Varanasi, also known as Banaras or Kashi is one of the oldest ,a major cultural and spiritual heartland of India. It provides a unique blend of serenity and thrilling experiences for visitors and pilgrims seeking both spiritual and adventurous experiences. Top of all you will get the chance to taste some of the best local food in Varanasi and can experience many more with our India travel Packages.Varanasi is a city in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh which is known as the spiritual capital of India. You would love to explore this amazing ancient city Varanasi. There are around 2,000 temples, including Kashi Vishwanath, the “Golden Temple,” dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. Moreover, you can discover many things to do in Varanasi.
Why Known as Spiritual capital of India ?
Varanasi, one of India’s oldest spiritual cities, located on the banks of Ganga River, which is well known for its ghats, steps leading down to the river, where daily life, ritual bathing, and cremation ceremonies take place. For Hindus, the city is a significant destination, who come to perform religious rituals.Let’s dive into the culinary delicacy. Here is the list of the best local food in Varanasi.
1. Kachori Sabzi
This delicious breakfast item in Banaras is the first and best local food in Varanasi you must. The crispy kachoris are made with a stuffing of lentils and spices (which are called dal ki pithi), the mouth-watering sabzi is prepared with boiled potatoes, black pepper, cloves, chillies and other ingredients. Among the best varanasi local food, this amazing combination is truly a treat for the taste buds, it is loved by locals, tourists and people of all ages. While visiting any street food joint in the city in the early morning, you will see many hostellers and office persons enjoying this hot breakfast with Best Varanasi street food. So, we can safely say that your trip to Banaras will be incomplete without tasting the authentic Banarasi kachori sabzi.
Where you should Try
- The Ram Bhandar, Thatheri Bazar
- Chachi Kachori Shop, Saket Nagar Colony, Lanka
2. Aloo kachori
The place “Banaras” serves two different types of kachoris – badi and choti kachori. While the regular kachoris, made with a mixture of dal ki pithi are called badi kachoris. The ones with a stuffing of spicy potato mix are called choti kachoris. These choti kachoris are the best local food in Varanasi served with sweet and coriander chutney. They are perfect for anytime snacking like the best street Food in Varanasi, especially when it comes to killing your hunger during city tours. Being one of the most famous and best local foods in Varanasi. Aloo kachori is available in every corner and street of the city. Where you should Try
- The Ram Bhandar, Thatheri Bazar
- Chachi Kachori Shop, Saket Nagar Colony, Lanka
3. Baati Chokha
Baati chokha, popularly known as litti chokha the best street Food in Varanasi, is a tasty snack that you can enjoy at different street food joints and eateries around the city. This famous Banaras food looks very similar to the dal bati of Rajasthan Anand. The round baatis or littis are made with wheat flour and stuffed with a flavourful sattu masala. They are then cooked over charcoal for that great old taste. Chokha is a spicy mixture of roasted eggplants and tomatoes, boiled potatoes, ginger, chillies and other ingredients. A good local delicacy known as the best local food in varanasi, baati chokha is something you can’t afford to miss in Banaras.Where you should Try
- Baati Chokha Restaurant, Teliyabag
- Polti Baati Chokha Restaurant, Assi Ghat
4. Laaiya Channa
If you like bhel puri, you must try laaiya channa in Banaras, the best street Food in Varanasi. This famous food in Varanasi is quite like the tastiest bhel puri available in various streets across the country. The only difference is that laaiya channa is made with soaked and boiled chickpeas or chana instead of muri or puffed rice. This delicious local food in Varanasi contains chopped onions, tomatoes, green chillies, peanuts, lemon juice and masalas, and is a popular tea-time snack in the city.Where you should Try
- Deena Chat Bhandar, Ramapura Luxa Road
5. Tamatar Chaat
This unique and delicious chaat is available at Varanasi’s famous food joints and is a favourite among locals and tourists exploring Local Food hopping Varanasi. It is prepared with boiled and mashed potatoes and tomatoes, green chillies, onions and coriander leaves. The chaat is flavoured with red chilli powder, black pepper, garam masala, and other spices. Although tamatar chaat can be a bit spicy, it is a must-try for every chaat lover visiting Banaras as it’s the best local food in Varanasi. Taste this delicacy once with chaat masala. Where you should Try
- Kashi Chaat Bhandar, Godowlia Road
- Street food stalls on Lahurabir Road
6. Dahi Chutney Golgappe
For street food lovers, golgappa in any form is loved. Dahi chutney golgappe of Varanasi is probably one of the best street Food in Varanasi you can try in the city. Who doesn’t like golgappe? Being an Indian we all are fond of these. It’s the crispy golgappas which are stuffed with a mouth-watering mixture of mashed potatoes and then topped with curd, chutneys, masalas, pomegranate seeds and sev. And the result is as delicious as it sounds! We know upon reading this, your mouth is also filled with water and you too wanna try this. So, whenever you find yourself craving something sweet and spicy, rush to the nearest street food joint and relish some lip-smacking dahi chutney golpappe. This famous Best Local Food In Varanasi is easily available in different eateries around the city.
