7 Street Foods You Should Try in Hyderabad, India

A variant of the country-wide popular kheer, this creamy rice pudding is sold in tiny earthen bowls in bustling street stalls around the city. The dish is made by cooking rice in sweetened thick milk, which is then topped with a variety of spices like cardamom, saffron, cloves and cinnamon, as well as dried fruits and nuts. Light yet immensely flavourful, this is among your best options for a quick pick-me-up on the streets of Hyderabad.

This deep-fried Andhra snack is made with a rice and lentil batter that is usually fermented. The batter is then fried until the exterior becomes crisp and golden, while the interior is left soft and slightly mushy. Punugulu is usually spiced with cumin and coriander and vegetable additions, such as chillies and onions, are also common.

An immensely popular local variation of the samosa, lukhmi is square in shape and usually stuffed with a heavily spiced minced meat filling. Its deep-fried exterior is flaky and crisp, as opposed to its soft and flavourful interior. The vegetables used in the filling are typically potatoes, onions, green peas and chillies. The snack is sold in street stalls and small eateries around the city and serves as a hearty snack.

This super creamy and delicious drinkable dessert is a must-have item during scorching Hyderabadi summers. Made by mixing milk with rose syrup, vermicelli, sweet basil seeds and bits of jelly, this thick drink is usually topped with ice cream. You can find various versions of the drink within the city, in street stalls as well as eateries.

A delicious mixture of deep-fried dough bits known as papdi with potatoes, chickpeas, onions, green peas, chillies and a blend of flavourful sauces, this is among Hyderabad’s most easily available street snacks. Its unique blend of sauces and ingredients allow the chaat to be sweet, spicy, sour and tangy at the same time.

This delicious ice cream variant is popular all through India but it’s particularly relevant in Hyderabad during the city’s scorching summers. Made by condensing sweetened and delicately flavoured milk by slow cooking it for long hours and then freezing it, kulfi is much creamier and subtly flavoured than the average ice cream.

As a hotspot of Mughlai cuisine in India, Hyderabad is naturally home to plenty of iconic kebab varieties and outlets. Boti kebabs, which comprise chunks of lamb meat that have been richly marinated and barbecued to perfection, are particularly popular in the city and must be had if you are a meat lover. Served in street stalls and small eateries, these kebabs are more commonly prepared later in the day.