What to Eat in Aurangabad Today?

Naan qalia

This is the dish people mean when they talk about Aurangabad food. Qalia is a thin, oily mutton curry heavy with spice, cooked in a large pot called a degh. The layer of red oil on top is the tari, and regulars ask for extra. It comes with a soft naan baked in a clay oven sunk into the ground, brushed with turmeric and jaggery water as it comes out, which gives it a golden colour. The story links it to the army that marched south when Muhammad bin Tughluq moved his capital to Daulatabad in the 14th century. Aurangabad's version is yoghurt-based; nearby Khuldabad makes a sharper, lemony one. It is heavy, so eat it at lunch or an early dinner.

Biryani

The city's biryani is a Deccani dum style, with meat and long-grain rice sealed and slow-cooked, finished with saffron and fried onions. It is rich rather than fiery, and portions are generous.

Vegetarian food

Tahri is a one-pot spiced rice with potato and vegetables, a homely lunch dish. Shevai here means hand-pressed rice noodles, eaten sweet with coconut milk or savoury. Shrikhand, strained curd sweetened and flavoured with saffron and cardamom, turns up in thalis across Maharashtra. A Maharashtrian thali, with bhakri, varan, a dry vegetable and pickle, is an easy, filling meal.

Where and when

The old city has small qalia and kebab shops that come alive after dark, especially during Ramadan. For a sit-down meal, see the where to eat page. On a cave day, eat breakfast in the city, carry fruit and water, and expect simple food near the sites.

Before you order

Qalia is usually mutton, though some places also make other versions; ask what meat is in the pot if that matters to you. Street water and ice are a risk for visitors; bottled water is easy to find.