When you arrive at a new place, the prominent street foods are the first thing that helps you in understanding and experience the destination and its culture. It is surely an indispensable part of knowing a place.
Every region has its unique delicacies that are at first revered by the locals and then by the tourists who visit the places. Though one might find variants of particular street food throughout the country, the place where the street food has originated, no one can beat the taste of it.
You can find the locals saying that the street food in their town is better and more delicious than in any other place.
Indian street food is widely known for its taste. It is a culinary paradise for the locals as well as the tourists. And no tourist can leave India without tasting the scrumptious delicacies and appreciating them.
Today I have brought you a list of Indian street food that you must try to satisfy your taste buds. The list is long and varied, consisting of flamboyant complementary flavours that range from hot to sweet to savoury, and from soft to crispy to creamy.
Indian street food explodes in your mouth releasing rich, exotic flavours which leave you craving for more. My list of Indian street food has dishes from every corner of the subcontinent.
So, brace yourself for an enrapturing food spree and gorge on some indelible and mouth-watering street food in India that you’ll relish.
1. Aloo Tikki Chaat
Starting the list of Indian street food with one for all potato lovers, Aloo Tikki Chaat is prepared with small pieces of potatoes mixed with different spices, tamarind, and chutney.
The taste of this heavenly-tasting street food will make you crave more and more.
2. Samosa
Samosa is a delicious, mouth-watering snack. It’s a triangle-shaped crispy bread filled with a mixture of potato, peas, and some spices. Samosas taste best with chutney or sauce.
3. Vada Pav
Vada Pav is an Indian street food that consists of a pan-fried bun that is filled with deep-fried potato fritters.
The bun is pan-fried with butter and the inside is filled with fritters, masalas, onions, chilies, and capsicums. This crispy, spicy, and flavorful street food in India is also known as the Indian burger.
4. Pani Puri
One of the favourites of every Indian and requisite Indian street food from my list is this explode-in-your-mouth snack. Pani puri consists of fried, round, and hollow flatbreads, or puri, which are stuffed with a mixture of potatoes, onions, chillies, spices, and chutney.
Further, it is served with flavoured water containing tamarind, spices, masala, and more. It leaves you craving for more once you put a puri in your mouth.
5. Honey Chili Potato
Another potato dish in this list of Indian street food, honey chili potato is originally derived from China but the Indian version has its succulent spin.
The potatoes are fried until crisp and are cooked further with a spicy sauce and bell peppers. This hot, tangy, and spicy potato dish is a great appetite stimulant.
6. Lassi
Lassi is extremely popular on every street in India, but the ones made in Punjab can’t be compared to any other. It is a cool and creamy yogurt drink that works perfectly in soothing the mouth after a spicy dinner or cooling down the body during hot summers.
This cool, sweet, and sour drink come in different flavours which you’ll love absolutely.
7. Chole Bhature
Another popular Indian street food of Punjab, chole bhature consists of puffy flatbread or bhatura which is served with creamy and spicy chole.
The combo of hot bhaturas and spicy choles is simply mouth-watering. Make the most of this delicacy by pairing it with a chilled lassi and there you go! Your perfect breakfast is served.
8. Kulcha
This Indian street food is a popular one in North India. It is very easy to prepare. This soft-textured kulcha is made without using any yeast.
Wheat flour, curd, baking soda, and baking powder are used to make the dough, then it is left for 2 hours to make the dough smooth and soft. Kulchas are usually served with chole.
Different types of kulchas can be made such as paneer kulcha, matar kulcha, etc.
9. Kebab
Meats that are cooked on a skewer are called kebabs. The taste is all different from the usual meat that you eat. Soft, tender, and juicy meat pieces are served with onions and other veggies and some tangy spicy chutney to blow your mind and taste.
10. Momos
No doubt that we all are familiar with this Indian street food and most of us love and crave it every day. This food on my list needs no introduction.
