What to eat and drink in Varanasi, India

To eat in Varanasi is to taste tradition. To experience, bite by bite, the culture of one of the world’s oldest and most sacred cities.

As the spiritual heart of India and a center of Hinduism for thousands of years, Varanasi is a place where religion and ritual are part of daily life. These deep-rooted practices shape everything in the city, including its food. This means that you won’t just be eating delectable dishes (though they are certainly that) – for each plate represents traditions passed down for generations through age-old recipes, with food served on leaf plates and drinks sipped from clay pots. 

Influenced by Hinduism, the cuisine here is mainly vegetarian – simple yet nuanced, humble yet full of character. As you wander through Varanasi’s maze-like alleys, you’ll be drawn in by the aroma of slow-cooked delicacies prepared in tiny kitchens that have turned out such fare for centuries.

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From flavorful street food to quintessential traditional dishes and refreshing drinks, Varanasi is a paradise for gourmets. Here’s all you need to know about what – and where –to eat and drink in Varanasi.

Begin your day with kachori sabzi and jalebi, the quintessential local breakfast

Start your day as Varanasi locals do, with kachori sabzi and jalebi. A kachori is a deep-fried, flaky bread typically filled with spiced lentils or potatoes – a pleasure to bite into. The accompanying sabzi is a flavorful and tangy vegetable curry that complements the richness of the kachori. Jalebi provides a sweet accent: made by piping a fermented flour batter into hot oil in a spiral shape, jalebis are fried until golden and immediately soaked in warm, fragrant sugar syrup. The result? A crisp covering with a syrupy, “melt-in-your-mouth” interior.

Where to try it: Head to the Ram Bhandar in the Thatheri Bazar area. This no-frills eatery has been dishing out this iconic combination for generations.

Feast on chooda matar, a signature Varanasi winter snack

A winter special, chooda matar is made with chooda (flattened rice) gently soaked until just tender, then tossed with a generous helping of matar (green peas), freshly harvested during the colder months. What really brings out the flavor is a tempering of aromatic Indian spices, curry leaves, ginger, and green chillies in ghee (clarified butter). A dash of fresh lemon juice and a…