Best Indian Street Food – Top 20 Snacks you have to try in India!

India is a culinary paradise due to its extensive and varied gastronomic offerings, especially street food. Each region offers its own experience of Indian street food that will linger.

Amidst its breathtaking landscapes, the bustling streets come alive with vibrant flavors that glimpse India’s cultural heritage.

If you love street food, check out Mexico’s Best Street Food or the Tanzanian Street Food called Chipsi Mayai!

These delicious spicy, sweet, or sour treats are more than just snacks. They are a reflection of India’s culture and customs as well. But enough said, let me introduce you to India’s best and most popular street food recipes.

Dabeli

Kesha Malam created Dabeli (meaning pressed) in the 1960s. This dish was first sold in Mandvi, Kutch, where its inventor lived. Later, his relatives took over the business, and today, it is one of the most representative dishes of Indian cuisine and is popular in Indian street food recipes. 

It is excellent as an appetizer with a cup of masala chai at parties or informal gatherings.

Kati Rolls

Just one glance is enough to realize that Kati rolls are the best Indian street foods as snacks on the streets of Kolkata. These are pieces of grilled meat or vegetables rolled in flaky bread, slices of red onion, some lime juice, and topped with chutney. 

The meats of the kebabs are cooked on wooden or metal skewers, hence the word Kati, which means “stick.” It is a world-famous fast food with many variations. Some include potato stuffing, eggs, mixed vegetables, and Thai curry.   

Appam

Appam is a pancake made with coconut milk and rice flour dough. A primary characteristic is the concave shape from being fried in a pan.

Very popular in southern India and Sri Lanka, it is preferably eaten as part of breakfast or dinner. Appam, equivalent to bread, is made with spicy seasonings, such as curry, and stuffed with steamed eggs, meat, vegetables, or fish.

There are a significant number of versions of this dish, but the most requested are the palappam, the achappam, and the honey hoppers. The sweetest ones are usually prepared for parties and special occasions. 

Pakora

Pakora is an Indian fast food consisting of vegetables, such as eggplant and cauliflower, chopped, seasoned in flavorful spices, and then fried. This simple Indian street food is prepared at home and is traditionally eaten during spring when locals celebrate the monsoon season.

This delicious snack, present in the food stalls of India and Pakistan, can also become the main dish, depending on the size of the plate. However, most people prefer to eat it with chutney sauce while drinking a cup of masala chai.

Mirchi Ke Pakode

Mirchi Ke Pakode is a popular snack in Rajasthan, North India, where it originated. The crispness of the fried coating makes this green chili a popular snack. A touch of green chutney sauce is all it takes to enjoy this excellent Indian street food.

In street food stalls, it is common to serve cut mirchi. To prepare it, vendors cut the mirchi ke pakoda in half and fry it again, served with tomato, lemon, and a tangy chutney to taste.

Murukku

Murukku is an Indian snack characterized by its crunchy texture. It’s a twisted, spiral-shaped dough fried in oil.

There are several versions of this dish, including sprinkled sesame seeds, salt, and chopped vegetables, which are added to the paste before the cooking process.

Mullu Murukku is a crunchier version of these Indian street foods and goes hand in hand with Indian ice cream.

Chhole Bhature

Chhole Bhature is a fried bread originating from Puntaj, North India. It is a spicy and filling customizable dish.

It is best to eat Chloe Bhature hot and fresh. Otherwise, its appearance declines greatly, becoming soft and somewhat dense. 

They are excellent Indian dishes, served with green chili peppers, onion slices, and lemon wedges. It is a perfect meal for weekends or during the holiday season of Indian culture. 

Vada Pav

In Bombay, you will find some of the best vada pav. Vada are fried spicy mashed potatoes. The vendors serve it with white bread, known as pav.

Sweet chutney, dry garlic chutney, and green chutney top this fritter. The most popular combination is fried green chilies and Indian chai.

Poha Jalebi

Bhopal’s culinary delight is poha and jalebi, one of India’s most tempting street foods eaten for breakfast with a cup of masala chai. It is light but satisfying and relatively affordable, too.

Poha is seasoned fried flattened rice topped with peanuts. Some prefer tomato and pomegranate seeds. The jabeli is fried dough soaked in sugar syrup and must be hot.

Poha, the quintessential Indian Street food breakfast of the Malwa region, consists of fried rice flakes with potatoes, curry leaves, onions, and other spices. They differ according to taste. Jabeli is prepared with maida (Indian wheat flour), fried in oil, and added sugar syrup.