A scrumptious street food, momos are fried or steamed dumplings stuffed with a variety of fillings. A spicy and fiery red chutney, tangy green chutney, and a meat soup are generally served along with momos.
11. Chow Mein
We all know where chow mein has emanated from. But the extra spices that are added to Indian chow mein give it its Desi spin.
Soya sauce and ketchup top this Indian street food, giving it an extra delicious spin. One can find veg as well as non-veg chow mein.
Veg chow mein is topped with cabbages and with other veggies and if you are craving the non-veg, seasoned chicken or mutton pieces shoot the taste up.
12. Poha
Poha is one of the popular Maharashtrian snacks on my list of street food in India. It is made of flattened rice mixed with vegetables, spices, cilantro, onions, and chilies. Nuts and curry leaves can also be added as extras.
13. Jalebi
Jalebi is another sweet delicacy in this list of Indian street food found across the country.
This pretzel-shaped sweet treat is made from maida flour which is deep-fried till it gets orange or a light brownish look and then is dipped in sugar syrup to make it ready to be served.
14. Kathi Roll
Kathi rolls are quite famous in Kolkata. If you walk down the streets, you’ll get the justification.
Parathas made out of dough wheat flour are cooked until crispy and flaky, and delectable chicken pieces, vegetables, and chutney make the fillings of the rolls. The stuffings can be veggies, meat, egg, and sometimes paneer.
15. Dabeli
Dabeli originated in Gujarat. Similar to Vada Pav, boiled and spicy potato mixture, special dabeli masala, cilantro, garlic, and tamarind chutney fill the soft, buttered pavs grilled on a Tawa.
Sev gathia and pomegranate seeds are also sprinkled over to bring out extra crunchiness. This scrumptious Indian street food can be found along every street if you visit Gujarat.
16. Chole Kulcha
One of the best breakfast options is chole kulche. All-purpose flour bread tossed in butter combined with white peas cooked with spices, masala, onions, and chilies, the scrumptious flavour of chole kulcha is such that no one can resist.
Top it with some butter and combine it with fresh pickled salad, it will surely leave you licking your fingers.
17. Ragda Patties
In Ragda patties, the patties are made up of mashed potato cakes and are served with gravy or ragda, along with chutneys.
It is also topped with onions, coriander leaves, peas, and sev. Neither too spicy but sweet, ragda patties will give you the perfect taste when you’re craving some light food.
18. Papri Chaat
Papri chaat is a snack made with a mixture of fried potato chips or papri, chickpeas, spices, and chutneys.
It is a common and all-encompassing Indian street food on our list. The tangy and spicy flavours make it a perfect on-go snack.
19. Basket Chaat
As the name says, this chaat is served on a basket that is made out of grated fried potatoes.
The potato baskets are then filled with boiled chickpeas, potatoes, sweet and spicy chutney, chaat masala, etc. Many flavours and tastes with the crispiness of the fried potatoes will explode in your mouth while you try basket chaat and you’ll simply love it.
20. Kulfi Falooda Rabri
Kulfi Falooda Rabri is another sweet dish from this list of Indian street food for the sweet tooth. Made with rabri, a condensed milk-based food item, and milk, kulfi, sugar, almonds, etc. The combo of the three different food items in a single dish just blows one’s mind.
21. Ice Gola
A perfect rescue during hot summer days, ice gola is a sweet and salty treat that will help you to beat the heat. It is a ball of shaved ice fitted on a stick moulded by the vendor.
After the ball is moulded, the vendor will add various flavours to the ice ball as per your choice. The sweet fruity or tangy minty flavours will cool you down on a sweltering heat.
22. Idli Sambar
Idli Sambar is a popular South Indian breakfast and is loved by all people across the country.
It’s a simple but moreish street food consisting of idli, a soft rice cake made by steaming the batter of fermented black lentils and rice, and sambar, a lentil stew cooked with tamarind.
