Our Picks For Indian Food's Fantasy XI

BREAKFAST @ OLD DELHI

PITSTOPS: Shri Ram Metals -> Khari Baoli -> Chandni Chowk -> Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib -> Chandni Chowk Metro Station 

The many historical eddies that have swirled through and roiled Delhi have also shaken up the foundations of its flavourscape, time and again. The result is a uniquely situated food culture. Nowhere is this more evident than in the epicentre of these culinary shifts: Purani Dilli (Old Delhi). 

The chaotic, dense nature of this locality takes on a different hue early in the mornings, when eateries and vendors first open for business. A guided food walk would take you to:

Chawri Bazaar — Asia’s biggest wedding card and wholesale paper market. 

To sample — bedmi poori (coarse urad dal paste is added to regular puri dough to make these crispy puffed breads); nagori halwa (nagoris are puris made with sooji, maida and ghee; halwa and aloo sabzi are both popular pairings with nagoris); and chhole kulche. 

Jama Masjid; for nihari (slow cooked meat and marrow stew), paaya (trotters soup), and flatbreads like khameeri roti and sheermal.

Khari Baoli — Asia’s largest wholesale spice market; for tea with a view of the Old Delhi skyline from the rooftop of the Fatehpuri Mosque.

Chandni Chowk — for chhole bhature, lassi, and mawa sweets. With a special stopover at Chaina Ram, known for its sev barfi and gajar ka halwa.

Gurudwara Sis Ganj Saheb — for a look at their famed langar.

The last stop is at the Chandni Chowk Metro station, for journeys back home, or onto other places. 

Hosted by Delhi Food Walks.

ELEVENSES @ JAIPUR

PITSTOPS: Golcha Cinema -> Sahu Chai Wala -> Chaupad

Golcha Cinema — Stop off for a quick ginger samosa, made by an eatery within the theatre premises for the past 70 years. Nearly 6,000 of these are sold every day.

Sahu Chai Wala — For a kulhad of masala chai that’s been made as per the same recipe for over four generations now. 

In the vicinity — To eat as you go, from various establishments: hing kachori, moong thal, aloo tikki. 

Chaupad — For a serving of history, with a side order of thandai.

Hosted by City On Pedals.

LUNCH @ VARANASI

PITSTOPS: Ram Bhandar + adjoining areas

Who hasn’t heard of the holy city’s scrumptious food culture? We start with —

Ram Bhandar — This iconic eatery is famous for its poori-sabzi.

Wash down the puris with masala chai (and masala toast if you’re still nibblish) at Laxmi Chai, which is situated amid the cloth market.

Neelu Kachori — For kachoris with aloo sabzi.

Along the way, sample bun tikki, malaiyo, Banarasi lassi (at The Blue Lassi Shop).

Meer Ghat — For a thali, bathi chokha or chaat, visit the Keshari Restaurant. Finish with a Banarasi paan.

Hosted by City On Pedals.

POST-LUNCH SWEETS @ SOWCARPET, CHENNAI

PITSTOPS: Joonus Sait & Sons -> Kakada Ramprasad Sweets and Chaats -> Ajab Mithai Ghar -> Novelty Tea House

The trail begins with —

Kakada Ramprasad Sweets & Chaats, known for its 100+ varieties of sweets and 40 varieties of savouries that are made and served on an hourly basis at the eatery. Try the badam milk, declared Chennai’s best by connoisseurs. 

Ajab Mithai Ghar — Gujarati snacks, bhelpuri, panipuri, jalebis (!)

Novelty Tea House — Chennai’s best pav bhaji.

Also try while in Sowcarpet — Pal kova, thattu idli and murukku sandwich.

Hosted by Storytrails.

SNACKS & A SAUNTER @ MUMBAI

PITSTOPS: Chowpatty Beach -> Kyani & Co -> Mumbai GPO -> Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus -> Babulnath Temple

Chowpatty — The seafront thrums with people and vendors, with street food of all kinds on offer. Here, sample panipuri, sev puri and pav bhaji, baraf ka gola, softies and cotton candy to get the full fair feels. 

