25 Mouth-Watering Street Food Items From Kolkata That The Rest Of The World Is Missing Out On

The City of Joy never disappoints when it comes to food!

1. Phuchka and Churmur

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You cannot beat the taste of Kolkata's good ol' phuchka — not golgappa, or pani puri, or gupchup, or any other name. It's phuchka. And, for us Kolkatans, it's not just some random food item. It's an emotion. And then, of course, there's churmur  which is like a spicy and tangy chaat made of crushed phuchka, potatoes, laal chana, coriander leaves, and tamarind pulp.

2. Jhalmuri

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Another popular go-to snack made with puffed rice, peanuts, chillies, mustard oil, onions, tomatoes, tamarind chutney, and different kinds of spices. Mild or spicy, jhalmuri is what we Kolkatans munch on while on the move. 

3. Telebhaja

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Nothing beats the joy of having hot telebhaja with puffed rice and a cup of tea on a rainy day. It's basically deep fried fritters made of onions, potato, eggplant, raw mangoes, etc. Potlar Dokan in Baghbazar and Kalika Mukhorochak on College Street serve some of the best ones.

4. Kathi Rolls

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Egg, chicken, mutton, paneer, vegetables — you'll find all kinds of rolls on the streets of Kolkata. A flaky and slightly crispy paratha made of flour is rolled with your choice of stuffing and topped with onions, capsicum, green chillies, different kinds of spices and sauces, along with a dash of lime. My mouth's watering already!.  

5. Ghugni Chaat

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Dried yellow peas never tasted so good! Ghugni is a spicy and tangy mix of dried yellow peas, chopped onions, chillies, coriander, and tamarind chutney. It's mostly a vegetarian prep but a few places offer the option of adding keema to it. 

6. Momos and street-style Chinese

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Besides phuchka, Kolkata's heart beats for momos and Chinese street food. Hot piping momos served with a spicy chutney and a bowl of clear soup or, maybe, a delicious plate of noodles/fried rice with some chilli chicken. Seriously, what more do you need?

7. Kochuri and Aloo Dum

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Say hello to Kolkata's go-to breakfast option — kochuri and aloo dum. It's also called radhabollobi. It's almost a crime to miss out on kochuri—aloo dum when in the city. During winters, you'll also find koraishutir kochuri (made of peas) at most street shops.

8. Ghoti Gorom

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This one is specific only to the City of Joy. Ghoti gorom is basically a sweet and spicy delicacy made with namkeen, onions, chillies, cucumbers, different kinds of spices, and lemon. Munch on it while you're on the move.

9. Zakaria Street — A food lover's paradise!

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Zakaria Street is nothing short of heaven for food connoisseurs, especially during Ramzan, when the place is bustling with shops selling the most lip-smacking and delicious food. Kebabs (head to Sufia for the best beef kebabs), biryani, sevain, sheermal, different kinds of bread (bakarkhani, roghni roti), beef bhuna, kathi rolls, chicken changezi (Taskeen is the place!), dry fruits, grilled fish, falooda, and so much more.

10. Doodh Cola

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Refresh yourself with an earthen cup of doodh cola from the iconic Balwant Singh Dhaba. Another item only specific to Kolkata. It's a beverage made with milk and Coca Cola, and served with ice. 

11. Chilla and Dal Pakoda outside Vardaan Market

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Remember that picture of the former British President, David Cameron gorging on some pakodas on the street? Well, those were dal pakodas from Victoria Vada (the guy still has the picture hanging on his stall!) outside Vardaan Market. Also feast on amazing hot chilla from the other vendors outside.

12. Dragon Chicken

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Ever noticed those eateries and food stalls lined on the road right opposite South City Mall? Yeah, that's where you'll find this delicious dish called dragon chicken. They sell other stuff like phuchka, momos, chaat, and other varieties of Chinese food, but the dragon chicken is a standout.

13. Petai Porotha and Aloo Chana Bhaji

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Petai porotha is one of the oldest and most famous street food, unique to Kolkata. It's a soft and flaky porotha made of maida that's beaten into a lachcha and sold by weight instead of pieces. It's served hot with some aloo chana bhaji.

14. Malai Toast outside Calcutta Stock Exchange

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Another dish unique to Kolkata is this malai toast you'll find outside Calcutta Stock Exchange. In fact, that whole stretch is a food heaven. Phuchka, chaat, chilla, South Indian, North Indian, Chinese, Mughlai paratha, telebhaja — you name it and they've got it.

15. Dacres Lane — Yet another street food heaven!

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Another stretch that's nothing short of paradise for food lovers. When in Dacres Lane, you have to make a stop at Chitto Babur Dokan for its amazing chicken stew (served with bread). The lane has all you need to satiate your tastebuds — rolls, Chinese, biryani, sandwiches, khichuri, kobiraji cutlets, fish fry, mutton rezala, sweet shops, and more. Oh! Do not miss out on their iconic mango lassi.

16. Biryani

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How can we not add the famous and beloved biryani to a list on Kolkata street food!? It's mostly mutton and chicken biryani with aloo in it, of course! Roadside kiosks like Tufani Biryani and Ratan Biryani are highly recommended. Apart from Arsalan, of course!

17. Tiretta Bazaar — Your breakfast fix!

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Going to Tiretta Bazaar is like attending a Chinese food festival every day. Breakfast never tasted so good! Make sure you reach by 5:30am or you'll miss the party. This is Calcutta-style Chinese, just FYI — not Indian Chinese but Kolkata's famous Tangra-style Chinese. Momos, rice dumplings, spring rolls, soup, different kinds of baos, sui mai, pork chops, chicken pies, wontons, stew, and so much more. 

18. Kobiraji Cutlets

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Unique to Kolkata, kobiraji cutlets are basically chicken, mutton or fish cutlets covered in a fluffy beaten egg batter and deep fried. Places like Adi Malancha and Mitra Cafe are some of the best places to try this dish.

19. Mughlai Paratha

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You'll find Mughlai parathas all across the city but the ones served at Anandi Cabin are TO DIE FOR. These are egg and wheat flour parathas stuffed with chicken or mutton keema, onions, and chillies usually served with a spicy potato curry. Oh-so-delicious!

20. Chanar Jillipi

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These are not your regular jalebis, mind you. These are sweet, juicy, and soft jillipis made of cottage cheese. They're thicker than the regular ones and kinda similar to gulab jamuns.

21. Keemar Doi Bora

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This is a dish you'll find only in Kolkata. Giving the traditional dahi vada a Bengali twist is keemar doi bora. Meat balls are deep fried and served with yoghurt, different kinds of spices, and chutney. Head to Burrabazaar for a taste of this one-of-a-kind dish.

22. Aloo Kabli

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If you love spicy food, then aloo kabli is a must-try. Potatoes are boiled and tossed with tamarind pulp, chickpeas, onions, chillies, tomatoes, and an amazing mix of spices.

23. Dimer Devil

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It's like your desi version of scotch eggs. Made with hard boiled duck eggs, dimer devil is coated with minced meat and deep-fried. Your best bet when you're on the go.

24. Shingara

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Yes, the regular shingara or samosa is a hugely popular street food dish across the country, but the Kolkata shingara is not just limited to the potato stuffing. Gorge on delicious chicken keema, mutton keema, and lamb samosas as well.

25. Pantheras

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Very few places in the city serve pantheras — spicy minced meat coated in a flour and egg batter and deep fried to perfection. Barua and Dey Fast Food Centre is the oldest and most popular shop that serves possibly the best mutton pantheras in the city. They are super crispy and spicy. You just can't miss out on them!