23. Churumuri
A popular Indian street food in the streets of Karnataka, churumuri is a snack made with puffed rice. The preparation of churmuri is very easy and takes much less time. Boiled potatoes, chopped onions, chilies, tomatoes, and crunchy peanuts are used as the toppings.
Spices, masala, and coconut oil are further used to elevate the taste of churumuri. Various toppings can be used in it. If it's summertime then one can add raw mango slices also to make it taste much better.
24. Dosa
Another famous South Indian street food after idli sambar, dosas are a thin and large piece of fried rice batter. It can be eaten plain or stuffed as per choice. The stuffings in dosa are commonly masala mixed with potatoes and onions. As side servings, coconut chutney and sambar are served.
25. Frankie Roll
Also called the Indian burrito, Frankie roll is one of the favourites of the Indians and thus it makes its place in this list of Indian street food.
Quite easy to make, whole wheat roti is layered with mashed potatoes, onions, chutney, chilies, spices, and Frankie masala. One can have Frankie rolls for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or as a scrumptious snack.
26. Puchka
Another name for pani puri, it is widely known with this name in West Bengal. This tangy Indian street food makes it to the top of everyone’s list in their list.
It consists of fried, round, and hollow flatbreads which are stuffed with boiled mashed potatoes, chickpeas, and some spices, and is served after dipping in spicy tamarind and coriander water which tastes tongue-clicking.
27. Nagori Halwa Bedmi Puri
Nagori halwa bedmi puri are two different dishes combined for a perfect breakfast. This Indian street food consists of bread made of wheat flour and stuffed with dal. It is served with sweet and spicy potato curry and sooji ka halwa.
28. Daulat Ki Chaat
A fine and delicate dessert such as Daulat ki Chaat is loved by all. Available only during the winters, this dessert dish is made by whisking raw and sweetened milk.
The creamy and frothy texture of this ultra-delicious creamy souffle comes after whisking it. Further, it is blended with malai, pistachio, khoya, saffron and chenna to give its heavenly sweet and creamy taste.
29. Kachori
Kachori is quite famous throughout the country and also makes its place as one of the essential breakfast dishes. It is a crunchy and deep-fried snack made from maida which is mixed with moong or urad dal, besan, spices, chilies, and onions.
There are various types of kachoris and some are also made with stuffing inside, the most common stuffing being aloo. Served with gravies and chutneys, it’s appetizing Indian street food.
30. Pakora
Pakoras are heavily fried fritters with any type of stuffing. One can have an egg pakora, a chicken pakora or an aloo pakora, and more.
Almost anything you take, you can make a pakora out of it. And these are in the overarching category of snacks that need less hustle to make but taste heavenly.
31. Chicken Tikka
Chicken tikka surely completes the list of Indian street foods. It’s ultra-popular street food in India that consists of marinated and grilled chicken pieces mixed with yogurt and various spices.
This scrumptious dish is just irresistible. One can have chicken tikka with gravy, as a wrap.
32. Mutton Roll
Mutton rolls definitely must be the King of rolls. This warm, savoury Indian street food has delicious, juicy mutton pieces wrapped inside a roti. The roll is prepared on Tawa. It is served with a lemon wedge, vegetables, and tangy sauces to dip in.
33. Kappa
It is one of the most popular dishes in Meghalaya. The dish is a stew prepared with chicken, sometimes pork and buff are also used, a variety of garden spices and cooking soda.
It was once a tribal dish but now is quite famous throughout the state.
34. Singju
Singju is a Meitei-originated dish and is quite famous in Manipur. It has both veg and non-veg versions.
The non-veg version is made using fermented fish, chilies, and seasonal vegetables whereas the veg version is made using seasonal vegetables, perilla seeds, and chana powder. Non-veg Singju is more popular across the state.
35. Shapale
This Indian street food is popular in Sikkim. Originating in Tibet, Shapale looks like a massive deep-fried momo. The large bread is stuffed with flavoured diced meat and cabbage and then is shaped into circles.
