Travel and food go hand in hand. When traveling, food is not just about sustenance but its a big part of a place’s culture and heritage. India is the melting pot of different cultures and heritage, has a variety of delicacies to try while traveling. From roadside stalls to high-end restaurants, you can indulge in a variety of dishes – sweet, savory, spicy, etc.

“You don’t need a silver fork to eat good food.”

Paul Prudhomme

One such city is Pune. Even though you will get everything to eat in Pune, there are some delicious street food items to keep an eye for without which your trip will be incomplete. So, let’s dive in, shall we?

1. Kande Pohe

Kanda Pohe makes an easy and super quick breakfast dish. Consisting of onions, poha (flattened rice), lemon, coconut, green chilies, cilantro, Kande Pohe is delicious, high fiber and energizing snack. You could get this item in almost all the tea-stalls and restaurants.

2. Misal Pav

Misal pav is a popular Maharashtrian dish, consisting of sprout curry, garnished with chopped onions, farsan or sev (fried savory mixture), a dash of lemon and coriander. Its served with pav. Misal is made in a variety of ways in Maharastra, usually using moth beans sprouts or mixed bean sprouts. If you like spicy dishes, a more spicy version of misal is the Kolapuri misal.

3. Chikki

Chikki is a traditional Indian sweet (brittle) generally made from peanuts and jaggery. There are several different varieties of chikki in addition to the most common groundnut (peanut) chikki available in Maharastra.

Lonavala chikkis are the most popular ones. I purchased a few from Manganlal for my family and friends back at the home.

4. Modak

For sweet lovers, this is a must-try. The sweet stuffing inside a Modak consists of a mix of freshly grated coconut and jaggery while the outer softshell is made from rice flour or wheat flour mixed with khoya or maida flour.

The Modak can be fried or steamed. We chose to have mewa Modaks in the flavors of Mango, Chocolate, Kesar, and Coconut.

5. Mastani

There are now more than 20 flavors of Mastani available, but if you are a sucker for tradition and originality, try the mango. Mastani is available in every corner of every market in Pune.

Read More: Have you tried these ten tastiest evening snacks of Kolkata?

6. Vada Pav

I think I saw more roadside stalls of Vada Pav then Panipuri in Pune. I think it is the staple food of people in Maharastra.

Vada comes from the Marathi compound word batata vada, which means ‘potato fritter’. Pav is a derivative of the Portuguese word ‘pão, which means sweetened bread.

7. Keema Pav

You won’t know what a real Keema Pav tastes like unless you have had it in Pune. It is a slight variation of Vada Pav. Instead of a Vada, they put cooked Keema (minced mutton) in between the Pavs.

8. Pav Bhaji

Everybody once in their lifetime has tried Pav Bhaji. It consists of a thick vegetable curry, fried and served with Pavs touched with butter. The only thing enhances the flavor is a dash of lime on top of the vegetable curry.

9. Kanda Bhajji

At every corner in Lonavala and Mahabaleshwar, you will find roadside stalls selling Kanda Bhajji (Onion Fritter). They are the ideal snacks after a refreshing bath in the waterfalls or stopping in between long drives. They best go with a hot cup of tea.

10. Masala Corns

Masala Corns are taking over everywhere. From American sweet corns to roasted corns, you will find them in most of the tourist spots.

We happen to have these at a couple of occasions. during our monsoon visit to Pune. They not only taste yummy but keeps you warm apparently.

So, what are your best picks? Whenever you get a chance, don’t hesitate to try these delicious food items. Comment down below which one is your favorite.

Hope you have a wonderful gastronomic time in Pune. Bon Appetit!

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