Share
Tucked in the rolling hills of Andhra Pradesh, thousands of devotees flock to Tirupati every year to soak in the city’s religious and spiritual fervour. The main draw of the city is the iconic Venkateshwara Swami Temple, dedicated to an avatar of Lord Vishnu. The cuisine of Tirupati is definitely influenced by the city’s religious character, with the majority of its specialties being purely vegetarian. Additionally, the city is majorly settled by Hindu communities of South India, most of who centre vegetarianism.
The culinary offerings of Tirupati are quite diverse and varied; they range from the sweet dish payasam to the flavour-packed rice dish pulihora to a crunchy deep-fried variation of the chakri called murukku. The Andhra thali, which flawlessly combines a host of South Indian staples onto a single dish, is also quite treasured among the Tirupati locals. Drop by the Southern Spice Restaurant to enjoy the Andhra thali experience. Being in close proximity to Tamil Nadu, the cuisine of Tirupati displays both Andhra and Tamil influences.
Here’s a list of the some of the most famous culinary masterpieces of Tirupati.
Murukku
Image Credits: Freepik
Murukku is a crispy and tasty South Indian staple made from rice flour, lentil flour, and spices, including sesame seeds and chili powder. To craft this beloved snack item, the aforementioned ingredients along with generous quantities of butter, are moulded into a batter, which is subsequently deep-fried into spiral-shaped treats that are murukkus. Murukku packets are available in most local stores but several Tirupati families also choose to make these at home.
Recommendations: Perambur Sri Srinivasa Sweets Pure Veg Restaurant New
Type: Vegetarian
Cost For Two: ₹200, approx.
Andhra Thali
If you’re looking for a hearty and luxurious meal, the Andhra thali is just for you! Bringing together a range of South Indian dishes onto a single plate, this filling meal includes lip-smacking specialties, such as rice, sambar, appam, curry, pickle, kurma, payasam, and more, reflecting the culinary abundance and diversity of Tirupati and South India as a whole. The Andhra thali is typically served on a banana leaf and makes for a spectacular gastronomic experience.
Recommendations: Southern Spice Restaurant
Type: Vegetarian
Cost For Two: ₹3000, approx.
Pulihora
Pulihora is a revered dish for Tirupati locals as it popularly features as an offering or a “prasad” at the Venkateshwara Temple. Also referred to as “Andhra Tamarind Rice,” pulihora makes use of several ingredients, including kokum, raw mango, lentils, peanuts, turmeric, curry leaves, and jaggery to form a simple but appetising dish. Pulihora also has sentimental value attached it, with most Andhra households having their own generational recipes of this enriching dish.
Recommendations: Puliyogare Palace
Type: Vegetarian
Cost For Two: ₹250, approx.
Bisibele Bhath
Image Credits: By Food and Remedy, LLC - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0/Wikimedia Commons
The cuisine of Tirupati is brimming with rice dishes, with bisibele bhath being another rice-based specialty. This enchanting concoction brings a slight Karnataka twist to the local flavours of Tirupati, incorporating ingredients, such as lentils, rice, vegetables and spices, including turmeric, ginger, and loads of ghee to form an aromatic and an inviting meal. The dish is ubiquitous throughout Tirupati, being available in fancy restaurants as well as humble roadside joints.
Recommendations: Udeepes Fast Foods
Type: Vegetarian
Cost For Two: ₹100, approx.
Pongal
Pongal is cherished throughout South India as it’s widely regarded as a comfort food. The Tirupati variation of this dish is typically prepared using ingredients, such as rice, moong dal, ginger, green chilli, curry leaves, and cashews. The dish also has a special significance in Tirupati as it’s a popular prasad item at the Venkateshwara Temple. Pongal is a versatile dish; it can be relished as breakfast or enjoyed as a full-fledged satisfying meal.
Recommendations: Udeepes Fast Foods
Type: Vegetarian
Cost For Two: ₹100, approx.
Payasam
Image Credits: Freepik
Payasam is an intricate and a succulent dessert crafted from milk, sugar, rice, and jaggery. Spices, including nutmeg, cardamom, and saffron are also frequently infused into the dish to give it flavour and dimension. The dessert is topped off with chopped nuts, including pistachios, cashews, or almonds, to lend it some crunch and bite. The sweet elements of the dish mingle effortlessly with the spices to create a medley of flavours, resulting in an unforgettable eating experience.
Recommendations: Sweety Tiffins & Fast Foods
Type: Vegetarian
Cost For Two: ₹100, approx.
Laddu
Image Credits: By Thamizhpparithi Maari - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0/Wikimedia Commons
Laddu is deeply rooted in the cultural heritage and religious vigour of Tirupati as this sweet treat is traditionally used as an offering to Lord Vishnu at the Venkateshwara Temple. The Tirupati special laddus are usually prepared using besan, sugar, cardamom, cashews, and ghee. These soft and velvety bite-sized delights are coveted for their divine taste and smooth texture, which help produce an enticing melt-in-the-mouth sensation when they are bitten into.
Recommendations: TTD Laddu Counters
Type: Vegetarian
Cost For Two: ₹200, approx.
