This holy city is a beautiful blend of chaos and peace. Traditional Varanasi food fuels you for the challenge.
Varanasi is one of India’s most sacred cities, where spiritual energy flows through ancient streets alongside the holy Ganges River.
The city buzzes with pilgrims, tourists and locals creating a vibrant atmosphere unlike anywhere else in India.
While many visitors come to Varanasi for its religious significance, the local food scene offers an equally transformative experience.
Every city in India has its own food identity and Varanasi is no exception. The street food culture here reflects centuries of culinary traditions influenced by local ingredients and cultural practices.
Varanasi Culinary Influences
Varanasi food incorporates flavors from across northern India with unique local twists. The cuisine tends to be vegetarian-focused, with generous use of ghee, spices and seasonal vegetables.
You’ll find street vendors selling everything from crispy fried snacks to cooling sweet treats.
The food in Varanasi has been shaped by both royal Mughal influences and simple temple cooking traditions.
Many recipes have remained unchanged for generations, passed down through families who have specialized in particular dishes for decades or even centuries.
Local cooking often features wheat, lentils and dairy prominently. Chaat, savory snack foods with layers of flavor and texture, are particularly popular throughout the city.
Eating Safely in India
Must Try Varanasi Food
Tomato Chaat | Tamatar Chaat
Tamatar Chaat features ripe tomatoes that are boiled, mashed and mixed with spices, green chilies and crispy sev. The dish is prepared fresh at street stalls, with vendors adding chaat masala, cumin and a splash of lemon juice.
Each bite delivers a burst of tangy tomato flavor complemented by the spicy and crunchy elements. The contrast of soft tomatoes with crispy toppings creates a satisfying textural experience.
While many cities across India have their own version of chaat, the tomato chaat of Varanasi has a distinctive sweet-sour balance that locals are particularly proud of.
This street food favorite began as a way to use summer’s abundant tomato harvests. It evolved into one of the city’s most beloved snacks, especially popular during hot afternoons.
You’ll find the best tamatar chaat at crowded street corners in the old city where vendors have perfected their recipes over years of service.
Where to Eat Tamatar Chaat: Kashi Chaat Bhandar D 37/49, Godowlia, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221001, India
Kachori Sabzi
Kachori Sabzi is crispy fried bread stuffed with spiced lentils or peas, served with a flavorful potato curry.
The outer shell is made from wheat flour and fried until golden brown, while the filling contains a mix of spices including fennel, asafoetida and black pepper.
The contrast between the crunchy exterior and soft spicy interior makes this a delightful breakfast option. The potato curry adds moisture and balances the rich pastry with its tangy tomato base.
This dish appears in various forms across North India, but Varanasi locals insist their version has the perfect balance of spices and texture.
Local food enthusiasts claim kachori was first created as a way to preserve food for travelers in ancient times. The fried outer shell helped the filling stay fresh longer during journeys.
For an authentic experience, locals head to small shops in the old city that have been making kachori for generations.
Where to Eat Kachori Sabzi: Neelu Kachoudi Bhandar Kachaudi Gali, Rani Kuan, Chowk, Chowk Godowlia, Govindpura, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221001, India
Holi Festival Foods
Malaiyo | Malaiyo
Malaiyo is a delicate winter dessert made by collecting morning dew mixed with milk that’s been slowly heated and churned until frothy.
This seasonal treat is only available from November to February when the weather conditions are right.
The taste is incredibly light and subtly sweet with hints of saffron and cardamom. The texture resembles a soft cloud that melts instantly on your tongue.
This dessert is unique to Varanasi and isn’t found elsewhere in India, making it a true local specialty.
Folklore suggests that Malaiyo was once served only to nobility during winter months. The precise technique for making it has been closely guarded by specific families for generations.
Locals know to look for street vendors in the Chowk area early in the morning during winter months, as Malaiyo typically sells out by mid-morning.
Where to Eat Malaiyo: Morning vendors near Vishwanath Gali Vishwanath Gali, Lahori Tola, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221001, India
Lassi
Lassi is a thick yogurt drink blended with sugar, flavored with cardamom and topped with a layer of malai. Some variations include fruits, nuts or rose syrup. It’s traditionally served in clay cups that keep it cool.
This creamy, refreshing beverage has a satisfying richness from the full-fat yogurt. The earthenware cup adds a subtle flavor that locals insist is essential to the authentic experience.
While lassi is common throughout North India, the Varanasi version is known for being particularly thick and often served with a specific combination of toppings.
Lassi shops in Varanasi have been family-run for generations, with recipes closely guarded and passed down from father to son. Each shop claims to have the secret to the perfect consistency.
During hot summer months, locals often substitute a meal with a glass of filling lassi, especially in the afternoon when temperatures peak.
Where to Eat Banarasi Lassi: Blue Lassi CK 12/1 Kunj Gali, Kachaudi Gali, Near Rajbandhu, Govindpura, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221001, India
Baati Chokha
Baati chokha are wheat dough balls that are baked or roasted until hard on the outside but remain soft inside.
These are served with chokha, a mash of roasted eggplant, tomatoes and potatoes seasoned with garlic, green chilies and mustard oil.
The combination creates a hearty meal with the smoky flavor of the vegetables complementing the simple wheat balls.
Traditionally you break the baati with your hands and dip it in ghee before mixing with the chokha.
While this dish originated in Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh, the Varanasi version uses specific local spices that give it a distinctive taste.
Rural communities developed this dish as it could be prepared with minimal equipment and stayed fresh for several days, making it perfect for farmers working long hours in fields.
For the most authentic experience, locals recommend small family-run eateries away from the main tourist areas.