Paani Ke Patashe

Paani Ke Patashe, also known as pani puri, puchkas (contains aromatic spices), gup chup, and gol gappas, among many other names, is among the best Indian street foods. They originated from the region now known as Uttar Pradesh, in northern India.

The number of names this pani puri Indian food has is due to the different regions.

Both children and adults enjoy the crunchy texture of this famous street food. Paani Ke Patashe, or pani puri, stalls are a staple at fairs, festivals, and even regional weddings.

Pav Bhaji 

Pav bhaji is one of Maharashtra’s favorite street dishes for its spicy taste. Locals and tourists usually eat it with buttered pav, a soft Indian bread roll.

This dish results from an excellent combination of myriad vegetables, such as bell peppers and lentils, with exotic Indian spices that make it very appetizing.

Insiders indicate that pav bhaji originated as a lunch option for textile mill workers because of its quick preparation. Its popularity gradually spread to become one of Mumbai and India’s most representative street dishes. 

Samosa

Samosa is a great way to start your journey into famous street food delicacies in India. It is one of the most famous and popular street foods with ghee-fried spices worldwide.

These succulent triangular patties are served hot with chopped onion, tangy chutneys, cottage cheese, or creamy yogurt. Indian street foods often have several versions, and samosas are no exception. There are even sweet ones, such as mango, raisins, and pomegranate seeds.

Dosa

Dosa, also known as masala dosa, is a traditional and very famous thin cake from India. Rice and black beans are soaked, ground to form a paste, and mixed into a thick dough. Fenugreek seeds to create a golden and crunchy dosa.

It is an essential dish in India that has become a popular street food traditionally stuffed with different ingredients, such as potato masala or scrambled eggs. The versatility of the dosa has allowed it to be adapted with various ingredients to create new versions.

Aloo Tikki/Aloo Chaat

Potato lovers will fall for the Aloo Tikki/Aloo Chaat. It is one of the first choices for Indian street foods.

This combination of flavorful spiced potatoes pairs well with tea. Aloo Tikki is a spiced potato burger.

Matar Kulcha

Street food lovers cannot miss the Matar Kulcha, Indian flatbread with curry. It is a simple yet addictive curry combination of roasted kulcha with white Matar. It’s a popular street food that locals enjoy for breakfast.

Matar Kulcha is a quick, tangy, and spicy meal sprinkled with sour chutney and semi-fatty gravy found on any corner in north India.

Ram Ladoo

Ram Ladoo is a classic street food from Delhi, consisting of deep-fried yellow split pea flour fritters. The tangy radish, refreshing coriander, fiery chilies, and zesty lemon juice elevate these crispy bites.

Served with a generous dollop of spicy green chutney and sweet tamarind chutney and finished with a sprinkle of crunchy onions and Chaat Masala. This snack is a flavor explosion in every bite.

Bhutta

Bhutta is a quintessential after-school or after-work street food snack locals enjoy throughout India, particularly during the monsoon season and colder weather.

This street food treat consists of roasted corn or maize, imbued with an irresistible tandoori flavor and aroma from being grilled over hot coals.

Adding spices like red chili powder, chaat masala, black salt, and a generous squeeze of lemon juice elevates the humble corn into an irresistible snack.

Jhal Muri

Jhal Muri, also known as bhel puri, is a beloved snack in Bengal similar to fried rice. It is made with puffed rice, gram flour sticks, fried lentils, fried peas, and bhel puri.

The aromatic spices create a harmonious blend of flavors and textures that pair well with tangy chutneys.

Nagori Halwa and Bedmi Poori

The combo of Nagori Halwa and Bedmi Poori, two kinds of Indian bread, is wildly popular on Delhi’s street food stalls and is unquestionably delicious.

It is rich, velvety, and sweet, perfectly balancing the heat and spice of the pooris. A sour-spicy potato curry is a perfect accompaniment to this dish!

Kachora

As the name implies, Kachora is a more advanced version of Kachori. Not only is it greater in size, but it also has excellent flavor, taste, and texture. Everyone enjoys the crisp Kachora, a very well-known street food staple.

This spherical piece of deep-fried delight has a delicious stuffing composed of lentils and a variety of spices.

Aloo Kachora, another potato stuffing variation, has an equally fantastic flavor.

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