Eating Your Way Through The City: 15 Must-Try Dishes To Qualify As A Punekar

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Pune's grub scene is as diverse as its crowd. In some restaurants, you'll find good Asian chow. In others, the French cuisine reigns. Some have won consecutive awards for their assal Puneri meals. Others have been serving hot plates of sizzlers for decades. Picking favourites is a tough decision, but if we had to eat our way through the city, here are some of the best eateries in Pune that would be on our map.

Bun Maska Jam At Vohuman's Cafe

Ask any Punekar for a good breakfast place, and they'll direct you to this spot. Since 1978, Vohuman Cafe's bun maska, chai, and omelette have found a way to everyone's stomachs and hearts for their incredible taste and pocket-friendly prices. 

Timings: 6 AM to 7:30 PM

Cost: INR 80 onwards

Misal Pav At Vaidya Upahar Gruha

Vaidya Upahar Gruha, one of the oldest eateries in town will take you back in time with its setting. Since 1957, this iconic eatery has served the most unique misal pal you'll ever have. Made with green chillies, coriander, and mint, the green misal pav is a must-have. 

Timings: 7 AM to 11 PM

Cost: INR 120 onwards

Vada Pav At JJ Garden

Any food guide of Pune would be incomplete without adding the delicious vada pav at JJ Garden. For over 40+ years, this humble stall at Camp has delighted street food lovers with its flavourful vada pav served with fried and pickled green chillies. 

Timings: 9 AM to 10 PM

Cost: INR 20

Vegetarian Thali At Durvankur

For more than 20 years, Durvankur has pleased Punekars with its delicious vegetarian thalis in an unpretentious environment. A delightful mix of different cuisines, the wholesome thali has several dishes for your consideration, and all of them will hit the spot.

Timings: Noon to 11 PM

Cost: INR 400+

Mango Mastani At Sujata Mastani

Since its inception in 1967, Sujata Mastani has been a go-to spot for Punekars looking to satiate their sweet tooth cravings. There are 30 different flavours on offer, but our heart (and tastebuds) will always be partial to the Mango Mastani. 

Timings: 11 AM to 9 PM

Cost: INR 150 onwards

Chicken Dhansak At Dorabjee & Sons

Maintaining the old-world charm through its bare minimum decor, this 141-year-old restaurant serves chicken dhansak and brown rice with patrani mattchi steamed in a banana leaf. The sweet, spicy, and sour lentil curry is the best we've ever had in town.

Timings: 10 AM to 7 PM

Cost: INR 300 onwards

Chelo Kebabs At Blue Nile

The mouth-watering biryanis and chelo kebabs helped Blue Nile rise to fame in the early 1970s. The restaurant may have shifted from Camp to Bund Garden Road, but the taste of its Persian cuisine is still unmatched. Other favourite dishes here include tandoori murgh and falooda. 

Timings: 11 AM to 11 PM

Cost: INR 500 onwards

Lamington Cake At Spice College Confectionery

Spicer College Bakery & Confectionery is easy to miss even if you pass Aundh Road hundreds of times. But once you try their baked offerings, we beg it will be hard to forget. Soft, spongy, coconut-y lamington cakes are so good that we bet you'll go again for more. 

Timings: 9 AM to 9 PM

Cost: INR 50 onwards

Shrewsberry Biscuits At Kayani Bakery

You can't come to Pune and not try the Shrewsberry Biscuits from Kayani Bakery. Established in 1955, Kayani's biscuits, mawa cakes, and nankhatais live rent-free in our minds. Try some and get a few packed to take back home because, trust us, you will miss them. 

Timings: 8 AM to 6:30 PM

Cost: INR 400 onwards

Baked Cheesecake At Indulgence

Mazo Hoppel's deliciously good cheesecake was a city secret long before the word got out, and everyone started going to Koregaon Park for a piece. Thankfully, it hasn't changed the taste of the baked cheesecake. On Wednesdays, Happy Hours will get you two for the price of one.

Timings: 4:30 PM to 8 PM

Cost: INR 150 onwards

Meaty Thalis At Surve's Pure Non-Veg

Meat lovers in Pune can't stop raving about the thalis at Surve's, and for all the right reasons. Whether you choose chicken or mutton, we guarantee you'll lick your fingers clean. The mutton dal khichdi is another crowd-pleaser for its simple yet impactful flavour. 

Timings: Noon to 11 PM

Cost: INR 210 onwards

Chutney Sandwich At Marz-O-Rin

Cafe Marz-O-Rin has been open since 1965, so it's safe to assume they serve good grub. And their minty and spicy chutney sandwich is probably the best in town. We also love their chicken sandwiches, cutlets, rich plum cake, chocolate fudge, and milkshakes.

Timings: 8:30 AM to 10 PM

Cost: INR 50 onwards

Pav Bhaji At Supreme Corner

Since 1979, Supreme Corner's pav bhaji has been a mainstay in Pune's street food scene. Spicy, buttery, and oh-so-delicious, the pav bhaji here still makes people travel to JM Road from all the corners of the city. Recently, they've started serving a cheesy version of their original pav bhaji. 

Timings: 7:30 AM to 10:30 PM

Cost: INR 180 onwards

Poha At Amruteshwar Bhuwan

The absolute delight of getting your hands on hot plates of poha at 4 am at Nal Stop is worth experiencing. From nocturnal student to post-part animals, everyone lines up at this spot for their delicious offerings. We also recommend their sabudana khichdi, idli, upma, and sheera. 

Timings: 4 AM to 10 PM

Cost: INR 40 onwards

Chicken Momo's At Momo's Corner

The unmatched flavour of Momo's Corner transformed the street food cart into a multi-outlet eatery spread across the town. People still crowd at this spot to get hot plates of chicken momos with the spicy red and cooling mint chutney. 

Timings: 9 AM to 11 PM

Cost: INR 80 onwards