What to Eat in India
India has no single cuisine. The north is rich, slow-cooked curries, breads and fragrant rice; the south is lighter, coconut-based and fermented; the west and east each have their own tables. Vegetarian cooking is a national strength.
A travel guide describes northern Indian cooking as rich, slow-cooked curries and fragrant rice, and southern cooking as lighter, coconut-based and fermented. A thali is a platter of small portions of many dishes.
A tour operator says India excels at vegetarian food, and that a vegetarian thali shows its range.
Biryani is linked to Hyderabad, Lucknow and Kolkata, masala dosa is a southern breakfast and butter chicken is credited to Delhi.
How a day of eating goes
Breakfast depends on the region: dosa or idli in the south, paratha or chole bhature in the north, poha in the west.
A thali is the standard lunch or dinner, a platter of small portions of many dishes. A vegetable thali at a local dhaba cost about 120 to 200 rupees in May 2026.
Street snacks fill the hours between and cost about 40 to 80 rupees.
Breakfast and brunch
Breakfast is regional: dosas and idli in the south, parathas and chole in the north, poha in the west.
Masala dosa
A crisp rice and lentil pancake filled with spiced potato, a southern breakfast staple.
Chole bhature
A tomato-based chickpea curry with a puffed fried bread, from Punjab and Delhi.
Idli sambar
Soft steamed rice and lentil cakes with a lentil and vegetable stew.
Aloo paratha
A griddled flatbread stuffed with spiced potato, from the north.
Poha
Flattened rice cooked with onion, peanuts and turmeric, from Maharashtra and Indore.
Misal pav
A spicy sprouted bean curry with crisp farsan, served with bread.
Street food and snacks
Street food is cheap and fast, but the guides advise busy stalls and hot, freshly cooked food.
Pani puri
Hollow crisp shells filled with spiced water, chickpeas and potato.
Vada pav
A spiced potato fritter in a soft bun with chutney, from Mumbai.
Pav bhaji
A mashed spiced vegetable curry served with toasted buttered rolls, from Mumbai.
Momo
Steamed dumplings, from Sikkim and Darjeeling.
Kathi roll
A paratha rolled round kebab and onions, from Kolkata.
Bhel puri
Puffed rice tossed with sev, onion and chutneys.
Starters and small plates
Starters are kebabs, steamed cakes and fried snacks.
Galouti kebab
Very soft minced lamb patties, from Lucknow.
Dhokla
A soft steamed gram flour cake, from Gujarat.
Samosa
A fried triangle of pastry filled with spiced potato and peas.
Pakora
Vegetables fried in a spiced gram flour batter.
Paneer tikka
Chunks of paneer marinated in yoghurt and spices and grilled.
Soups and stews
The soups of India are thin and sour, often eaten with rice.
Rasam
A thin peppery tamarind and tomato broth, from Tamil Nadu and the south.
Sambar
A tamarind lentil and vegetable stew eaten with idli, dosa or rice.
Tamatar shorba
A smooth spiced tomato soup.
Mulligatawny
A thick spiced lentil soup from the Anglo-Indian kitchen.
Kadhi
A soured yoghurt and gram flour soup, eaten with rice.
Main dishes
Mains split north and south: rich slow-cooked curries and rice in the north, lighter coconut and fermented dishes in the south.
Butter chicken
Tandoor-cooked chicken in a creamy tomato and butter sauce; its origin is claimed by Delhi.
Hyderabadi biryani
Marinated chicken or mutton layered with part-cooked rice and sealed to cook by dum.
Dal makhani
Whole black lentils and kidney beans slow-cooked with butter and cream, from Punjab.
Rogan josh
Lamb in a red Kashmiri chilli gravy.
Goan fish curry
Fish in a coconut gravy soured with kokum, from Goa.
Pork vindaloo
A Goan pork curry in vinegar and chilli, with Portuguese roots.
Laal maas
A fiery red Rajasthani mutton curry.
Chettinad chicken
A peppery chicken curry from Chettinad, Tamil Nadu.
Desserts and sweets
Sweets are milk, sugar and syrup.
Gulab jamun
Fried milk-solid dumplings soaked in a rose and cardamom syrup.
Bebinca
A layered Goan coconut pudding.
Rosogolla
Soft cheese balls in sugar syrup; West Bengal and Odisha both hold GI tags.
Falooda
Rose milk with vermicelli, basil seeds and ice cream.
Daulat ki chaat
A winter foam of whipped milk and saffron, from Old Delhi.
Drinks
Tea, yoghurt and coffee are the everyday drinks.
Masala chai
Tea simmered with milk, ginger and whole spices.
Lassi
A cold yoghurt drink, sweet or salted, from Punjab.
Kahwa
A Kashmiri green tea with saffron, spices and almonds.
Filter coffee
Strong decoction coffee with hot milk, from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
Nimbu pani
Fresh lime juice with sugar or salt and water.
What is changing
A May 2026 guide puts a vegetable thali at a local dhaba at about 120 to 200 rupees and street snacks at 40 to 80 rupees, with budget food at 300 to 600 rupees a day. It recommends tipping 5 to 10 per cent where no service charge is listed. A 2019 guide gave 10 per cent as customary.