Are you one of those persons who declare themselves as being on a diet but hunt down the kitchen at the darkest hour of midnight? Well, you are not alone. The food-love is something we cannot hide with a facade. Remember the day when you drove for about 2 hours just to taste the perfect local snacks in a roadside dhaba? So, why not travel to another state to satisfy your taste buds a little?

Different people may travel for different reasons, but we all do have one motive in common, i.e. to please your soul with the perfect taste of the local snacks. And there cannot be any better place than India for the food-dudes to travel. Undoubtedly, every other state and region of India has something unique to offer, but it is better to have the perfect research data in your hand before you make any travel plans. Which city is best for a great street-food outing and which one for a crazy lunch, we have the list ready! Have a look.

Top 10 Places for Food-Dudes

1. KOLKATA, WEST BENGAL

Well, it is a kind of common saying that Bengali people are the best in two things – food and looks. Keeping aside the look factor, the food factor of Kolkata is something no foodie can ever ignore. If you don’t know yet, Kolkata already has a food synonym– Rosogolla! Sandesh and Misti Doi come in the second-tier of Kolkata’s food specialty. But this city doesn’t end with sweets; rather it is just the beginning. From authentic Bengali dishes to perfect Chinese cuisines, sprinkled with little Kolkata-Biriyani, food is the soul of Kolkata. And how can someone forget phuchka and Kathi-roll? Oh! Calcutta, Peter Cat, Nahoum, Paramount, Balaram Mallick, Ganguram, China Town are some of the places to try out perfect Kolkata-food.

2. LUCKNOW, UTTAR PRADESH

Lucknow, the city of Nawabs! Without a second thought, anyone can call this city a heaven for Biriyani-lovers. Famous for its authentic Mughlai Cuisine, Lucknow is surely a place every foodie should visit. From Lucknow Biriyani to Galauti-Kebab, non-vegetarians can satisfy their taste buds with different layers of spice in here. Nahari Kulcha and Galauti Kebab are the two most famous dishes of Lucknow. Apart from that, you should try Kebab-Paratha and Tandoori chicken. In a nutshell, try as much as Mughlai dishes you can! On a sidetrack, if you want to satisfy your sweet tooth, try out their Kulfi, Rewri and Meetha Paan.

3. DELHI

Who haven’t ever heard of the famous ‘Parantha-Gali’ of Chandni Chawk? Lots of people from different corners of India visit Delhi solely to try out the tasty paranthas there. Just like Lucknow, Delhi is also famous for the Mughlai dishes. Biryani and Kebabs are the integral part of Delhi. Also, Delhi scores in the sector of street foods as well. Momos, rolls, chole betore, chaat, golgappe– literally you can never go out of food options in here. Deez Biryani and kebabs, Nizam’s, Sikkim house, are some of the foodie’s delight in Delhi.

4. MUMBAI

The holy grails for foodies, Mumbai is the city where you can try out different types of foods with no limitations. From the finest restaurants to absolute street food hunting, Mumbai can be a big surprise for you little foodie soul. Goan Vindaloo, Maharashtrian local food, Konkani coastal cuisines are the specialties of Mumbai. And how can your Mumbai trip be ever completed without a bit of Pav bhaji, Vada Pav accompanied by Masala chai?

5. GANGTOK, SIKKIM

People all over India are surely crazy for delicious momos which is actually a Tibetan dish. So, if you want to have the delicacy of Tibetan dishes, you have got to travel to Gangtok. From delicious pork or thukpa to Phagsapa (Vegetable-pork stew), Gangtok is the paradise of authentic Tibetan dishes. Also, the dim sums of this is something beyond extraordinary. And to have a little tipsy night, try out their alcohol beverage, Tongba.

6. Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh

If you can categorise Biriyanis, Hyderabadi Biriyani will surely top the list! The city of Nizam’s is specially known for its taste of dum-biriyani and no one can ever leave this city without tasting it. From small dhabas to luxurious restaurants, the Biriyani is easily available everywhere. Hyderabad shows the potential of Mughlai and Turkish delicacies. You can stop by Bawarchi and Shadab to satisfy your taste buds. Also, keema samosas, sheer kurma, paaya are famous dishes which are too tasty to miss out!

7. Jaipur, Rajasthan

The ‘Pink City’ is not only famous for its cityscape; rather it is famous for taming every foodie’s tongue as well. The vibrant Rajasthan-cuisine of Jaipur is mouthwatering. Although, most of the dishes of this place are vegetarian, meat-eater will not be disappointed too. The classic dal-bati-churma and gate ki sabzi are the famous two dishes every foodie must taste once in their life. Also, a sweet dish such as Ghevar is pure heaven as well.

8. Amritsar, Punjab

Amritsar is the hub of every kind of spicy Punjabi food. The lip-smacking food of this city is something no one ever wants to miss out, especially the Amritsari chicken. Apart from that, you should also try out their Paneer bhurji, Amritsari Kulcha and Amritsari fish. Also, no one cannot ever miss out the iconic drink of Punjab, i.e. Lassi, can they?

9. Kochi, Kerala

Now that we have enough of North Indian food, it does not hurt having some authentic South Indian cuisine. And Kochi is the perfect place to have that. Kerala’s typical local food might not always according to your usual taste but it is something different to try out. Richness and simplicity are two qualities of Kochi’s food. From their traditional thali served on a big banana leaf to variety of rice and coconut dishes such as Puttu, Idiyappam etc. Kochi has a zillion of flavours up her sleeves. Also, being a coastal city, you will find seafood too in here.

10. Ahmadabad

Lastly, to satisfy your cravings for great Gujarati food, Ahmadabad is the ideal place. The mouth-watering Gujarati snacks will surely leave you wanting for more. Khaman Dhokla, Khakhra, Khandvi, Farsan, Thepla etc. are some suggestions that you might want to try out!

This is the bucket list that a foodie wants to have in their pocket and it is surely hard to pick which one to try first. So, buckle up, pack up your backpack and travel away, because there’s no greater love than the love for food!