Dhobi Talao/Kyani & Co — for brun maska, Irani chai and keema pav. 

The GPO/Pancham Puriwala — for five different types of puris, including plain, masala, palak, beetroot and paneer. 

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST), formerly known as Victoria Terminus (VT) — Vada pav with a view of Victorian Gothic architecture.

Babulnath Temple — for a vegetarian or satvik bite.

Hosted by No Footprints.

MORE SNACKS & SAUNTERING @ KOLKATA

PISTOPS: Vicinity of New Market

ON THE TASTING ITINERARY —

Puchka / Dahi Papdi / Chaat / Gaathia / Jhal Muri / Kathi Rolls

(Optional: Finishing with Bengali mishti.)

Hosted by Calcutta Walks

KAAPI @ BENGALURU

PITSTOPS: From Kempe Gowda Statue (by BBMP Head Office, NR Square) to Avenue Road

Embark on a journey across the old ‘petta’ or town of Bengaluru. Walking through the bylanes of the area which was built as a mud fort by Kempe Gowda I in 1537, the route offers delicious sustenance in the form of food, and a new perspective on the megalopolis of today.

ON THE TASTING MENU —

Kashi Halwa / Kesai Baath / Dosa + Coffee

Hosted by Bengaluru By Foot.

SUPPER @ SHILLONG

PISTOPS: Police Bazaar and surrounding areas

COURSE 1 —

Shillong aloo muri, momo, panipuri, smoked meat and phan tungtap (boiled red potatoes with a mix of fermented dry fish, fried smoked meat and assorted wild edible greens).

COURSE 2 —

Pu Khlein (a Khasi dessert prepared with fermented rice), Pu Tharo (rice modelled in an earthen dish called sarrow, then baked and served with tea and chutneys), Pu Doh (fermented soya beans added with local herbs and sauteed together) and Pu Sla (freshly smoked meat).

ACCOMPANIMENTS —

Fresh plums, pineapples and mandarins. Wild berries such as sohshang (light pink-coloured fruit otherwise called wild olive that grows on a large woody, evergreen shrub), sohiong (Meghalaya’s cherry or blackberry, with a mild tangy taste) — both of which are often used in jams and pickles.

COURSE 3 —

An elaborate Khasi meal featuring jadoh (red rice cooked with pork or chicken), lungsiej (a type of pickled bamboo shoot) and doh khlieh (non-vegetarian salad consisting of boiled meat — chicken/pork/beef/fish — with onions, chilli and other ingredients), to Shillong chow with gravy and momo. Finish with wild tea and/or fruit wines. 

Conducted by Go Somewhere (with Meghalaya Tourism).

SUPPER OPTION 2 @ SRINAGAR

PITSTOPS: Khayam Bazaar and vicinity

Mughal Darbar or Ahdoos — For a wazawan meal.

Imran Cafeteria or Shahi Durban Restaurant — For seekh and boti kebabs, tandoori kebabs and tikkas, served with lawas, a local variety of unleavened flatbread. 

Conducted by Klook Travel.

AFTERPARTY @ AHMEDABAD

PISTOPS: Raipur Darwaza -> Satellite -> Gandhi Road -> Manek Chowk

Raipur Bhajiya House, Raipur Darwaza — For fresh bhajias.

Kandoi Bhogilal Mulchand, Satellite — For mohanthal (and kesar penda, boondi laddu, kesar-kaaju barfi if you’re so inclined).

Das Khaman — For plain, flavoured and masala khaman with toppings. 

Chandravilas Restaurant, Gandhi Road — For fafda with pure ghee jalebis (kadhi and grated raw papaya are additional accompaniments).

Manek Chowk’s Juna Sher Bazaar Chavanwala: Chavana and farsaan. (Also the gathiya, chevda and khakhra.)

Conducted by Experience Ahmedabad.

NIGHTCAP @ PANAJI

PISTOPS: Joseph Bar Panjim -> Soho — The Capital Bar

Begin at Joseph Bar and end the night at Soho — The Capital Bar, whilst sampling feni (made of cashew and coconut palm sap) and port wine. 

Conducted by Yo Tours Goa.