Tease Your Taste Buds in the Streets of Hyderabad, a Food Lover's Delight. Your Guide to the Best Street Food in Hyderabad (2019)

Food is an essential part of the adventure when it comes to visiting a new place. To capture the essence of a culture, one must try the area's cuisine which includes street food too. Though not always the healthiest, street food can be a delight! Considered as one of the best travel destinations of India, Hyderabad has its enticing ways to captivate your attention, and more precisely, your appetite. An ancient city is now moving forward with high-end technology but it still boasts of various savoury delights from the past that will not fail to win your heart. Some of the eateries here date as far back as the eighteenth century. The scrumptious street food of Hyderabad attracts not only tourists but also the locals.

While Hyderabad is mostly famous for its biryani, you cannot ignore the other mouth-watering delicacies this place offers. Here in Hyderabad, you will not only find street food places to tame your hunger but also to satiate the desire to explore exotic flavours. Before you lose yourself in the enigmatic alleyways laden with the smell of freshly cooked shwarma you have thankfully found this article that will help you discover the secret pathways of Hyderabad where aroma reigns, compelling people to indulge in its sinful platter! As the late celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain truly said, "Street food, I believe, is the salvation of the human race", this is the motto food junkies live by. So without further ado, let's delve into the story and see what Hyderabad has to offer.

It is a breezy evening after a busy day and your taste buds are craving for a quick, spicy and tangy snack, then Maharaja Chaat Place is ideal for you to go with family or friends. Here they will serve chaat with black peas, corn, bhujia and yogurt spread over and garnished with coriander leaves, making it definitely mouth-watering. Other popular items to savour here are masala pav bhaji, panipuri, bhelpuri, samosa ragda and mixed fruit.

If Maharaja Chaat is not enough and you are ready to take on more then do find your way to Sri Chaitanya Junior College in Himayath Nagar. Right beside the college, a seated eatery named Golden Point Tea and Snacks is worth visiting. Though it is a tea joint it is famous for its Chinese dishes. You must try the egg noodles as you are bound to be lost in the magic of finely shredded vegetables nurtured with sauce and spices. Do try it with veg manchurian. Other popular items to try here are chicken noodles and samosa.

Hyderabad's hot climate can be really harsh. If you are tired of the hustle and bustle of the day then do take a peek at Mayur Paan House. it is an open-air restaurant famous for its paan. But you can have other refreshing options as well such as ice-golas, fruit juices, etc. Panipuri is not exactly a filling dish, but it can refresh your taste buds. In case you need a bite after savouring biryani, try the sweet paan. You will remember this betel leaf preparation, forever. You can even try other popular items here like: parantha, faluda, masala pav, etc.

When it comes to chaat, a tough competition breaks out in the streets of Hyderabad. The duel is often between two prominent chaat places - one is (as mentioned above) Maharaja Chaat and the other is Sardarji's Chaat. To decide which one is better you must seek both these places out. Sardarji's Chaat offers pure North Indian taste in South Indian territory. Here you will find dahi-valla, samosa and papri-chaat to your heart's content. This place is quite savvy and definitely up on the charts of hygiene and cleanliness. If you are looking for a bit of seclusion then visit on weekdays as weekends are extremely crowded. Whatever you do, do not forget to try the lassi here. Other popular items to try: moong dal kachori, chole bhature, etc.

Want to delve deeper into the street food of Hyderabad but do not know where? Well, the posh area of Banjara Hills is always waiting for your rescue. By posh, it does not mean you have to sit at a five-star restaurant. Here under the clear sky, you will find exotic food to remember forever. Mirchi bajji, pakodas or wadas will swoon you away in this clean street food shop. The ambience is good and the food is remarkable! Moreover, it also fits into your tight budget (Rs. 200 for two people approximately)! What more could you ask for! Other popular items to try: egg pakoda, sandwiches, etc.

Our ever-changing palate looks for a new taste in the same items everywhere it goes. The same goes for you, if, after Sardarji's Chaat, you are looking for a new destination, then Ohri's Chowpatti at Banjara Hills is the place for you. Topped with North Indian masala and nurtured with yogurt, you will find the chaat nothing like anything you would have ever tasted before. Papri chaat, raj kachori and panipuri easily top the list here. Other popular items to try: alu toast, rabdi malpua, etc.

To beat the heat in Hyderabad, look out for Masqati Falooda. The dairy concoction is a Persian delight and can be found in several locations across the city. In this joint, falooda comes in various flavours such as mango, orange, kesar, chocolate, etc. The glasses are topped with savoury dried fruits like almonds, pistachios, etc. which not only make it tasty but also aesthetically beautiful. The classic colourful falooda costs Rs. 40 and the special ones cost Rs. 60. Masqati Falooda's base flavour is basil seeds and sometimes lassi and falooda mix are also served.

Now if you are looking for an award-winning street food place in Hyderabad to gear up your foodie adventure, then Sarvi Takeaway is the place for you. It has a fine balance of local cuisine as well as North Indian delights. These people are creators of Iranian haleem but now they also specialize in delicious kebabs. Kebabs are barbecued meat dishes of middle-eastern origin and are served with mint chutney. Angry chicken kebabs and chilli mushrooms will be on top of the recommendation list. There is a possibility of getting overwhelmed with the wide range of dishes offered, but in the meantime make sure to book a table. Do not shy away from trying the biryani here as they use many exotic spices that other restaurants do not usually use.

You might be fond of coffee but if you come to Hyderabad and leave without tasting the Irani chai then you will miss out on a delicate delicacy. Irani chai is made of extra milk with a unique bitter taste and the brimming hot cup is served with delicious Afghani biscuits. In case you are famished after the chai, you can look up jeera rice, rabbit meat fry, etc on the menu.

Putharekulu is an ancient dish that was once used for gifting purposes in South India. It is a type of stuffed pastry with a thin coat of rigorously pressed coarse rice. This particular kind of rice batter is mixed with clarified butter (ghee) and is subjected to make thin sheets. Jaggery and powdered sugar are also used in the batter. They are stuffed with various dry fruits. For diabetic people, there is a version of this pastry available which comes with artificial sugar with low calorific value. Once known as a poor man's dish, this food item is a major street food market holder in Hyderabad.

You are a foodie and you are on a quest in Hyderabad, therefore you are aware of the ever-famous dum biryani. To be quite honest, you will find different variations of dum biryani in every corner of the city. The aroma of sweet spices adorned with rose water will definitely woo you in. If you find a nice corner outlet to taste the unknown then you will be served in a paper plate (it is street food) or maybe a steel plate garnished with potato, egg and boiled chicken. They usually serve raita with the biryani. Now, if you are wondering why it is called 'dum' biryani, then this term actually describes the process of cooking this dish. All the ingredients including rice and chicken are steamed inside a particular earthen pot. The lid of the pot is sealed by flour so that the steam cannot come out. Here! The magic has been revealed!