What & Where to Eat in Agra
Owing to its former rulers the cuisine of Agra is a blend of Rajput and Mughal cuisines which guarantees good food if nothing else! The people of Agra since time immemorial have been quite the feasters and the phenomenon of feasting continues till date. The sweet Pethas, namkeen Dalmoth, legendary Parathas, spicy Chaats and mouth-watering Mughlai food will allow you to explore your whole taste palate and make you want more!
1. Petha
Where: Panchi Petha (Hari Parvat crossing), Sadar Bazar, Dholpur House
Cuisine:
Open:
Pocket Pinch: ₹ 830 per person
Agra is famous for its Petha. It is a sweet made from white pumpkin or ash gourd and is infused with different flavours in varieties and shapes. The two popular kinds are the dry, hard and chewy ones and the soft and syrupy ones. Plain (white), Kesar (saffron), Angoori Petha and Paan Petha are some of its variants. Having medicinal traits, it is considered beneficial for blood pressure, hydration, brain growth, and more. If you would like it to melt into your mouth there is a pumpkin variety just for you. From pink to green, black to yellow, from kesar to Chandan, pumpkin to ash gourd and sugar to nuts, all varieties of Pethas are made and sold in the local markets. A hotspot for finding these Pethas is the Panchi Petha store located at the Hari Parvat crossing, Sadar Bazar and Dholpur House.
Must Savour
Angoori Petha
2. Paratha
Where: Ram Babu Paratha Bhandar
Cuisine:
Open:
Pocket Pinch: ₹ 830 per person
Derived from the ancient Mogul historical background, the dishes of Agra to are a breed of the Mogul history. One of the most popular and authentic Mughal breakfast is the stuffed paratha. Served usually with pickle, sauce and chilly or with a Mughlai chicken dish, it is a fallout that is a craving of localities and tourists alike. You could try this mashed potato stuffing called the Aloo Paratha or the grated cauliflower or carrots stuffing to expand the flavours which suit your palate.
Must Savour
Aloo Paratha, Mughlai chicken
3. Bedai & Jalebi
Where: Deviram Sweets & Restaurant (Pratappura Crossing, Rakabganj), Netram Halwai, GMB (Crystal Tower)
Cuisine:
Open: 7:45 am – 9:45 pm
Pocket Pinch: ₹ 650 for two
Another popular street food for you to try is the Bedai which in Kolkata and Delhi is usually called Kachori. It looks like a bigger version of the local Puri. Similar to Puri it is served with hot Aloo curry, ghoogni or spicy gravy. It is also sometimes served with curd. Since it is made with a bit of sugar and salt kneaded together and fried it has a crispy sweet and salty flavour which is sure to satisfy your tastebuds.
Must Savour
Bedai, Aloo curry, Ghoogni & Jalebi
4. Bhalla
Where: Vaishno Bhalla House, Agra Chaat House
Cuisine: Street Food
Open:
Pocket Pinch: ₹ 830 per person
If you are the type who likes trying out varieties of street food instead of visiting fancy five-star restaurants then Bhalla is a must-eat for you. In Delhi, it is usually called Aloo Tikki but Bhalla is the original version which is a fried delicacy made with mashed potato and a variety of Indian spices served with chicken curry, hot and steaming. This flat and round balls give a geometric calm to a person who likes the look of his dish to be as good as the taste.
Must Savour
Bhalla with Chicken curry, Dahi Bhalla
5. Mughlai Food
Where: Pinch of Spice, Peshawri, The Mughal Room, Jahanpanah, Paatra, Pind Balluchi, G Thal
Cuisine: Mughlai
Open: 11:00 am - 11:00 pm
Pocket Pinch: ₹ 800 to ₹ 3,000 for two
India was famed for being exotic with a unique range of odd spices and minerals. The spices were a reason the foreign navy visited India. The flavours obtained from the spices in the preparation of meals is exclusive and chromatically varying. They add colour, texture and flavour to the dishes. At Agra, the Mughal dish was founded. Rich cashews and raisins ground together and mixed with herbs and spices the curry prepared are red and rich. The salted butter and the chilli powder along with the marinated chicken makes the dishes spicy and rare.
