You haven’t really been to Kolkata if you haven’t relished the best street food in Kolkata. The cultural capital of India, Kolkata boasts of super-delicious food– be it phuchkas or Channar Jilipi, the lip-smacking flavors will delight your taste buds in the city of joy.
Taste these 15 dishes from the wide range of Kolkata street food, and you would have checked-off all major highlights of local cuisine by keeping handy this Kolkata street food guide.
15 Best Street Food In Kolkata
Are you staying in Kolkata and looking for the best street food options in this lively city? From exclusive sweets to delicious chaats, there are numerous street food alternatives in the city that will surely delight you! Here are the best street food items in Kolkata one must try while exploring the streets of the city and enjoy a burst of flavors and spices.
- Phuchka – Savour The Burst Of Spices
- Churmur – A Crunchy Blend
- Ghugni Chaat – Give A Pinch Of Tangy Flavor
- Jhalmuri – Your Go-To Snack
- Keemar Doi Bora – Dahi Bada, Kolkata style
- Kathi Rolls – With Love, From Kolkata
- Shingara/ Samosa – Your Evening Tea Companion
- Chhanar Jilipi – Not A Regular Jalebi
- Aloo Kabli – A Quick Potato Snack
- Telebhaja – Fried Delight To Go With Any Occassion
- Aloo Dom Luchi – Taste The Aunthetic Bengali Platter
- Mughlai Parantha – Savour The Scrumptious Flavor
- Kabiraji Cutlet – Minced Mutton With A Twist
- Dragon Chicken – Solution To Chinese Craving
- Ghoti Gorom – Walk And Eat
1. Phuchka – Savour The Burst Of Spices
Stuffed with mashed potatoes, sprinkled with spices, and then filled with tamarind chutney, pickled water, pudina, and lime – puchkas are definitely the best of Kolkata street food. They belong to the golgappa family, but the typical flavor of Kolkata is what makes them different from gol gappa or pani puri.
Best places to try: Dilipda’s phuchkas in Vivekananda Market, Krisnakant Sharma’s stall in Vardan Market, Kiosk near Triangular Park, Ram Gupta’s Stall at Victoria Memorial, Nankuram Gupta’s stall at Russell Street, Bada Phuchkawalla in New Alipore
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2. Churmur – A Crunchy Blend
Much like Phuchka, this street food of Kolkata is a mix of crushed puchka, mixed with mashed potatoes, onions, spices, and of course tetul gola – pulp of tamarind. Though it tastes similar to Phuchka, Churmur is easier to eat. Your Kolkata street food tour is incomplete if you don’t try Churmur.
Best places to try: Maharaja Chaat Centre at Southern Avenue and Bhawanipore
3. Ghugni Chaat – Give A Pinch Of Tangy Flavor
If you’ve ever tasted Mumbai’s Ragda, you somewhat know what we’re talking about. Ghugni is made mainly of boiled yellow and white peas – mixed with onions, coriander, chillis, tomatoes, spices, and topped with tamarind pulp. This is a popular street food in Kolkata, and deserves all the popularity!
Best places to try: Dacres Lane and New Market
4. Jhalmuri – Your Go-To Snack
An easy and quick munchy, Jhalmuri is an appetizing street food that can be found in every nook of the city. The snack is a tossed-up mix of puffed rice, namkeen, peanuts, coriander, onions, tomatoes, spices, chillies, and more.
No oil and no cooking makes it the quickest and the best street food in Kolkata. The final outcome is then served in a conical newspaper wrap. Pair it up with hot tea, or simply munch on while on the move.
Best places to try: Jawaharlal Nehru Road and Triangular Park
5. Keemar Doi Bora – Dahi Bada, Kolkata style
Keemar Doi Bora is meat Dahi Bada dropped in sweet dahi sprinkled with panch phoron, that is – cinnamon, a pinch of red chilli powder, cumin, black mustard seeds and fenugreek. For north Indians, this is a unique dish to try – definitely one of the best street food of Kolkata.
Best place to try: Burrabazar
6. Kathi Rolls – With Love, From Kolkata
All the lovers of rolls, UNITE! Because Kolkata’s Kathi Rolls are not basic at all. Egg, mutton, chicken, paneer – you name it and they have it. A flaky flour paratha is rolled up with your chosen stuffing laced with irresistible sauces, spices, and veggies.
Just one of this Kolkata street food is enough to fill your tummy and satisfy your tastebuds.
