A Food Lover’s Guide To Lucknow
Uttar Pradesh’s capital city has an astounding history. It’s easy to lose yourself in the stories and legends that pop up all over the sights to see (like the Bara Imambara) and on guided heritage walks. It’s a history that also creeps into the city’s culinary heritage. The nawabs who ruled this region a couple of centuries ago contributed significantly to the kebabs and slow-cooking styles that continue to reign supreme. We look at a few must-eat-at spots in Lucknow that have helped put it on the country’s food map.
Idris Hotel
“Idris ki biryani” is a phrase that is bound to come up in conversation about biryani in the city. The mutton biryani here is dreamy, with flavourful saffron-stained yellow rice, and meat that’s tender enough to fall off the bone, but there are many others to choose from too. The restaurant isn’t the best for a sit-down meal, so it’s best to just stop by and order takeaway.
Address: Victoria St, 292/41, Raja Bazar, Chowk, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226003
Tunday Kababi
Meat eaters, listen up: if there’s one thing to eat in this city, it is the galouti kebab. This iconic century-old institution dishes out small plates of minced meat patties, fresh out of the oil. According to legend, this kind of kebab was made for an old nawab who’d lost all his teeth but still wanted to eat meat — which explains why it literally melts in your mouth. Tunday Kababi has a few outlets in the city — the one at Chowk is the original.
Address: 151, Phool Wali Gali, Chowk, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226003
Rattilal’s
It’s not all about meat in Lucknow. Case in point: the food of the Rastogis, a wealthy Hindu business community that forms an important part of the city’s population. At Rattilal’s, which has been open for over 75 years, you get to sample this food. Khasta kachori, vada and aloo-chana makes for a hearty on-the-go meal. Wash it all down with some sweet badam milk, or opt for fresh, crispy jalebis for dessert.
Address: B-12, Sania Market, Rattilal Chauraha, Shivaji Marg, Aminabad, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226018
Street food in Chowk
Lucknow’s street food scene is definitely worth exploring — and if there’s one place in the city that’s home to it all, it’s Chowk. This market may be old, but it’s as alive as ever — locals bustle to and fro, car honks and vendors cry for attention, shops sell all manner of wares, but don’t let it daunt you. Focus on your search for street stalls selling chaat — like the gyara pani-wala pani puri, which takes your average pani puri up several notches by swapping the usual tamarind water for 11 other varieties. Expect a new flavour every round: everything from mint and mango to ginger, green chilli and lime is fair game. In the winter months, keep your eyes peeled for stalls selling nimish (also called mallaiyyo or malai makhan), a light-as-air, creamy foam that comes sprinkled with saffron and pistachios.
Address: Chowk, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226003
Eat With Locals
One of the best ways to understand nawabi cooking is by snagging a seat at a local’s dining table. While you may get modern-day snapshots of traditional meals in restaurants, your best bet is really in homes that continue to uphold these traditions. Get in on secret family recipes, learn how to make succulent kebabs, and bond with a friendly family as you make your way through a delicious home-cooked meal. Authenticook has a number of options that we can set you up with — check what’s available when you visit.
The Mughal’s Dastarkhwan
If you’re looking for a family-friendly restaurant that lets you in on Lucknow’s nawabi culinary heritage, this is a good bet. The menu, with its wide variety of meat dishes can confuse — try the lagan ka murgh, which gets its name from the vessel that it’s cooked in and the bhuna ghost, best mopped up with ulte tave ka parathas. The dal makhani here is good too.
Address: 29, BN Road, Lalbagh, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226001
Pandit Raja Thandai
The brilliant blue walls of this shop are a stark contrast to the tall glasses of the buttercup-yellow drink that visitors stop by for. This drink is thandai, a milk that’s flavoured with spices and almonds and dyed yellow by saffron. It is a local favourite — not only because of how refreshing it can be, but also because of its twin “special” one. The special comes with an addition of bhang — if you opt for it, make sure you’ve got nothing planned after (Bhang is a form of cannabis).
Address: Kasturba Market, Chowk, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226003
Happy Exploring!
Originally published at www.authenticook.com.
