10 Best Street Food in Kolkata – A Detailed Foodie’s Guide

Have you ever been to Kolkata? If not, then it’s time, grab your bags and get ready to explore the place and to witness the dynamism of street food of Kolkata.

Kolkata cannot be represented by one respective best dish instead it offers sheer variety in the food with the magical taste in it. Especially to the one who has a sweet tooth.

Not only at the traditional kitchens or at renowned restaurants, you’ll get to taste the best dishes of Kolkata’s cuisine but get the equally luscious food on the streets of Kolkata as well.

The best Kolkata street food places include Park Street, Dacre Lane, Tiretti Bazaar, etc. They are some of the best street food places in Kolkata that are worth giving a try.

Kolkata’s street food culture is heaven for the foodies in itself. I assure you, street food places in Kolkata provide you the spicy and tangy flavors of the street food here, which will draw you in doubt on whether to go for this amazing spicy Kolkata cuisine or the mouth-melting ‘Roshogulla’ and ‘Sondesh’.

Top 10 Most Popular Street Food of Kolkata

As we all know, Kolkata has enough to offer to make your taste buds dance. So, here is the list of the top 10 finger-licking street food in Kolkata, that you cannot afford to miss out on while in Kolkata. This list includes the best of Kolkata’s street food.

1 Kathi Roll

One of the most delicious street foods of Kolkata is Kathi Roll. Kathi Roll is a rolled paratha filled with chunks of meat or kebab or with some veggie filling, with chopped onions and tangy and chilly sauce nicely tucked into it and is then ready to enjoy.

You get the taste of more than one flavor in this one single snack. This can be enjoyed by both vegetarians and nonvegetarians.

If you want to start your journey with one of the best street foods in Kolkata, Kathi Roll is the best option. It is one of the most preferable Kolkata’s non-veg street food also.

This is one of the best street foods you find at Park Street, Kolkata. There are many stalls at Park Street that offer you the best Kathi Roll.

Origin

Kathi Roll originated in Kolkata, West Bengal itself. It was founded first at Kolkata’s historic Nizam Restaurant.

Best Time to eat

At Breakfast and evening

Price Range

Rs.25-50 approx.

Where You Can Get It

  • Nizam’s Restaurant
  • Kusum Rolls (Park street area, Kolkata)

2 Chanar Jilipi

If you have a sweet tooth then ‘Chhanar Jilipi’ is just perfect for you. It is one of the best sweet street foods in Kolkata. It is the local version of Jalebi.

This sweet is made up of cottage cheese and its texture is like a Gulab Jamun but made up exactly in the way Jalebi was made, by following the same process.

It is quite thicker than Jalebi. It was soaked in a sugar syrup which makes it spongy and fluffy and is ready to serve hot. You can taste the two sweets in one single item on the streets of Kolkata.

Origin

It originated in Odisha, in eastern India.

Best Time to Eat

After Dinner

Price Range

Rs.10-15 approx. (per piece)

Where You Can Get It

  • Arun Tea Stall (Shakespeare Sarani)
  • Maharaj (Sarat Bose Road, South Kolkata)

3 Ghugni Chaat

Ghugni Chaat is one of the most popular foods which you find on the populous streets of Kolkata.

It is one of Kolkata’s veg street foods. It is made up of white peas with diced tomatoes, boiled potatoes, onion, green chilies, and lemon juice and with various types of spices like Garam Masala, Chaat Masala, Black pepper, etc.

You can have it naan bread or as chaat only.  If you are in a mood to eat something hot and spicy, Ghugni Chaat is the perfect pick.

It is a light snack. You can find most of the stalls of this respective street food at Salt Lake, Kolkata. It is the most healthy and best veg street food in Kolkata.

Origin

Ghugni Chaat originated in Bangladesh but is immensely popular in Kolkata.

