If you are visiting Pune, then having Mutton Bhakri at least once is a must! When it comes to Maharashtrian cuisine, Mutton Bhakri represents a very local platter that has the potential for global appeal—it is the International Year of Millets, after all.
Ashray Patil, who uses the Instagram handle @thefoodmonster_ to educate people about the best foods and places to eat in Pune, gives us the lowdown on what Mutton Bhakri is. “Mutton Bhakri is a hearty meal consisting of a spicy mutton curry served with Bhakri, which is a type of flatbread made from millet flour,” he explains. “The mutton is typically cooked with a variety of spices, including cumin, coriander, turmeric, and chili powder, and is usually served hot with a garnish of fresh coriander leaves.”
Patil indicates that there are probably as many takes on the Mutton Bhakri combo as there are cooks in Maharashtra. “The taste of Mutton Bhakri can vary depending on the specific recipe and the preferences of the cook,” he quips. “However, it is generally known for its bold and spicy flavor, with the mutton being the main highlight of the dish. The Bhakri itself is often used to soak up the rich and flavorful curry, making it an integral part of the meal.”
Natasha Diddee, who posts all about the food she cooks up with the handle @thegutlessfoodie, says that the choice for the best Bhakris in Pune is a very personal one. But the one thing everyone must know is that you cannot and should not order in Bhakris. “You can’t have Bhakris home delivered. They don’t travel well,” she says. So, the best thing you can do is step out and check out all of these places where, our Puneri food influencers say, the best Mutton Bhakri in town is served.
Natasha Diddee: Maratha Samrat, Branches Across Pune
Natasha Diddee says that “every Maharashtrian restaurant worth its salt will have Bhakri. It’s a prerequisite.” But her favourite in town is Maratha Samrat, which has three branches in Kothrud, Baner and camp. “All their food is outstanding,” Diddee says, “The thing about Bhakris is that you have to eat them super-hot, otherwise they become like cardboard. But their Bhakris are really soft. There are others that are good, but our go-to place for great Maharashtrian food and service will always be Maratha Samrat.”
Mutton Bhakhari at BhaCurry. Image courtesy: Instagram/Bhacurry
Pratiksha Laxman Bangar: BhaCurry, Moshi & Hotel Nagpur Maratha, Chinchwad
Pratiksha Laxman Bangar, one of the two women who manage @_eatclickexplorerepeat_, reveals that while there are plenty of places in Pune that serve Mutton Bhakri, one of her favourites is BhaCurry. “A rooftop place in Moshi with pretty but unique ambience, BhaCurry has one of the finest Maharashtrian-cuisine dishes to offer, including Mutton Bhakri,” she says. But, she says, you should explore all the Bhakri combos here. “From Pithla Bhakhri to Kala Rassa Chicken and Bhakri, you’ll get everything here.” Bangar also has a pro tip to share: Always ask for Bajari chi Bhakri rather than Jowar Chi Bhakri.
Another place recommended by Bangar for Mutton Bhakri is one she calls her “go-to place that never disappoints’. “Hotel Nagpur Maratha is not just a small restaurant but it’s an emotion,” she says. “A family runs this place in their old house. They have converted their house into this small, cozy place which will definitely give you an experience of a village home.” The Mutton Bhakri here, she explains, gets an added allure because of the way the family sources the ingredients and cooks it. “The owner himself cooks all the food items,” she says, “whereas the jowar, bajari and gahu used to make the Bhakris comes from their own farm.”
Ashray Patil: Hotel Samadhan, Ravet; Gayatri Hotel, Aundh & Sandeep Hotel, Shivajinagar
One of Patil’s favourite Mutton Bhakhri joints in Pune is Samadhan in Ravet. “Hotel Samadhan is one of the best Maharashtrian Thali meal restaurants in the area. The ambience is great, they have given a proper Marathi village look to the place which gives authentic vibes,” he explains. The Mutton Bhakri there can be had separately, or you can order a Mutton Thali with the Bhakris. Patil also recommends that those who don’t want to eat mutton should also try the Chicken Thali with Bhakris.
Patil says that if there is a place in Pune that gives a feel of what home-cooked Mutton Bhakris taste like, then it is Gayatri Hotel in Aundh. “This is a great place for Maharashtrian delicacies, including Mutton Bhakri. The Mutton and Chicken Thalis they serve, which include Bhakris, provide an epic flavour and the feeling of home cooking,” he says, adding that the place has great ambience during both lunch and dinner service. “The prices are reasonable, the ambience is lovely, and the staff is keen on helping,” he says.
If you are looking for a taste of great Mutton Bhakris as well as other Maharashtrian dishes, then Patil recommends Sandeep Hotel. According to him, this is “the best hotel in the city right now for vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian food.” The Mutton Bhakris there are to die for, but if you want more then Patil suggests you try the Mutton Ukad for a starter, then the Mutton Handi and Gurguttya Rice (which he says is prepared with the best quality Indrayani rice) for the main course. “Full marks to the food quality here,” he says, adding that the place has massive seating capacity and is very well managed.
Vishal Bagdi: Sinhagad Fort Eatery & Girija Restaurant, Sinhagad Fort Road
Have you ever come across places to eat in India that look like nothing more than a shanty but serve up delicious food. Given that Mutton Bhakri is basically a very common food that is enjoyed by people across all classes in Maharashtra, and especially Pune, there is one place that Vishal Bagdi—the influencer behind @thepunefoodie—recommends highly. “Pune’s best Bhakri is found at the top of the Sinhagad Fort,” he says. “The place is underrated and unbranded, but serves great quality Bhakri with a variety of curries to dip them in.”
In fact, being a popular tourist place in Pune, Bagdi says that the area around the Sinhagad Fort has plenty of Mutton Bhakri and Pithla Bhakri places to offer. One of those amazing places is Girijia Restaurant. “The Bhakris are light, yet quite filling,” Bagdi says, adding that those served at Girija “have a purely authentic taste.” This place also spoils you for choice when it comes to mutton dishes to dip your Bhakris in as it offers Mutton Kolhapur, Mutton Malwani as well as the other Mughlai Mutton gravies.
The Thalis at Maratha Samrat also offer Bhakhris. Image courtesy: Instagram/marathasamrat
Punam Patil: Hotel Rahul Garden, Alandi Road & Kombada Party, Dapodi
Punam Patil, a Pune-based food blogger and influencer with the Instagram handle @thecrazyindianchef, suggests that when it comes to the best Mutton Bhakri places in the city, it is the crowds outside trying to get in that prove how good a joint is. Her recommendation for the combo is, therefore, Hotel Rahul Garden. “This place is not only famous for Mutton Bhakri but also for Chicken Raan, Mutton Raan, Fish Raan and Chicken Thali,” she explains. “The place is so popular and always so crowded that you need at least two hours’ prior booking to even get a table!”
From outside, Hotel Kombada Party looks like a little hole-in-the-wall place that serves the local community with the best local food. Inside, Punam Patil says, the food on offer is so delicious that it can put roadside dhabas on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway to shame. “Apart from serving Mutton Bhakri that is made fresh, Kombada Party also serves unlimited Chicken Thali, Mutton Thali, Kala Rassa with Bhakri, as well as Indrayani rice delicacies,” she explains.
