Bhopal is known for its greenery, lakes, history, heritage, Nawabs, and Begumas. It is called the “City of Lakes” because of various natural and artificial lakes. If you visit Bhopal, you will be mesmerized by its scenic beauty, and once you tasted the food in Bhopal, then you will never forget its taste.
Bhopal is famous for its diversified culture and people from different cultures and regions. Therefore, Bhopali food is full of varieties. Still, most of the dishes are from the kitchen of Begums of Bhopal, like kebab, Biryani, Korma, Chicken Tangdi, Shahi Tukda, and many more.
You know, you will find the best and delicious food on the street of Bhopal. Each street or restaurant is famous for some authentic and signature dish. To taste Bhopali food, you need to do a complete food tour and visit various places. If you love eating a different variety of foods, then you would really enjoy it. So, without wasting any more time, let’s begin the food tour.
The food tour is divided into three parts: the famous street for food, renowned food chains, and best & fine dine restaurant. Let’s first begin with the famous food streets of Bhopal.
Famous Street Food In Bhopal
Kalyan Singh’s Swad Bhandar for Poha Jalebi
Have you ever tried poha with jalebi? No, because Bhopalis love to pair poha with jalebi. The spicy steamed poha and sweet jalebi taste delicious. Poha jalebi is the staple food of Bhopal. Kalyan Singh’s swad bhandar serves the best poha jalebi in Bhopal, and if you are a vegetarian, then you would love this place for many food options. This swad bhandar is located at Itwara Road.
Shahpura for Momos
Another food dish, Bhopalis are crazy for its momos. Bhopali folks prefer to eat momos from hawkers at Campion school road. You can enjoy the scrumptious momos with the lower lake view. Momos and lake is the best combination. You will find the queue of food stalls and hawkers at shahpura.
This street is fully packed with people during the evening, and you will find three varieties of momos, steamed momos, fried momos, and tandoori momos. Tandoori momos are best; it fills the mouth with a smoky flavor.
So, if you are a true momo lover, then don’t forget to visit this place.
6 No. Hawkers Corner for Chaat and Bedmi Puri
There is no replacement for this place. Hawkers corner is loaded with different street food stalls like pav bhaji, biryani, fried rice, noodles, shakes, pani puri, dahi puri, bhel puri, mawa bati, tea, and bedmi puri. This place is open to serve open from 8 am to 11 pm, you can visit here during the morning and buy the bedmi puri from Agra chaat bhandar, it tastes amazing.
Buy the special masala chai from the tea shop, located in the right corner; this tea is delicious and is prepared from the secret masala. So, do visit six no. hawkers corner for the food experience.
Chatori Gali for Paya Soup
The name itself justifies the characteristic of this street. Chatori means “Gluttonous” in English. So, this street is for foody people, and if you like non-veg, then try the paya soup. It is a mutton soup, prepared by slow-boiling lamb with spices and herbs; it is thick and contains less fat. Therefore, relish the Paya soup at the famous chatori gali.
Jameel for Kebab
Are you fond of kebab? Then head towards Ibrahimpura to taste the scrumptious kebab from Jameel food corner. The mutton and chicken kebab are their signature dish, and you will never forget the taste of kebab.
Koh-e-Fiza for Shahi Tukda
Koh-e-Fiza is known for the sweet delicacy and especially for Mughlai sweet delight shahi tukda. Shahi tukda is a sugar-coated bread dipped in dry fruit custard.
After eating Shahi tukda, it’s time to have a cup of tea. So, let’s go.
Jamal Bhai Tea Shop for Sulemani Chai
Bhopali folks are very fond of tea. For Bhopalis, tea is like an energy drink. Thus, you will also find them sipping tea, and their favorite tea point is Jamal Bhai tea shop at Itwara chowk. The salami chai is very famous here; it is sweet, salty and creamy. So, visit this place and have a cup of tea to refresh yourself.
Indian Tea House for Zafrani Chai
ITH is a beautiful place located at Gauhar Mahal near VIP Road. It is the best place to have a cup of tea with friends and enjoy the view of the peaceful upper lake. They serve different varieties of tea, but their Zafrani chai is very famous. Zafrani tea is flavourful and prepared with milk and saffron.
Therefore, Visit ITH and take a sip of Zafrani tea and enjoy the beautiful view of the lake.
