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TasteAtlas is an online culinary guide that periodically ranks cuisine categories. Whether it's the world's best food, rice meals, chicken dishes, or desserts, one or two Indian dishes nearly always make the list. After all, India is famed not just for its rich culture, but also for its delicious cuisine. This time, phirni and kulfi have secured a place among the top 100 desserts in the world. And people are not surprised. Both Indian desserts are in the top 60 on the list, which makes everyone happy.
TasteAtlas previously listed misal pav, paratha, and chole bhature among the world's top 50 breakfast foods. And now that kulfi and phirni have joined the list of best sweets, Indian cuisine shines brighter than ever. Kulfi finished 49th, with phirni at 60th. These classic sweets, famed for their pleasant tastes and rich heritage, stood out as global favourites. The guide also recommended several classic locations where you can sample these delicacies at their finest.
Also Read: TasteAtlas Top 100 Best Dishes: Amritsari Kulcha, Hyderabadi Biryani & More That Made The Cut
They recommend Peshawri in Mumbai, Barbeque Nation in Bengaluru, and Hyderabad's famed Gokul Chat for kulfi. If you're looking for a nice bowl of phirni, they recommend the iconic Kesar da Dhaba in Amritsar, as well as two of Delhi's legendary restaurants, Bukhara and Karim's. These establishments have been serving these classics for decades, and they're obviously doing something right.
How Did Kulfi & Phirni Make The Cut?
Kulfi is known for its dense, creamy texture and long-lasting flavour. It is typically made with milk and malai and flavoured with kesar, elaichi, pista, and dry fruits. People sometimes add rose petals to the mix. TasteAtlas describes it by saying, ‘Kulfi is a traditional ice cream made from carefully simmering whole milk. Although the long boiling method reduces volume, it compensates with a delightful, nutty, caramelised flavour. The ice cream is characterised by its unusual, conical shape, a result of using traditional, special moulds with tight-fitting lids.’
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Phirni, on the other hand, is a creamy, pudding-like treat prepared from pulverised rice. Slow-cooked milk, sugar, cardamom, and milled rice create a silky texture that melts in the tongue. It’s a popular dish in North India and is frequently prepared for festivities such as Diwali, Karwa Chauth, Eid, or even a special family supper. The appeal of phirni is also reflected in how it is served—chilled in miniature clay bowls known as shikoras, garnished with almonds, rose petals, and occasionally silver warq. It's simple yet luxurious in its own way.
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Another interesting fact to note is that TasteAtlas also ranked chomchom, a dessert from Bangladesh, at the 40th spot on the list. While chomchom has its roots in Bangladesh, it is also tied to West Bengal in India. So, if you consider this an Indian dessert, you can say that India has not two but three desserts on the ‘100 Best Desserts In The World.’ And why is this important to know? Well, it’s no surprise that people from Bengal take pride in their sweets, and chomchom is also among them. Because at one point, Bengal was one. So, the tastes, the recipes lingered and flourished on both sides of the border. Bangladesh received 3.97 points as a culinary country, and phuchka, bhorta, chomchom, halim, and jilapi were included among the 20 best-rated food items in Bangladesh this year.
The TasteAtlas list of the world's top 100 foods is also out, and four Indian favourites have made the cut. Amritsari kulcha, murgh makhani, Hyderabadi biryani, and shahi paneer are among the winners. In addition, six Indian metropolitan cities are on the extended list of Best Food Cities, while regions from Maharashtra, West Bengal, and South India have been named Best Food Regions.