Best Time to Eat

Tea-Time

Price Range

Rs.20-30 approx. (per plate)

Where You Can Get It

  • Chat hut (near the salt lake)
  • Chaat Bazaar (Prince Anwar Shah Road)

4 Fish Cutlet

Fish cutlet is one of the most famous street foods in Kolkata. Fish Cutlet is a deep-fried boneless fish fillet, which is well marinated in lemon juice and onion, ginger, garlic paste which removes its smell, and then it will be perfectly coated with breadcrumbs to make it a crunchy snack and it is ready to fry and serve. You can enjoy it with various dips according to your taste.

This lip-smacking snack is there on every second stall on the street of Kolkata and is immensely loved by the people.

Kolkata’s street food is well known for its non-vegetarian food items and fish cutlet is one of them.

Origin

It first originated in France as a typical Starter and by the passing time, the snack gained popularity all over the world.

Best Time to Eat

The In Evening with a cup of tea

Price Range

Rs.45-60 approx. (per piece)

Where You Can Get It

  • Shankar Cabin (Gol Park)
  • Sankar Fry (Gariahat)

5 Puchka

Puchka is another name for Gol Gappa. It is a widely popular street snack among the people of Kolkata. If you are from Kolkata, you can relate to the people’s love for this tiny snack.

It is a hollow crunchy, thin round ball that is filled with boiled and mashed potatoes with various masalas added into it and then dipped in the green-colored tangy tamarind water and is ready to enjoy the spiciness and the tanginess of this tiny water bomb in your mouth.

I bet you cannot stop yourself from asking for more and more until your pocket becomes empty.

This lip-smacking snack can draw you all together to a different world of flavors.

The shops that are mentioned below are two of Kolkata’s famous street food places for Puchkas.

Origin

It originated in Northern India, around Uttar Pradesh, from Raj Kachori. It is said that Puchka originated from Raj Kachori.

Best Time to Eat

Can be enjoyed at any time.

Price Range

Rs.20-30 approx. (6pcs)

Where You Can Get It

  • Dilipda’s Puchkas (Vivekanand park)
  • Puchka Stall (Vardaan Market)

6 Momos

The list of best Kolkata’s street food is incomplete without mentioning local Momos. This snack from Tibetan cuisine has always been a favorite in Kolkata.

They are made up of various shapes and sizes and are filled with either veggies or chicken and served with hot sauce or soup that makes your mouth burn like fire.

Eating street Momos of Kolkata is a lifetime experience. Momos are immensely popular and one of Kolkata’s best street foods among the young generation.

You can enjoy the steamed one as well as the fried one, both types have their juicy taste in them.

Origin

It originated in Tibet and in around 1959. But gained popularity across the country through Nepal.

Best Time to Eat

At Brunch or Evening

Price Range

Rs.50-60 approx. (a plate)

Where You Can Get It

  • Pa Pa Ya (Park Street)
  • Momo I Am (Chinar Park)
  • Momo Corner (Salt Lake)

7 Mughlai Parathas

Mughlai Paratha is the most loved street food in Kolkata. A Mughlai Paratha with the gravy of mutton Kosha is just that best pair. Eating this street item is pure bliss for you.

It is quite a fulfilling dish. It is made up of a white flour dough, flattened in rectangular shape and stuffed with mutton or keema, crushed boiled egg, and some veggies like chopped onion, chilies, and coriander.

Then, it gets deep fried generously from both sides with oil which makes it crunchy. It is offered in the vegetarian filling as well, all depending upon your choice.

This finger-licking food item is just the gist of the flavorsome Kolkata’s street food. It is the most preferable item in this Kolkata street food List.

Origin

It was originated by a chef of the Mughal Empire during Jahangir’s Era, on the demand of the ruler when he got bored of the usual Paratha.

Later on, it was brought by the offspring of Usman, the chef, to Kolkata and spread and gained popularity all over the state.

Best time to Eat

At Breakfast or Dinner

Price Range

Rs.50 onwards

Where You Can Get It

  • Samrat Snacks (Prince Anwar Shah Road)
  • Anadi Cabin (New Market Area)

8 Jhalmuri

‘Jhal’ refers to spiciness whereas ‘Muri’ refers to puffed rice and together they make a mouth-watering and lightest evening snack that you can enjoy. It is one of the most decent and good street foods in Kolkata.

