Puneri Food
Pune has a mixed street food culture. The origins can be traced from traditional Maharashtrian, Gujarati and even North Karnataka cuisine. With a dash of Goda masala, raw onions, coriander, lemons, Sev and Farzan, Puneri food is simply delectable. When in Pune, be sure to not miss out on delicacies like Misal Pav, Pithla Bhakri, Bhakarwadi, Mastani, Dabeli, Pav Bhaji, Poha, Vada Pav and baked goodies from the old school bakeries.
Misal Pav
Misal pav is a popular dish from Pune, Maharashtra, India. It consists of misal (a spicy curry usually made from moth beans) and pav (a type of Indian bread roll). The final dish is topped with farsan or sev, onions, lemon and coriander (cilantro). It is usually served with bread or rolls toasted with butter and buttermilk or curd and papad. It is served as a breakfast dish, as a snack and also as a full meal.
Places to Visit:
Katakirr, Bedekar, Vaidya Upagrah, Anand Bhuvan
Mastani
According to the proprietor of an age-old Mastani joint called Gujjar Cold Drink, initially, when this drink was served to people they used to appreciatively remark Mastani or awesome thus, this drink is called Mastani. Also, Punekars are extremely proud of their cultural heritage and hence this delicious, famous dessert has been named after the effervescent, beautiful courtesan who stole the mighty Bajirao's heart.
Places to Visit:
Sujata Mastani, Bajirao Mastani, Gujjar Cold Drink
Vada Pav
The dish consists of a deep fried potato dumpling placed inside a bread bun (pav) sliced almost in half through the middle. It is generally accompanied with one or more chutneys and a green chilli pepper. Although it originated as cheap street food in Mumbai, it is now served in food stalls and restaurants across India. It is also called Bombay burger in keeping with its origins and its resemblance in physical form to a burger.
Places to Visit:
J.J Garden, Joshi Wadewale, Goli Vada PAv No.1, Parihar Sweets
Bhel Puri
Bhelpuri is a savoury snack, originating from the Indian subcontinent, and is also a type of chaat. It is made of puffed rice, vegetables and a tangy tamarind sauce. Dry bhel is made from bhadang, a spicy namkeen from Western Maharashtra, and is consumed after garnishing with onions, coriander and lemon juice.
Places to Visit:
Kalyan Bhel, Ganesh Bhel
Bun Maska
The typical bun is slightly sweet and is studded with raisins. It is cut into half and generously laden with dollops of butter and served with a cup of kadak chai. The best way to have it is to dip the bun into hot tea and savour every bite. The butter or maska on the bun is a mix of white butter and fresh cream.
Places to Visit:
Cafe Good Luck, Irani Cafe
Sandwich
Supreme Sandwich Corner which is nestled in the heart of the city, Budhwar Peth to be precise, this tiny eatery is perhaps the most renowned sandwich joint in the city. Excellent food, decent service, and value for money; three things which are responsible for rocketing a place to fame. They have variants like- normal sandwiches, grilled sandwiches, Jain sandwiches, honey sandwiches, corn sandwiches, Chinese sandwiches and paneer sandwiches.
Places To Visit:
Supreme Sandwich Corner, Sandwich Express, Flavours, Sudama Sandwich.
Pithla Bhakri
Pithla is the thick spicy yellow curry made with gram flour and buttermilk along with some onions and spices. You do not need any veggies for it. Since it is not too costly to make, it is also called Farmers’ food. Pithla is easy and simple to cook and served mostly with Bhakri (Flatbread) and Thecha (Spicy condiment).
Places to Visit:
Pithla Bhakri Thali, (Sinhagad Fort)
South Indian
If you're the kind who's into dosas,idlis,vadais,uttapams purely you are surely gonna love this busy restaurant. This is one of the best average affordable vegetarian hotel in Pune which serves excellent South Indian dishes other than Meals. Tea has a very refreshing taste. Not too hard on your pocket money. Though the place is always crowdy, people prefer to wait to get to their tables rather than going to any other nearby hotel. But once you get to your table, you realise that irrespective of the place being crowdy, you still feel comfortable & at ease.
Places to Visit:
Vaishali Hotel, Roopali Hotel, Sambar(F.C Road).
Paratha
The House of Paratha at JM Road is an all-vegetarian eatery that excels in giving the homesick North Indians delicious food they miss so much. Naturally, they have varieties of parathas, tasty dal makhni and so on. But their most stand out item right now is the Bahubali Thali. This gigantic thali includes Kattapa Biryani, Devasena Paratha, Bhalladeva Patiala Lassi, Sivagami Shaahi Pakwan and a huge Bahubali Paratha that is topped with butter and cheese.
Places to Visit:
Chaitanya Paratha's, House Of Paratha, Shahji's Paratha House