Where you should Try
- Deena Chat Bhandar, Ramapura Luxa Road
- Kashi Chaat Bhandar, Godowlia Road
7. Choora Matar
Visit Varanasi during the winter season and you will find the best street Food in Varanasi stalls offering this flavourful snack. This is prepared with flattened rice, milk, ghee, cashew nuts, fresh peas and spices, choora matar is Varanasi’s version of the popular breakfast item – poha. Chopped coriander leaves and lemon juice are added towards the end for that extra zing. Choora matar is among the best Local Food Varanasi enjoyed in the evening with hot tea or coffee.
Where you should Try
- Kashi Chaat Bhandar, Godowlia Road
- Deena Chat Bhandar, Ramapura Luxa Road
8. Malaiyyo
A delicacy in Varanasi, malaiyyo is a melt-in-the-mouth sweet dish which is available only in winter and among best local food in Varanasi. It is made of milk foam and the preparation process is quite special. While discovering Local Food hopping Varanasi, you will get a stop at this. To make this, milk is boiled in an iron container and then kept under the open sky at night. This is done for the dew drops to help initiate the foaming process. The milk is then churned with cardamom powder, saffron and sugar till the entire thing changes to foam. It is then garnished with chopped almonds and served in kulhads. If you are visiting Banaras in winter, make sure you relish this unique street dessert with best Local Food Varanasi as you may not find it anywhere else .Where you should Try
- Thatheri Bazar, Old Banaras
- Kachori Wali Gali, Chowk
9. Chena dahi Vada
If you are looking to enjoy Varanasi’s famous food items during your next trip to the city, is something which you can’t avoid as this is one of the best local food in Varanasi. This unique snack is a variation of the popular dahi vada. This dish is prepared with a mix of mashed potatoes, fresh cottage cheese or chena, grated ginger, cornflour and other ingredients. They are shaped round like vadas, deep-fried in oil, and topped with sweet curd, tamarind and coriander chutneys, and masalas. Although a typical breakfast item, you can have this snack of the best Varanasi local food at any time of the day. Where you should Try
- Kashi Chaat Bhandar, Godowlia Road
- Deena Chaat Bhandar, Ramapura Luxa Road
10. Launglata
Launglata is a sweet dish that the locals mostly love to eat during Holi Celebrations. However, it is available in the sweet shops and street food stalls, as the best local food in Varanasi all year. Launglata has a crispy covering made of all-purpose flour or maida, while the delicious filling is prepared with mawa or khoya, saffron, chopped nuts, sugar and cardamom powder. The best Varanasi street food, this sweet is deep-fried in ghee, soaked in sugar syrup and served hot. It is more like a royal sweet best served with other traditional and famous foods.Where you should Try
- Shri Madhur Jalpan, Near Spice KCM
- Kachori Wali Gali, Chowk
11. Rabri Jabeli
Rabri is a sweet dish and undoubtedly on top among the best local food in Varanasi, which is prepared with milk and flavoured with sugar, saffron, rose water, and almonds. On the other hand, the desi ghee jalebis are prepared with all-purpose flour, yoghurt, saffron strands, sugar syrup and other ingredients. And when you taste these two together, you will feel like you are at the 7th cloud. You gotta try Varanasi’s famous food at least once whenever you are in the city.Where you should Try
- Om Shree Ram Bhandar, Nadesar
- Sweet shops in Chowk and Godowlia
12. Lassi
Have you ever thought that how a simple drink like lassi made it to the list of most famous best street Food in Varanasi ? Well, Banarasi Lassi is quite different from the ones available in other parts of the country. In Varanasi, lassi is prepared in a special way. It is more like a dessert drink and quite filling. To make Banarasi lassi, fresh curd and sugar are whisked for a while and then topped with rabri, saffron strands, and almonds. Some places in the city serve different flavours of the lassi, such as mango lassi, rose dry fruit lassi, butterscotch lassi and gulkand lassi, much to the delight of lassi lovers.