It is made up of puffed rice including diced onion, tomato, boiled potato, leaves of coriander, lemon juice, roasted peanuts (opt.), and a variety of spice powders.

But exceptionally a pinch of Chaat masala can add a soul into this snack and it is all good to eat.

It should be eaten fresh otherwise it will lose its crunch.

This delightful snack is very commonly found on the streets of Kolkata. A thing that makes you happier about this snack is that it consists of very low calories.

Origin

It is originated in Bangladesh and gained recognition all over the world

Best Time to Eat

While traveling and having a gossip with your buddies or at tea time

Price Range

Rs 20-40 approx. (per plate)

Where You Can Get It

  • Jhalmuri Vendor (Jawaharlal Nehru Road)
  • Triangular Park (South Kolkata)

9 Doodh Cola

Doodh Cola is a unique and refreshing drink served on the streets of Kolkata. If you belong to Kolkata then you are well aware of the popularity of this quick and delicious cooler.

The mix of fizzy cold drinks with the smooth and creamy texture of milk is just amazing. Although its blend seemed to be quite weird nothing can beat summers in Kolkata other than this drink.

You just have to choose your favorite soft drink to blend with milk, some cubes on the top, and it is ready to drink. All you have to do is just to give a try to this most favored beverage of Kolkata and enjoy the creamy texture inside your mouth at every sip.

Origin

This unique cooler originated in Kolkata itself.

Best Time to Eat

Whenever you feel hot

Price Range

Rs. 80-120 approx

Where You Can Get It

  • Balwant Singh Eating House ( Mukherjee Road, Bhawanipur)

10 Telebhaja

It is a similar-looking street food as Pakoras. It is made up of different vegetables separately as by thinly sliced potato or spring onion and after dipping them in the batter of meat, they then deep fry in the oil and are ready to serve hot and crispy with tomato and chili sauce.

This snack is deep-fried to make it super crunchy. Its demand doubles in the rainy season and is a very preferable snack for children to adults to munch on.

It gives the taste of proper hot and crispy Indian street food in Kolkata. Places like Russel street, food bazaar Camac street, Kolkata are the best places to eat this street food in Kolkata. Trust me, this amazing street food of Kolkata, West Bengal can blow you from head to toe.

Origin

It originated in West Bengal itself.

Best Time to Eat

On Rainy Day or at tea-time

Price Range

Rs.60-80 approx. (per plate)

Where You Can Get It

  • Vardhaan Market (near Camac street)
  • The Six Russel Street (Russell Street)

Conclusion

The street food of Kolkata is filled with an abundance of flavors that can easily satisfy your foodie soul.

The whole Kolkata’s street food guide is there in front of you so, what are you thinking about, keep your laziness aside, plan a full-fledged vacation to Kolkata with your family or friends or with your all-time food partner, book the tickets and jump into this city which has amazing lip-smacking street food.

I assure you that there is nothing as memorable as Kolkata’s street food.

There are multiple food streets in Kolkata that are open for everyone. Either you are a spicy food lover or sweet food lover, it doesn’t matter, you are going to enjoy and explore varieties of food on the streets of this city of Joy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some FAQs on the top 10 street foods in Kolkata.

1. What makes Kolkata’s street food so unique?

Bengalis have another level of passion for their food which plays a significant role in making the street food of Kolkata so unique and tasty. Kolkata.

2. Which is the most favourable dtreet food of Kolkata among all, mentioned in the list above?

Momos are the most favorable as well as a famous street food item in the whole of Kolkata.

3. What is the most famous street dessert in Kolkata?

Chhanar Jilipi, the two-in-one dessert is the most famous street dessert that you can find on most of the streets of Kolkata.

4. Which beverage can refresh you entirely in the summer season of Kolkata?

The unique cooler ‘Doodh Cola’ can refresh you in the hot and sizzling summer of Kolkata.

5. Which street food of Kolkata has gained popularity throughout the state?

Kathi Roll which originated in Kolkata has gained popularity throughout the country and is loved by everyone.

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