Where to Eat Baati Chokha: Baati Chokha Restaurant Lanka, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221005, India
Holi Festival Foods
Litti Chokha | Litti Chokha
Litti are wheat balls stuffed with roasted gram flour mixed with herbs and spices, then roasted over coal or baked.
Chokha is a mix of mashed roasted vegetables including eggplant, potatoes and sometimes tomatoes.
The smoky flavor from the coal roasting gives litti its distinctive taste. When eaten with the spicy chokha and a generous drizzle of ghee, it creates a satisfying meal with complex flavors.
This rustic dish shares similarities with Rajasthani baati but is distinguished by its spiced filling and the specific preparation style common in eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Historically, litti was popular among soldiers and travelers as it stays fresh for several days and requires no refrigeration. It became an important food during India’s fight for independence.
You’ll find the most authentic litti chokha at small roadside stalls where the cooking happens over open fires, especially in the less touristy parts of the city.
Where to Eat Litti Chokha: Litti Chokha Restaurant Near Assi Ghat, Shivala, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221001, India
Chai and Malai Toast
Malai toast features thick slices of white bread slathered with fresh malai or clotted cream, sprinkled with chopped nuts and sugar.
Street vendors toast the bread on a tawa until golden brown, then top it with the creamy mixture.
The contrast of warm crispy toast with cool, rich malai creates a simple but indulgent breakfast treat. The sweetness is subtle, letting the natural flavor of the fresh cream shine through.
This morning specialty has similarities to the bread-based sweets found in other North Indian cities, but Varanasi’s version uses particularly fresh buffalo milk cream.
Food historians suggest this dish emerged as a fusion of British toast culture and Indian sweet preparations during the colonial period. It has since become a beloved local breakfast option.
Locals know to visit the small tea stalls near the ghats early in the morning when the malai is freshest and the toast is made to order.
This was my favorite Varanasi food because it took us inside to a secret spot only locals knew. Watch the video above as it was a struggle to find it!
Where to Eat Malai Toast: Lakshmi Chai Wala Near, CK 56/34 chowk, Govindpura, thana, Uttar Pradesh 221001, India
Diwali Festival Food
Rabri Jalebi
Rabri milk slowly simmered until it reduces to a thick, creamy pudding with layers of malai. Jalebi is a crispy, pretzel-shaped sweet made from fermented batter that’s deep-fried and soaked in sugar syrup.
When eaten together, the cool, rich rabri balances the syrupy sweetness of the jalebi. The contrasting textures of creamy rabri and crispy jalebi create a memorable dessert experience.
While both rabri and jalebi are found across India, the Varanasi version uses a specific milk reduction technique that creates a distinctive layered rabri.
Sweet shops in Varanasi have been serving this combination for generations, with some establishments claiming recipes that date back centuries.
Locals prefer enjoying this sweet treat in the evening, often as a dessert after a meal of chaat or kachori.
Where to Eat Rabri Jalebi: Mishrambu Sweets Near Godowlia Crossing, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221001, India
Dahi Bhalla or Dahi Vada
Dahi bhalla are lentil dumplings made from a batter of urad dal that’s shaped into rounds and deep-fried.
These are soaked in water, squeezed, then topped with whisked yogurt, tamarind chutney, green chutney and spices.
This refreshing street food offers multiple flavor dimensions, from the tangy yogurt to the sweet and spicy chutneys. The soft texture of the soaked dumplings contrasts nicely with crunchy toppings like sev.
Similar dishes appear throughout North India, but Varanasi’s version is known for its particularly soft bhallas and the balance of sweet and tangy chutneys.
This cooling dish gained popularity as a remedy for the intense summer heat in the city. Vendors developed their own signature spice blends and chutney recipes over generations.
The narrow lanes around Vishwanath Temple house some of the most popular dahi bhalla vendors, who continue to use traditional methods of preparation.
Where to Eat Dahi Bhalla: Deena Chat Bhandar D, 51/76, Luxa Road, Maheshpur, Shivala, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221001, India
Banarasi Paan
Banarasi paan features a heart-shaped betel leaf filled with a mixture of areca nut, slaked lime paste, catechu.
It has may include sweet ingredients like rose petal conserve, fennel seeds and coconut shavings. The leaf is folded into a triangle and secured with a clove.
This post-meal treat delivers a complex flavor experience that begins sweet and aromatic, followed by a refreshing sensation. The combination of ingredients creates a palate cleanser that aids digestion.
While paan is enjoyed throughout India, Banarasi paan is specifically known for its sweet flavors and the artistry involved in its preparation.
Paan culture in Varanasi dates back centuries, with mentions in ancient texts. It was traditionally served in royal courts and remains an important part of social customs and hospitality.
Locals are fiercely loyal to their favorite paan vendors, many of whom have shops that have been operating for several generations.
Where to Eat Banarasi Paan: Gama Paan Harha, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221001
Tips for Eating in Varanasi
- Street food in Varanasi offers the most authentic local experience. Look for busy stalls with high turnover to ensure freshness. Most vendors specialize in just one or two items, which they’ve perfected over years.
- Morning is ideal for kachori sabzi and malaiyo, while evenings are perfect for chaat and sweets. The lanes around Vishwanath Temple and Godowlia Crossing house many famous food stalls.
- Carry small change for street food purchases, as vendors often can’t break large bills. Always check that water served is filtered or bottled.
- For the best food tour experience, explore the narrow lanes of the old city between Dasaswamedh Ghat and Godowlia, which contain dozens of specialized food shops within a small area.
- The most memorable dining experiences often happen at small, unassuming places that have been serving the same dish for generations. Don’t be afraid to try places that might not look fancy but have a line of locals waiting.
- Remember that many shops close during afternoon hours, so plan your culinary adventures for morning or evening. Take time between tastings to walk along the ghats and work up an appetite for your next Varanasi food adventure.