Veg Street Food In Hyderabad: To The Heart Of The City Through Your Stomach

Hyderabad shines bright with its 39th spot on the list of 100 Food Cities in the World by Taste Atlas. A connoisseur will know how the city has the best “Keema Samosa,” “Nihari,” and “Paya.” 

Also, Veg street food in Hyderabad is a way to connect to the history and culture of the city. Each dish’s unique flavors and culinary skills whisper about the people who have built and graced the city over time. 

Since the establishment of the city by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah in 1591 CE, the city’s gastronomic scenario has undergone major changes. Qutb Shahis (the founders of Hyderabad), Nizams, and Mughals have contributed to the diversity of the city’s cuisine. 

Most famous for the non-veg food varieties, Hyderabad also has some lip-smacking veg snacking options. Let’s take you on a food trip in the city of Charminar.

Veg Street Food In Hyderabad | Culinary Tourism In An Old City  

Hyderabad is known for its Ganga Jamuna Tehzeeb, a fusion of many cultures. Predominantly ruled by Muslim dynasties, Hyderabad also has Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Marawris, Sindhis, and, of course, the localities. 

So, despite only 2.7% of the city being vegetarians, veg street food in Hyderabad comes in various options. Overall, food in the city is an ode to its “multi-religious, multi ethnic, multi cultural and multi-linguistic society.”

Let’s start with culinary tourism in Hyderabad. 

1. Hot Mirchi Bajji

Best Place to Eat: Mirchi Bajji by Satyanarayana Yadav

Google Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Location: Professors Colony, Andhra Colony, New Malakpet [ Map Link]

If you are from India, you have already tried Mirchi Bajji dipped in gram flour. 

However, it’s different in Telangana. The tangy tamarind pulp inside makes it oh-so heavenly! The tanginess of tamarind to ajwain here is what peanut butter to jelly in your sandwich. It’s a sin to be in Hyderabad and not try this veg street food. 

Don’t forget to savor it with a cup of Masala tea to make your evening. 

2. Papdi Ragada

Best Place to Eat: Gokul Chat

Google Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Location: Koti Main Road [ Map Link ]

“Kuch Chatpata Ho Jaye?” If this has been in your mind, the veg street food in Hyderabad will not disappoint you.  Also, who says No to Chaat when you are in India?

Papdi Ragada has endless versions. Peep through the kitchen of any Hyderabadi or Maharashtrian home, and you will find different combinations of spices and flavoring ingredients.

However, the two core ingredients of the dish are cooked chickpeas (with salt, turmeric, cumin powder, and other spices) and deep-fried flat Puris or Papdi with a lot of flavors. 

Now, cooked chickpeas or Ragada are mixed with chopped onion, chilies, lemon juice, coriander leaves, tomatoes and lemon juice. You can always go for some tamarind chutney for that extra tanginess. (I love it this way!)

Finally, the Papdis are crushed and spread over the mixture before you taste it. Also, the chef’s kiss to the dish is the generous sprinkling of Sev (very thin fried noodles made of chickpea flour).  

Want some more fun with Papdi Ragada? Crush some Samosas or Alu Tikkis and mix them with the Ragada. 

3. Masala Puri

Best Place to Eat: Govindaa’s Chat 

Google Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Location: Himayatnagar [ Map Link ]

This is another vegetarian street food in Hyderabad, allowing you to be as creative as your taste buds allow. 

Further, this Chaat has Puri (Phuchka, fried thin balls of flour, or Gol Gappa), the most versatile snack among Indian street food items, as its core ingredient. 

In this Chaat, the Puris are filled with Ragada (cooked chickpeas) or your choicest filling. Then, you have chopped onion, chilies, coriander leaves, carrots, sour curd, and tamarind Chutney in it. 

Do you want it extra spicy? Ask Masala Puri Anna to add a lot of chili powder to the Ragada mix.  

4. Misal

Best Place to Eat: Raga’s Kitchen

Google Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Location: Miyapur [ Map Link]

Misal or Misal Pav is a street food popular in Hyderabad and Maharashtra. It is one of the simplest vegetarian street foods in Hyderabad but a flavor bomb.

This dish is a combination of a curry of moth bean sprouts with a lot of spices, green chilies and chopped onion, and soft maska (butter) bread loaf. The curry has cubed potatoes that balance the spice. 

Sprinkle some Sev over the Misal curry when you have it. Don’t keep it too long after adding Sev, as they will become soggy.

And to make the most of this dish, have it with a salad made of sliced onions, tomatoes, and green chilies. 

5. Tarri Pohe

Best Place to Eat: Chihera Pohera By Hemangi Foods

Google Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Location: PJR Enclave, Sri Ram Nagar Colony, Chanda Nagar [ Map Link]

Tarri Pohe, or Tarri Poha, is a staple in the street food of Hyderabad and Nagpur. My Marathi friends always call it “zanzanit,” or extraordinary, as they say in Marathi.

Tarri Pohe is a beautiful combination of Poha and a curry made of Bengal gram. The curry has the sweetness of dried coconut and the aroma of cinnamon, while the Poha comes with the tanginess of lemon juice. 

Have a spoon, and you know how this combination is nothing short of a couple madly in love with each other. Also, the chopped onion, chilies, and Sev sprinkled on it take its taste to another level. It’s like “Maut daldere” in the Hyderabadi language. 

6. Batata Wada

Best Place to Eat: Marathi Katta

Google Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Location: Ramkot

Batata Wada is like a classic when discussing the best veg street food in Hyderabad. Batata means potato, and Wada can be roughly translated to a ball.

So, Batata Wada is potato balls dipped in a spicy gram flour batter and deep fried in oil. However, this simplest veg street food in Hyderabad has the best flavors with mustard seeds, curry leaves, cumin seeds, chopped coriander, onion, and chilies added to it.

Have it with green Chutney or sweet and sour tamarind chutney for sheer delight! 

Best Street Food In Hyderabad | A Sweet Story You Will Love

You cannot not have the sweets of Hyderabad if you want the best street food experience in the city. 

Faluda is a dessert made of vermicelli noodles and Badam ka Halwa is a staple in the city. However, if you want something more special, try Jauzi Halwa. 

Jauzi Halwa was Nizam’s favorite dessert, and its flavor is hard to replicate. I had the best Jauzi Halwa at Hameedi Confectioners, a confectionery running with a legacy of 100 years. 
Also, you cannot miss Qubani ka Meetha with dried apricot here. Mauz ka Meetha is another popular dessert here, but I did not like its taste!

Up Next…

• Places To Visit In Bangalore With Family | Karnataka Travel Guide
• Self-Guided Trekking In Bangalore | 7 Routes To Be In Nature And Mountains
• 2 Days Trip From Bangalore (A Mixed Bag Of Experience You Have Been Waiting For)