This meat pie has a crunchy exterior. It is usually served with red hot chili sauce and rutang soup made from bony meats, and this goodness deliciously melts in one’s mouth, leaving one to crave more.
36. Mishti Doi
Mishti Doi is Bengali’s favourite. This taste-bud tantalizing fermented sweet dish is prepared by boiling the milk until thick, and then sugar is added to the content to add sweetness.
It is left to ferment overnight. This sweet dish makes it to the list of Indian street food and you can have it as a dessert or whenever you are craving its sweet and sour taste.
37. Jhalmuri
Jhalmuri is easily available on the streets of Kolkata and is a perfect on-the-go snack. It is made using puffed rice, and the tongue-clicking flavors are given by adding masalas, onions, chilies, and sometimes a little bit of lemon juice.
38. Faraa
Faraa is a dish popular in Chhattisgarh which is almost like dumplings but is made of rice. The preparation of the dough is quite a work, but once it is done, it is stuffed with chickpeas, Urad dal, chilies, and some spices to give it a marvellous taste.
39. Bombay Duck
If you are starting to back off hearing the name of this Indian street food, then come back. Despite the name, this palatable dish is not made out of ducks but with small pieces of fish. The fish pieces are either deep-fried or slathered in red curry.
Coated with batter, it has a crispy exterior and soft-flaky interior. This incredible seafood is served with chutney.
40. Bhelpuri
Bhelpuri can be found in every state across India and is common Indian street food. It consists of crunchy puffed rice, sev, and cilantro topped with a tongue-clicking chutney. One can also top it further with dahi to have the sweetness.
41. Dahi Puri
A popular Maharashtrian snack, Dahi puri is a type of chaat made up of mung beans, onions, chilies, coriander, and sev placed in small, hollow, and puffed bread balls called puris.
The main ingredient which adds delectable sweetness to this Indian street food, the dahi adds to the sublime perfecting flavors of this wonderful snack.
42. Pav Bhaji
Pav bhaji is one of the favorite foods of the Indians from this list for quite a lot of reasons. Spicy and buttery mixed vegetable curry is served with butter-oozing pavs, this heavenly Indian street food tastes much better when scoops of butter are added on the top.
The vegetable curry is made with various spices and masalas, onions, tomatoes, chilies and it stands out from the rest. The explosion of unique flavours when you pop the pav and the bhaji in your mouth is just savoury. Adding a little lemon juice can elevate the tangy flavour of the dish.
43. Mirchi Bajji
As the name suggests, it is a spicy Indian street food made from taste bud-gripping long green chilies. The chillis are de-seeded and stuffed with a spicy mixture of chickpeas and then are coated with batter before frying.
The crispy South Indian evening snack is served topped with chopped onions and cilantro.
44. Vellayappam
Vellayappam is one of the famous and favourite breakfast dishes in Kerala. It can be said that it is the Indian version of pancakes.
For the preparation of this tasty South Indian meal, the batter is made of rice flour added with coconut, yeast, salt, and sugar. A local curry is served with it to burst the flavour of the dish.
45. Ram Ladoo
Not the usual sweet-flavoured ladoo that you eat, Ram Ladoo is a fried pakora made out of moong dal, Bengal gram, and various spices.
The crispness on the outside and softness on the inside satisfies the taste buds of food lovers. It tastes best with chili toppings, onions, coriander leaves, and lime juice.
Here is the end of the list of Indian street food. No doubt that the rapturous taste of street food makes everyone a lover of street food. One absolutely can’t get enough of these.
Every region of India has its speciality and it is depicted in its street foods. Put all the Indian street food that I have mentioned in this list on your bucket list and don’t forget to try each of them and tantalize your taste buds the next time you visit a place. Savour these amazing street foods at least once in your life.
These Indian street foods from my list will surely befuddle and satiate the foodie in you. Bon appétit!
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