of the most popular types of kebab.
Where to Eat: Peter Cat in Kolkata (try their Chelo kebab); Adam Kabab Shop in Kolkata (try their Sutli kebab); Mota Kebabi in Kondapur, Hyderabad; Qureshi Kabab Corner in Delhi; and Tunday Kababi in Lucknow.
Insider Tip: Complete your kebab with a flavorful side of coconut rice and couscous salad.
Chowmein
Chow mein is an Indo-Chinese delicacy made from stir-fried noodles and vegetables like carrots, cabbage, bell peppers, and onions or a choice of meat or sometimes eggs, and flavored with spices and Chinese sauces like soy sauce, chili sauce, and oyster sauce.
The streets of Delhi are alive with Chinese food vans serving spicy Indian-Chinese favorites, fondly called Chinjabi. They serve excellent varieties of chow mein customized to your palate.
And the best city to try authentic chow mein in India is Kolkata, home to Tangra, a mini Chinatown said to be the only Chinese settlement in India. The bylanes of Tiretta Bazaar buzz with roadside stalls selling desi Chinese.
Tung Fong Restaurant, a Chinese family-owned restaurant in Kolkata, is famous for its matchless Indo-Chinese menu, including chow mein.
Insider Tip: Drizzle extra chili-tomato ketchup and roasted peanuts or cashews to enhance the flavor.
Momos
Tibetans migrated to India in 1959 and settled in different parts of India, mainly in Ladakh, Dharamshala, Bylakuppe, Darjeeling, Kolkata, and Delhi.
And that’s when they brought their culinary tradition to India.
Since then, momo, a traditional Tibetan delight, has captured the Indian street food scene.
Authentic momo is a steamed all-purpose flour dumpling stuffed with meat or vegetables.
The Indianised versions are wheat momos, fried momos, fish momos, tandoori momos, butter chicken momos, chilly momos, chocolate momos, soup momos, paneer momos, cheese momos, keema momos, and many more.
These Tibetan dumplings are best served with chili garlic sauce and pickled daikon (Chinese icicle radish).
Where to Eat: Ama in Majnu ka Tilla, aka Little Tibet; Delhi and Dolma Aunty Momo’s in Lajpat Nagar, Delhi; Momo I Am in Kolkata; Kunga Restaurant in Darjeeling; Tibet Kitchen in McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala; Shuffle Momos in Gangtok; and The Tibetan Kitchen in Leh, Ladakh.
Kulcha
Made with mildly leavened all-purpose flour dough and stuffed with mashed potatoes, onions, vegetables, paneer, and whatnot, Kulcha is a north Indian street food, especially famous in Amritsar, Punjab.
From plain kulcha, vegetable kulcha, aloo kulcha, masala kulcha, keema kulcha, onion kulcha, and paneer kulcha, to nutri kulcha, mushroom kulcha, and pizza kulcha – there are mind-blowing varieties of kulcha.
Kulcha is traditionally served with matar (white peas) or chole (chickpea) curry.
Where to Eat: Bhai Kulwant Singh Kulchian Wale in Amritsar
Insider Tip: Add a generous dollop of butter on top of kulcha, a drizzle of lime juice and onion rings on chole, and pair the meal with Indian pickle, and thank me later.
Litti Chokha
Litti Chokha is a traditional delicacy in Bihar, Jharkhand, and some parts of Uttar Pradesh in India. Litti is made in the form of a ball (dumpling) using whole-wheat flour, stuffed with sattu (a mixture of roasted gram flour and pulses), seasoned with aromatic spices and herbs, and slow-roasted over a chulha (wood fire).
And the wheat balls are paired with chokha that’s made from roasted eggplant (baingan), boiled or roasted potatoes (aloo), and roasted tomatoes (tamatar).
Stalls selling litti chokha have now sprung up across India, but the Bhojpuri region is the best place to enjoy authentic litti chokha.
Where to Eat: D K Litti Corner in Patna, Bihar, and Surendra Kewat Litti Chokha Corner in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand
Insider Tip: The best way to eat litti chokha is by breaking a litti a bit and pouring ghee into it and enjoying it with chokha. Desi ghee (clarified butter) is an indispensable part of litti chokha.
Kulfi Falooda
Irresistibly delectable, kulfi falooda is an Indian ice cream dessert made with kulfi (traditional Indian ice cream) and topped with falooda noodles (made from sago or tapioca), basil seeds, rose syrup, jelly, and plenty of dry fruits.
You can choose the flavor of kulfi as per your taste.
Where to Eat: Giani’s Di Hatti in Chandni Chowk, Delhi, and Roshan di Kulfi in Karol Bagh, Delhi
If you’ve added Amritsar to your itinerary for India, don’t miss the Amritsari version of kulfi – kulfa!
Insider Tip: Add rabdi as a topping on your kulfi falooda and taste the magic.
Dhokla
Indigenous to the Indian state of Gujarat but easily found across the country, Dhokla is a soft, spongy, and savory melt-in-the-mouth cake in which a fermented batter (gram flour, rice flour, semolina, or lentils) is steamed and garnished with fresh coriander and/or grated coconut.
This Gujarati delicacy is best served with yummy deep-fried chilies and coriander chutney.
It’s another nutritious and versatile street snack in India!
Das Khaman in Navrangpura, Ahmedabad, and Rajubhai Dhoklawala in Kandivali, Mumbai serve the best dholka in India.
Insider Tip: Sprinkle Gujarati pickle masala to jazz up dhokla.
Kelli Chana
A tasty, spicy chickpea snack flavored with fresh local spices and herbs, called Kelli Chana, is a sought-after street food in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur.
This delicious, as well as healthy (see, healthy street food isn’t an oxymoron), Indian snack is traditionally served on a lotus leaf, which adds to its taste and aroma.
You can easily find it anywhere in Manipur.
Sanpiau
A popular street food in the northeastern Indian state of Mizoram, Sanpiau is a rice congee porridge flavored with meat (mostly chicken), fish, or vegetables, seasoned with herbs like lemongrass, black pepper, ginger, and coriander, and topped with fresh spring onions.
This healthy and tasty rice porridge is available on roadside stalls across Mizoram.
Laksa
Originating in Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, Laksa is a popular street food in the northeast Indian state of Assam.
It’s a sweet, sour, spicy, and meaty soup made with thick rice noodles and a choice of meat (chicken, fish, shrimp, or prawn), with coconut milk, tamarind, and locally grown herbs.
You can find quite a few versions of Laksa in Assam.
That’s not the end of this guide because the variety of street food in India is humongous!
Yes, precisely that! And, so we can’t cover it in just one blog post. I’ll keep updating this post regularly and make it the tastiest guide for foodies like me.
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