Best places to get it:
Bedekar Tea Stall, Narayan Peth; Shree Kala Snacks Center, Rasta Peth; Katakirrr Misal, Erandwane
Pavs, bhajjis, chats, these are just a few of the long list of delectable savories Pune has to offer, making its street food platter all the more special. Being Mumbai’s close cousin, you could find a lot of similarities between the two cities as far as their food choices are concerned. Sold on carts in every nook and corner, you can also find them in small eateries and even in plush Irani cafes. Of the various famous street food places, the Camp area and the M.G Road stretch are most prominent.
Misal Pav – Pune’s Special Bun-Curry Combo
Misal pav, a popular savory, is eaten as a breakfast or evening snack in most Marathi households. Puneri misal is the tangy curry, prepared from sprouts like Bengal gram, and moth beans, garnished with chopped pieces of boiled potato, coriander, chopped onions, green chilies, and bhujia (a crispy noodle-like snack). The pav comprises soft buns or even toasted bread smeared with butter.
Varieties: Dahi misal (addition of curd to balance the spicy flavor); kalya masalyachi misal (sprinkled with black pepper); Nagpuri misal; Khandesi misal; and Kolhapuri misal (the spiciest of all).
Approximate cost:Rs 60-80 (Full plate misal with pav or bread)
Mastani – A Creamy Mango Shake
Deriving its name from Mastani, wife of the Maratha ruler Peshwa Bajirao I, this delicious shake is mainly prepared from mango and milk, topped with a dollop of ice-cream, cashew, cherries and cut fruits. Though traditionally made from mango, you can find mastani in many flavors like rose, pineapple, and chocolate.
Best places to get it:
Sujata Mastani, Sadashiv Peth, Laxmi Road; Gujar Mastani House, Satara Road
Approximate cost:
Rs 70-80 (Regular flavor)
Kanda Poha – A Spicy Fusion of Flat Rice and Onions
Kanda Poha is a typical Maharashtrian dish having poha (flattened rice) as its main ingredient, fried with onions (kanda), green chilies, potato, peas, coconut, and cilantro, garnished with coriander leaves and lemon wedges. Many outlets sell kanda poha post-midnight or in the wee hours of morning
Best places to get it:
Amruteshwar Bhuwan, Erandwane, open between 4 am and 11 pm
Approximate cost:
Rs 20-30 per plate
Bun Maska – Bun Smeared with Butter
Soft, sweet buns, topped with raisins, sliced into half and thickly layered with maska (butter) and cream – this is what bun maska is all about. Gaining popularity in Mumbai and its neighboring cities post the introduction of Irani café, bun maska teamed with a steaming cup of tea is what most Maharashtrians would swear by. Some places would sell crusty buns instead of the smooth, soft ones.
Best places to get it:
Café Good Luck, FC Road; Vohuman Café, BS Dhole Patil Path, Sangamvadi; Cafe Yezdan, Camp Area
Approximate cost:
Rs 30-50 (a piece of bun and a cup of tea)
Dangi Patties – A Tasty Bread Preparation
Taking its name after the shop where it is sold exclusively, this is a popular breakfast and teatime snack, comprising of bread slices stuffed with mashed potatoes which is cooked in various homemade spices, dipped in a batter of gram flour and deep fried. Served on newspaper plates, the piping patties sells like hotcakes.
Best places to get it:
Dangi Patties, Deep Bungalow Chowk, at Vetal Baba Road, open from 8:30 am to 10:30 am and 4 pm to 6 pm (except Sunday evenings).
Approximate cost:
Rs 10 per piece
Vada Pav – Maharashtra’s Famous Potato Burger
Mumbai’s favorite vada pav, an instant hit in Pune too, comprises of a big bun gaped in the middle, stuffed with a spiced potato dumpling. A humungous chilly along with a dry garlic chutney or dip come as accompaniments. Garnishes of corn, cheese, butter, and nachos are often used in modern versions.
Varieties: Dabeli pav (garnished with crushed peanuts, sev and pomegranate seeds);
Best places to get it:Garden Vada Pav Centre, MG Road, Camp area
Approximate cost:Rs 15-20
Kanda Bhaji – Crispy Onion Fritters
Chopped onions fried in a batter of gram flour, kanda (onion) bhaji, often served with spicy dips, are sold in a lot of sweet shops. Besides kanda, you can also get bhajjis of mirchi (green chilies), batata (potato), and palak (spinach).
Best places to get it:
Raj Bhajiyewala, Bhopla Chowk, Camp area; Suraj Sweet shop, Jambhulkar Chowk, Wanowarie; Mahalaxmi Bhajji centre
Approximate cost:
Rs 8-10 per piece
Chicken Samosa – Fried Savory Filled with Chicken
You would find these fried, crispy samosas in roadside eateries. They are also available in stuffings of vegetable and mutton.
Best places to get it:
Akhtar’s Samosa, Saifee Street, Camp area; Irani Café, Viman Nagar
Approximate cost:
Rs 25-40 (Chicken or mutton samosa); Rs 15-20 (Veg samosa)
Bhel Puri – A Tangy Puffed Rice Snack
This spicy, lip-smacking item, made by tossing puffed rice, potatoes, onions, tomatoes and coriander in a tangy tomato sauce, is equally popular in Pune, like in its neighboring city Mumbai.
Varieties: Sev puri (Bhel puri topped with sev, a crunchy snack); dahi puri (Bhel puri garnished with curd)
Best places to get it:Murli Best Bhelpuri, Fatima Nagar, Wanowrie; Kalyan Bhel, Bibwewadi, Kondhwa Road; Sainath Bhel Puri, Sadashiv Peth; Vinu’s Special Panipuri & Matki Bhel; Ganesh Bhel, Aundh
Approximate cost:Rs 35-60
Alti Palti – Pune Style Egg Dish
Alti Palti is one of Pune’s typical street foods, sold by vendors on carts. Its preparation is similar to that of the sunny-side-up eggs, with the main difference being that here the egg is flipped over for about 15 seconds so the yolk has a crispy top layer (it is still all gooey inside). Once done, the eggs might be served like that or wrapped in a pav or bun.
Best places to get it:
Areas near the Pune railway station
Approximate cost:
Rs 20-30 per plate
Additionally, the North Indian chole batura, the South Indian idly-vada, Mexican and Chinese cuisines, you get everything here in Pune. Though it may not be known to specialize much in non-vegetarian street foods, you would be surprised with the varieties offered including chicken lollipops, and rolls, as well as Ramadan-special items like haleem, and kebabs.
Last reviewedJune 8th 2018
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