2. Famous Food Chains In Bhopal
Manohar Dairy and Restaurant
This one is the oldest food chain in Bhopal, and they are serving since 1970. They started their first outlet in Hamidia Road, and from there, it got famous and experienced rapid growth. Manohar dairy stole the heart of Bhopali people with their authentic chole bhature. Now it is known for its signature chole bhature and sweets. Manohar dairy has many outlets in a city like the new market, M.P Nagar, Hamidia road.
If you are in Bhopal and not tasted Chole bhature, then you will regret it. So, take out time to eat chole bhature at Manohar dairy.
Vishnu Chinese Fast Food
This place is for Chinese food lovers. You will find the delectable Chinese food here like noodles, Manchurian, veg Kothe, biryani, pasta, and fried rice. Vishnu Chinese fast food corner is a famous Chinese food chain in Bhopal, and you will always find this place crowded. They also serve the best cold coffee and iced tea. Their outlets are in Shivaji Nagar, seven no., T.T Nagar, Hoshangabad road.
Al-Beik
Al Beik is a famous non-veg food chain. It is famous for chicken nuggets, chicken wings, and chicken burgers. This food joint is very old and has its franchise in different areas of Bhopal, like M.P Nagar, Arera Hills, Indrapuri, Trilanga, and Karbala road. So, to hog the delicious chicken burger, visit one of those outlets of Al-Beik.
Sagar Gaire For Sandwiches and Soup
Sagar gaire is another famous food chain in Bhopal, and its story is very inspiring. It was started 17 years ago. The Sagar gaire food corner started with a cycle. The owner Dolraj Gaire used to sell soup on cycle in different parts of Bhopal, and the soup was very tasty. Slowly, it got famous with “Cycle Soup Wala”, later Mr. Dolraj Gaire opened a shop and started selling soups and sandwiches. Now there are many outlets of Sagar gaire in Bhopal, such as 10 no. market, Kolar, Habobganj, Idgah hills, platinum plaza and many more.
So, smack the tasty veg burgers and varieties of soup at Sagar Gaire.
Bapu Ki Kutia
Bapu ki Kutia is a famous Indian veg food restaurant chain in Bhopal. This amazing dining place was established in the year 1964 by Late Shri Shyamdas Sujwani. This restaurant is very famous in Bhopal and popular among vegetarian people. You can devour the North Indian food and Thalis.
They serve authentic Indian food with the best quality and service. Right now, there are two outlets in Bhopal, one in Roshanpura and the second is in Kolar. They also opened Bapu ki kutia in Indore at Vijay Nagar. Therefore, make sure you try the North Indian food at this place.
3. Fine Dine Restaurants In Bhopal
Jehan Numa
Jehan Numa is a palace hotel located at Shyamla Hills, Bhopal. It was built in 1890 and named after the Nawab Sultan Jehan Begum. This place is best for stays and for dining. There are more hotels owned by this palace hotel along with Jehan Numa Place, like Jehan Numa Retreat, Reni Pani Jungle Lodge, and Bori Safari Lodge.
Jehan Numa Retreat is the best place for dining, and has three dining places such as “Under the Jamun Tree”, “The Coriander Leaf” and “Green House Bistro”. “Under the Jamun Tree” is best for specialized barbeque dishes, “The Coriander leaf” serves heavenly delicacies across the world and mocktails and cocktails, and “Green House Bistro” is a cafe and serves comfort food.
Noor Us Sabah
Noor Us Sabah is a palace hotel and restaurant. It means Light of Dawn, and H.H Nawab Hamid Ullah Khan constructed it. Noor Us Sabah is located at VIP Road, and now this palace is converted into a hotel. There are small restaurants in this palace hotel known as “Marble Arch”, “Za-iqa”, “Dynasty” and “Cafe Latte”.
The menu of each restaurant is one of its kind, and the “marble arch” serves International and Indian cuisine, “Za-iqa” is known for Awadhi cuisine, “Dynasty” is best for authentic Chinese, and “Cafe Latte” serve coffee, beverages, and cakes.
So, experience the royalness at this beautiful palace hotel.
Finally, the food tour ends; it was really fun to visit such places and taste Bhopal’s authentic and diversified food. So, whenever you visit this Bhopal, make sure you taste the Bhopali food at the famous food places and also visit the upper lake, you will fall in love with the scenic beauty of Bhopal.