10 things to eat in Lucknow besides the famous Tunday Kebabs

Lucknow is a land of mouth-watering dishes, where every street and lane smells of good food. It’s the city of Nawabs, where meat takes the centre stage. Amidst the laziness of the atmosphere, if there is one thing that can make anyone energetic it’s the ‘Lakhnowi food’, which is an experience that you must have once in your life. When we talk about Awadhi cuisine or the Lakhnowi food, Tunday Kebabs top the list because of its mouth-watering taste and deliciousness. However, there is more to Lakhnowi food than these kebabs. This city is a paradise for food lovers and those who want to experience the rich culinary culture of Lucknow, here are 10 dishes that you must try:

If mutton is your thing, then you will be head over heels in love with this dish. Nihari is a meat curry made using mutton, which is slow cooked with a myriad of herbs & spices. It’s enjoyed with a fluffy kulcha that’s made in tandoor. Ideally, a breakfast dish, it's available throughout the day at Raheem’s in Chowk. (Image Courtesy: Instagram/@prasadpackirisamy)

If there is one dish that’s equally popular to Tunday Kebabs in Lucknow, it’s the biryani. The kind of biryani you will get in Lucknow is nothing like what you enjoy everywhere. Though, there are several places to eat biryani in Lucknow, the one that stands out is ‘Idris ki Biryani’ in Chowk area, because of its flavour and aroma. And the secret behind its taste is the use of herbs, saffron and milk. (Image Courtesy: Instagram/@livelikesrk)

For someone who is a fan of street food and chaat, it is something that you must not miss when in Lucknow. Also known as tokri or katori chaat, this dish is truly delicious with flavours that will burst in your mouth in a single bite. Made of grated potatoes, the basket is deep-fried and then filled with matar, tikki chutneys with a garnishing of pomegranate, sev and aromatic spices. Hazratganj, Royal Café serves the best Basket Chaat in Lucknow. (Image Courtesy: Instagram/@rajrupa_roy)

It’s a dish known by other popular names such as Daulat Ki Chaat, Makkhan Malai or Lab-e-Mashook. An extremely light cream with saffron and rose flavours, it is THE dessert of Lucknow that you must try in winters. The flavours of the dish are so rich that every bite melts smoothly in your mouth. If you want to grab the best Nimish, head to Chowk area. (Image Courtesy: Instagram/@kashi_blogger_)

If your ideal breakfast means deep-fried crispy kachoris with hot aloo chole ki sabzi, then you must try Ratti Lal’s Khasta Kachori in Maqbool Ganj. You will find the best Khasta Kachori here with chole ki sabzi and spicy aloo that will give you a mouth-watering experience. One bite of this Khasta Kachori and you will feel like a king because of its taste. (Image Courtesy: Instagram/ @freak_food)

One of the oldest markets of Lucknow has the best Kulfi wala and mind you, you cannot go away without trying their kulfi which is best enjoyed with falooda. Prakash ki Mashoor Kulfi in Aminabad has all kinds of kulfis as per your liking. (Image Courtesy: Instagram/@chatar_patar_zindagi)

A popular sweetbread of Nawabi cuisine, Sheermal is like any other naan that’s baked to perfection in tandoor. Infused with saffron flavours, sheermal is best served with spicy dishes to balance the flavours. However, you can enjoy the dish as it is too. You can get the best Sheermal in Chowk area. (Image Courtesy: Instagram/@wallpaper_virus)

It’s one of the popular breakfast foods of Punjabi cuisine and there are various places in Lucknow that serve this mouth-watering delicacy. The leavened bread is served with a rich and spicy chickpea curry and potatoes along with mixed pickle. You can get the best Chhole Bhature in Sardar ji Ke Mashhoor Cholle Bhature in Lalbagh. (Image Courtesy: Instagram/@foodandtravel.in)

Those who are obsessed with milk-made foods will swear by Thandai, a drink that’s popularly enjoyed during Holi as it cools the stomach. Whenever you are in Lucknow, you must try Raja Thandai that has been serving this herbal concoction for over 100 years. (Image Courtesy: Instagram/@nowlucknow)

This combination is a sweet bomb that you must try in Lucknow when talking about the legendary Nawabi food. You can get this sweet delight anywhere in Lucknow; however, Moti Mahal serves the best imarti-jalebi combination and the taste will make your mouth water. (Image Courtesy: Instagram/@khana_holic)