Where you should Try
- Blue Lassi Shop, Govindpura
- Kachori Wali Gali, Chowk
13. Kulhad Chai
If you are looking to try popular drinks apart from best Local Food Varanasi, remember to include kulhad chai in the list. We always crave for “ Ek garam ki chai”. So, yes, a simple thing like chai tastes amazing in the city. It is prepared with buffalo milk and is richer and creamier when compared to regular tea. The local tea vendors also use some special chai masala for a unique flavour and aroma. This hot beverage in Banaras is served in kulhads or plastic cups and this further accentuates the taste.
Where you should Try
- Kashi Café, Assi Ghat
- Nandey Tea and Coffee Shop, Near Pandey Ghat
14. Banarasi Paan
“khai ke paan banaras wala, khul jaaye band akal ka taala”. Say Banaras and the first thing that comes to mind is Banarasi paan, all thanks to the popular Bollywood song. As per locals, your meal is incomplete if you do not have a paan at the end of having the best Local Food Varanasi. The paan is prepared by stuffing betel leaves with a combination of ingredients, like betel nuts, fennel seeds, clove powder, cardamom, cinnamon, menthol, lime or tobacco. The sweet version or meetha paan is milder and has no tobacco or lime. It is flavoured with gulkand, fennel seeds and a few soft suparis.
Where you should try
- Keshav Paan Bhandar, Mahmoorganj
- Keshav Tambul Bhandar, Lanka Road
15. Thandai
Like Banarasi paan is famous, thandai is also a flavoured cold drink and the best street Food in Varanasi that everyone visiting Banaras must try. While it is prepared like the usual thandai with milk, saffron, cardamom, almonds, rose petals and sugar. Despites being the beverages it equally refers to as the best Varanasi local food. However, there’s something more that makes Varanasi’s thandai different from the usual ones. The drink is refreshing and perfect for those hot summer days.Where you should try
- Baba Thandai, Godowlia
- Kashi Vishwanath Thandai Ghar, Harha
16. Cutlets and Bajjis
Cutlets, or fried Patties, are made of different types of fillings. It Tastes best with either tomato sauce or tamarind chutney. We all had this at our homes, vegetables like potato and Bajji Mirch deep-fried with Besan flour batter goes best with Kullad chai. What makes Banarasi bajjis special? It is the powder they add while serving the best Varanasi local food. Black salt with cumin powder adds an amazing taste and reduces the acidic effect.Where you should try
17. Samosa chaat
The dish is so common in India that most of us thought Indians invented it like other local food in Varanasi. Banaras, being the masters of fried snacks, knows how to Indianise this Persian dish perfectly. Crushed Samosas are poured with Channa sabzi and grated cabbage along with sprinkles of coriander leaves and onion. The boiled potato stuffing is properly mixed with spices. Hence, the sweetness of chana sabzi chutney compliments it greatly and makes it the best Varanasi local food.Where you should try
- Shri Sankat mochan chat bhandar
- Deena Chat Bhandar
18. Laal Peda
This milk dish isn’t new to us as we also prepare a similar dish in my home state including our best local food in Varanasi. What makes Varanasi Pedha the most delicious Pedha is the amazing quality of milk they use. The caramelised sugar and thick milk with almond sprinkles on the top are mouth-watering.Where you should try
- Mahadev lal peda bhandar
- Up College Prasidh Lal Peda ki Dukan 1911
To discover more delicious local food in Varanasi you can also look for good cafes in Varanasi.
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Conclusion
So, have you checked the delicious delights of the ancient town Banaras? We know that you can’t stop yourself to taste the amazing street delights and best Varanasi local food. Being an Indian we all are fond of food and trying out multiple varieties of street food available in different corners of the country. Additionally, you may explore many photography spots in Varanasi and several things to do in Uttar Pradesh.Varanasi is well known for its wide variety of food and delicious taste available on the street. Not just the restaurants, but also the streets are filled with multiple scrumptious food items. Moreover, you can plan you trip for different places to visit in Uttar Pradesh along your varanasi trip.
Hurry Up! Pack your bags today and visit Varanasi today to explore the amazing mouth-watering dishes which awaits you.