Best places to try: Anamika Roll Center near Triangular Park, Hot Kathi Roll at Park Street, Nizam Rolls in New Market, Kalika Mukhorochak at College Street, Kusum’s at Park Street
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7. Shingara/ Samosa – Your Evening Tea Companion
Samosa, as we know it in other regions of India and in the world, Shingara is your triangular fried snack with potato stuffing that you crave to eat with hot masala chai in the evening. Shingara, the best street food in Kolkata, is not limited to aloo stuffing; you can get mutton, chicken and lamb as well.
Best places to try: Tiwari Brothers at Burrabazar
8. Chhanar Jilipi – Not A Regular Jalebi
For those with a sweet tooth, relishing this street food in Kolkata is sheer delight; it is juicy, soft, and chewy. Chanar Jilipi is a Kolkatan jalebi made of cottage cheese. It is thicker than a normal jalebi and the texture is similar to Gulab Jamun. That’s basically goodness of two sweets in one.
Best places to try: Golpark and College Street
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9. Aloo Kabli – A Quick Potato Snack
One of the best forms of potato, Aloo Kabli is a spicy and hot dish you mustn’t miss when you crave for something flavorsome in Kolkata. Boiled potatoes are tossed with tamarind pulp, onions, tomatoes, chilies, chickpeas, and a magical combination of masalas.
Best places to try: Kalika Mukhorochak at Surya Sen Street
10. Telebhaja – Fried Delight To Go With Any Occassion
Telebhaja is your favorite companion on a rainy day. The crispy snack is prepared by frying besan or cornflour batter covering various items like onion rings, potato, pumpkin, and eggplant. In fact, that’s not all for this Kolkata street food! There’s even Telebhaja made of raw mangoes, coriander leaves, and Bombay duck. Hungry much?
Best place to try: Kalika Mukhorochak at College Street
11. Aloo Dom Luchi – Taste The Aunthetic Bengali Platter
Aloo Dom is the rendition of Bengali’s for Dum Aloo and if you haven’t tasted it with luchi, then you’re missing out on something real good. While in Kolkata make sure to add Fairlie place in the list and enjoy the scrumptious taste of the heavenly combination of mashed potatoes and bengali spices. Located close to the central business district, the Aloo Dom is something which one should definitely try along with other famous street foods.
Best Place To Try: Fairlie Place, Central Business District
12. Mughlai Parantha – Savour The Scrumptious Flavor
Mughlai paratha is actually a roti stuffed with chicken keema and broken cutlets, onion and eggs. This is one of the most stomach filling and soul satisfying street food in Kolkata which tastes just heavenly. Found in almost every corner of the city, Mughlai Paratha is worth a try.
Best Place To Try: Anandi Cabin
13. Kabiraji Cutlet – Minced Mutton With A Twist
For the non-veg lovers, a trip to Kolkata is incomplete without tasting the famous Kabiraji cutlet which is worth spending money. Made with minced mutton which is wrapped in egg net and deep fried, the delicious taste of the cutlet is to die for. Among all the delicious street foods available here, the Kabiraji cutlet is a must try.
Best Place To Try: Mitra Cafe
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14. Dragon Chicken – Solution To Chinese Craving
Well, there is no doubt that Kolkata is called out the hub for foodies because it not just has the authentic bengali street food but also other delicious variants. And among this is the scrumptious Chinese cuisine. The street opposite the South city mall offers the best chinese street food in Kolkata. And while here don’t miss the taste of the Dragon Chicken which is a must try.
Best Place To Try: South City Mall street
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15. Ghoti Gorom – Walk And Eat
Try this amazing combination of Chanachur, lemon juice and onion which is locally known as Ghoti Gorom. This street delicacy is one of the go to food in Kolkata streets which offers the best flavors of spice and sweet. If the hunger pangs are bothering you, make sure to buy one packet and munch it till you reach your destination.
Best Place To Try: Princep Ghat
Best Street Food Areas In Kolkata
All nooks of Kolkata are dotted with vendors who know magic! But if you ask where to get the best street food in Kolkata, we’d surely drag Burrabazar, Park Street, and College Street in the conversation!
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We know you’re drooling already! The streets of Kolkata are filled up with a lineup of delicacies which are going to satiate your soul. So, plan a trip to West Bengal and live up with the vibrance of this eastern state and grab a bite of the best street food in Kolkata.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Best Food In Kolkata
Q. What is the famous food of Kolkata?
A. One of the famous dishes in Kolkata is Aloo Dom and Lucchi which is a perfect combination of spices and flavours of Bengal.
Q. Which city has the best street food in India?
A. Delhi is the best place in India to find a vast variety of street food followed by Kolkata, Lucknow and Mumbai.
Q. What is the famous sweet of Kolkata?
A. Roshogolla or Rasgulla is the famous sweet of Kolkata which can be found at every corner of the city.
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