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Aurangabad was founded in 1610 by Malik Ambar, who served as the Prime Minister of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate. The city is renowned for the Ajanta and Ellora Caves located nearby, which contain ancient Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain temples and monasteries carved into rock faces and dating back as far as the 2nd century BCE. The city of Aurangabad is famous for its silk and cotton textiles.
The royal food, when the Muslims ruled, used a lot of spices, dry fruits, and nuts to make it rich and flavourful. Over time, the traditional recipes have mixed with the local cooking styles and tastes of Maharashtrian people. From spicy curries to tasty biryanis, Aurangabad provides a peek into the culture, history and cuisine of the city.
The city of Aurangabad truly offers a variety of lip-smacking dishes for all food lovers. Come and explore the historic flavours of the city and its taste and heritage.
Naan Qalia
This traditional meal pairs soft naan bread with a complex mutton curry gravy. The naan soaks up the bold flavours of the qalia, or curry. It is beloved in Aurangabad for its complex medley of spices that create a warm, comforting dish. The labour-intensive process of preparing the naan and slow-cooking the qalia curry makes this meal special. This signature dish provides a mouthwatering taste of authentic Mughal cuisine.
Image credit: Freepik
Restaurant Recommendations: Kareem's, Nirala Bazar, Aurangabad
Type: Non Vegetarian
Budget: ₹200–400, approx
Biryani
Aurangabadi biryani is a special type of biryani rice dish from Aurangabad, India. It uses a yoghurt marinade to make the chicken or lamb very tender and tangy. The meat is cooked separately from the basmati rice and layered together with spices, onions, and mint. Aurangabadi biryani is cooked in a pot sealed tight with dough, which allows the steam to perfectly cook each layer. This gives Aurangabadi biryani its distinctive flavour and texture compared to other biryanis across India.
Restaurant Recommendations: Tandoor Restaurant, Osmanpura, Aurangabad
Type: Non-Vegetarian
Budget: ₹200–400, approx
Bhakri
Bhakri is a flatbread from Aurangabad, Maharashtra. It is made from sorghum or pearl millet flour. This gives it an earthy, hearty taste and chewy texture. Bhakri is cooked on a flat griddle until it puffs up. It is an important part of a typical Maharashtrian meal. Bhakri goes well with spicy curries and chutneys. It is often eaten with peanut curry, chicken curry, coriander chutney, stuffed eggplant curry, lentils, and rice. Bhakri is a rustic, tasty flatbread that is a staple food in Aurangabad.
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Restaurant Recommendations: Swad, Nirala Bazar, Aurangabad
Type: Vegetarian
Budget: ₹200–400, approx
Tahri
Tahri is a deliciously spiced vegetarian rice dish from Aurangabad. Unlike traditional biryanis made with meat, tahri is a pulao and uses an assortment of fresh vegetables as the star ingredient. The layered rice and vegetable mixture is then slow-cooked, allowing the spices to permeate each grain of rice and vegetable bite. Tahri is served piping hot with salan or raita, often garnished with crispy fried onions, roasted nuts or fresh cilantro.
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Restaurant Recommendations: Bhoj Thali Restaurant, Town Centre, CIDCO, Aurangabad
Type: Vegetarian
Budget: ₹200–400, approx
Dal Khichadi
Dal Kichadi is a beloved comfort food that is famous in Aurangabad. This hearty dish combines rice and lentils to create a nutritious, satisfying meal that is easy on the stomach. The lentils, typically tuar dal, are simmered until soft and creamy, then cooked together with fragrant basmati rice. As the rice absorbs the flavour of the seasoned lentils, the grains become tender and fluffy. It is often served with pickled vegetables, papadum crackers, yogurt raita, or a crispy fried egg to add more flavor and texture.
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Restaurant Recommendations: That Baat, CIDCO, Aurangabad
Type: Vegetarian
Budget: ₹200–400, approx
Jhunka
Jhunka is a delicious and comforting Marathi dish made from gram flour that is very popular in Aurangabad. This simple vegetarian dish is similar to the North Indian besan ki sabzi, but with its own unique Maharashtrian twist. The main ingredient in jhunka is besan, or gram flour, which is mixed with spices like turmeric, chilli powder, cumin, and coriander to form a tasty batter. This batter is then cooked into a soft, pillowy texture with the addition of water or yogurt. In Aurangabad, jhunka is typically served alongside bhakri, a round flatbread made from millet or rice flour that is the perfect accompaniment.
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Restaurant Recommendations: Green Leaf Vegetarian Cuisine. Jalna Road, Aurangabad
Type: Vegetarian
Budget: ₹200–400, approx
Thalipeeth
This nutritious breakfast item is made from a batter of whole wheat flour and an assortment of lentils, spices, and vegetables. The batter is mixed with ingredients like chickpea flour, rice flour, coriander, cumin seeds, and chopped onions before being pan-fried into a flat pancake. Thalipeeth makes for a wholesome and protein-packed start to the day. It is often served with a dollop of homemade white butter or a side of tangy curd.
Restaurant Recommendations: Blue Cilantro, near Mitsubishi Motors, Aurangabad
Type: Vegetarian
Budget: ₹200–400, approx
