Food Ready-Recknoner

Lucknow

Breakfast

1. Sharma Tea Stall, Lalbagh, Hazratganj, near Novelty Cinema – Softest buns with creamy, homemade white butter and unique round samosas, besides the tea, of course.

2. Bajpai Pooriwala, Hazratganj – famous sabzi is made with unpeeled potatoes

3. Rahim Ke Kulche-Nihari, Chowk need no introduction

4. Netram Pooriwala, Aminabad

Avadhi Meals

1. Oudhyana, Taj Residency

2. Falaknuma, Clarks Avadh Hotel – Offers an excellent Kebab platter

3. Chhote Nawab, Hotel Sagar International, Jopling Road – Besides the kebabs, go for their Shahi Tukda and Zafrani Phirni. The bread basket is unique, specially the Taftan (a leavened rice flour bread)

4. Kebabs from legendary Tundey Kebabi – Chowk & Aminabad Market

5. Vahid Biryani, Aminabad

6. Idris Biryaniwala, Chowk

7. Narayan Veg, near Gurudwara – vegetarian kebabs made with dal, soyabean and mushrooms come quite close to the real thing

Snacks

1. Guptaji ke thande dahi-bhalle – Used to be outside GPO, Hazratganj, now relocated to Saket, behind the zoo. Worth every bit of the hunt

2. Shukla Chaat Bhandaar, Hazratganj – Matar Ki Chaat is delicious

3. Capoor's Hotel, Hazratganj – The huge and heavy Basket Chaat is the speciality

4. Dixit Chaat, Chowk

5. Prakash Kulfi, Aminabaad Market – thick and creamy indigenous ice cream

6. Also Moti Mahal, Hazratganj for kulfi

7. Thandai from Raja Thandai, Chowk

8. Aam Ka Panna off the roadside in summers

9. Biscuits from Burma Bakery and Sundar Bakery

10. Malai-Makkhan or Namash from stalls in Chowk

11. Kashmiri chai off the roads in winters

Ram Asrey, Chowk

Sweets

1. Ram Asrey, Chowk—Malai Paan is unique

2. Sri Ram Sweets, Main Market, Canttn -- Doodh ki barfi is special

3. Chhappan Bhog – Chhena Kheer and Aam Kheer and Aam Kulfi in summers are must-haves

Varanasi

Breakfast

Malaiyyo

1. Tea at Pappu Tea Stall, Assi Ghat. Written about in Kashinath Singh’s Kashi Ka Assi

2. Malaiyyo – over 10,000 shops all over during winters

3. Kachori-Jalebi at Vishwanath in Visheswar Ganj, Chachi ki Kachori at Lanka or the innumerable stalls in Kachori Gali

4. Lassi at Pahalwan Lassiwala, Lanka. Also his kadahi doodh in the evening and the sweet laung-lata

Kashi Chaat Bhandar, Gowdolia

Meals

1. Bati-chokha at the stalls in Sigri

2. Chaat/Snacks

3. Kashi Chaat Bhandar, Gowdolia – try local specialities chooda-matar and tamatar ki chaat

4. Dina Chaatwala

5. Kesari Chaat Bhandaar, Neechi baag.

6. Thandai at Mishrambu, Gowdolia or Baba, Gowdolia – with bhang mixed on demand

Sweets

1. Sri Ram Bhandar is regarded as the oldest in Varanasi

2. Ksheer Sagar, Sonarpura for sweets like chhena pulao, chuhara (dry dates) ke laddoo and mugdal (made with ground moong dal)

3. Shri Basant Bahar, Lahura Beer for chooda-matar and mugdal

International

• Vatika Pizzeria, Assighat – delicious vegetarian, wood-fired, thin-crust pizzas and an apple pie to die for

Paan

• Keshav Tambool Bhandar near the Banaras Hindu University gate is the pick of the lot