Monalika Medatwal
Local food is a delectable storyteller, whispering the rich narrative of a city’s history, culture, and identity. Each dish carries the imprint of regional traditions, reflecting the unique flavours and culinary heritage that have evolved over time. From street-side stalls to iconic eateries, the local food scene reveals the community’s collective memory, celebrating shared experiences and the fusion of diverse influences. To bring the soul of a city come alive, local food is often preferred by the people visiting a place. The choice of ingredients often mirrors the region’s agriculture, climate, and trade history.
Given the importance of local food, Taste Atlas, the experiential travel online guide, recently released the list of ‘Best Food Cities in the World’, in which Mumbai, Hyderabad, Delhi, Chennai, and Lucknow have been listed under the top 100. The two Indian cities that have made it to the top 50 are Mumbai and Hyderabad, at number 35th and 39th, respectively. While Delhi bagged the 56th spot, Chennai and Lucknow came in at 65th and 92nd.
Delhi and Mumbai are popular for their variety of chaats such as Aloo Tikki, Gol Gappe, Papdi Chaat, Dahi Bhalla, Sev Puri, Bhel Puri, Ragda Pattice, Vada Pav and Pav Bhaji. These are mostly street foods and you can easily find many variations in taste in different localities of both the metropolitan cities. Here, you will also get to taste other popular dishes like Aloo Paratha, Chicken Curry, Butter Chicken, Dal Makhani .
Though, Hyderabad is known for its Biryani, there are several other local dishes that people love to have there. From Haleem, Chicken 65, Boti Kebab to Keema Samosa, Paaya and Nihari, these are some of the popular local dishes that one can enjoy when in Hyderabad.
Chennai for its delectable Dosa & Idli, but the local food is not limited to them. One can also try Paniyaram, Vada, Bhaji, Pakoda, Puttu, Filter Coffee, Mulligatawny Soup, Sundal, Murukku Sandwich, Uttapam, Atho, Kothu Parotta, etc in Chennai. Here, majority dishes are rice-based, keeping the climatic conditions in view.
Lucknow we all know is quite known for the delectable Mughlai dishes that include Kebabs & Biryani. But, the food in Lucknow is much more than these dishes. From the popular Katori Chaat, Roghan Josh, Nihari Kulcha, Khasta Kachori, to Sheermal, Bun Makkhan Chai, Kulfi Falooda and not to forget the Makkhan Malai, there are several dishes that one can savour when in Lucknow.