Must Savour
Mutton Rogan Josh, Murgh Potli, Murgh Makhani, Kebabs, Gosht Biryani, Galouti Kebabs, Mutton Boti, Butter Chicken, Kathi Rolls, Korma, Shadras Sabziyan, Bharwan Amritsari Kulcha, Murgh Rara, Kadhai Paneer & Special Thaalis
6. Tandoori Chicken
Where: The Nawaabs, Pinch Of Spice, Tandoori Hut, Masala Majesty, Mama Chicken Mama Franky House, Pind Balluchi
Cuisine: Mughlai
Open: 11:00 am - 3:00 pm | 6:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Pocket Pinch: ₹ 350 for two
The Tandoori chicken is a Mogul elite dish. Your visit to Agra would be incomplete without you having tried it. Though the price in a decent restaurant would approximate Rs.500, its flavour would remain a memory forever due to the essence it creates in the mind from the sensation of the tongue. Served with a green mint Chutney, this spiced Tandoori chicken feels like a fort beach calmed by the shadow of a coconut tree!
Must Savour
Tandoori chicken with green mint chutney
7. Dasaprakash
Location:
Cuisine:
Open: 11:00 am - 03:00 pm | 6:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Pocket Pinch:
Craving some South Indian hot and sour then this place is the best pick. With brown net-like wooden divisions for privacy, you can visit this place, choose a cubicle and order from the menu provided. The large thin crispy dosa with vapourising steam emanating from it has a sour and salty blend and with the sambhar and chamandi chutney that they provide, it tastes spicy and hot. You can order idli and sambhar or vadda and chamandi or lemon rice and vegetable curry and with it, a coke would make for a perfect blend.
Must Savour
Dosa, Idli, Vada, Sarso ka Saag, Makke ki Roti
8. Pinch of Spice
Location: 23/453, Opposite Sanjay Cinema, Wazipura Road, Sanjay Place, Civil Lines, Agra
Cuisine:
Open: 08:30 a.m. to 07:00 p.m.
Pocket Pinch: ₹ 3,300 onwards, per person
Soup and noodles in a bowl, steaming hot slurped in while balancing the edges of the noodle strings on the chopsticks is a type of fun in eating Chinese food that never gets old. If you fancy the Chinese cuisine with their steaming chilli spicy soups and dumplings over the local rich chicken dishes with pratha then this place serves good Chinese dishes. From chowmein to thupka you name it they have it all and you can order your handpicked item.
Must Savour
Paan Shots, Honey Chilli Potatoes, Paneer Lababdar, Hakka Noodles, Starters, Dal Makhni
9. Tea’se Me Cafe
Location:
Cuisine:
Open: 07:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.| 12:00 p.m. to 03:00 p.m.| 06:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Pocket Pinch: ₹ 3,300 onwards, per person
Near the Taj Mahal itself, there is a café called the Tease me Café which might pique your interest. It is a multi-cuisine rooftop restaurant with a preference for Tea. A wooden tree grows in the centre surrounded by bamboo sticks making a special place for you to sit and enjoy a conversation with your friends. Since it is air-conditioned the hot and humid air outside is left far behind and a pleasant summer is felt inside. It serves Italian, Chinese, salads, burgers, tikkas, orange mint tea, cold coffee with ice cream and other fun foods and drinks.
Must Savour
Orange mint tea, Cold coffee with Ice cream, Mozzarella Sticks, Pomodoro Pasta, Chocolate Dessert, Rose Tea, Tomato Basil Soup, Chilli Potatoes
10. Good Vibes Café
Location:
Cuisine:
Open: 07:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Pocket Pinch: ₹ 3,300 onwards, per person
If your phone battery is dead and so is your body’s you can recharge it in the Good Vibes Café which is at Taj Nagar Agra. In this friendly café you can charge your mobiles and laptops while also relaxing and enjoying your cup of coffee with your side dishes. This Indian Mughal café serves Italian, Mexican and Chinese along with the special Mughal orients. For those on a specifically vegan diet, the café serves vegan-friendly side dishes too and it’s starting price is just Rs.30.
Must Savour
