MildChingri Malaikari
Non-vegLarge prawns cooked in coconut milk with a little mustard oil and whole spices, eaten with rice. A dish for occasions as much as for everyday meals.
₹400–900
Best around: Ballygunge
Eat in Kolkata
What to Eat in Kolkata Today?
Search Kolkata dishes by craving — chingri malaikari, daab chingri, fish chop and more.
Kolkata eats fish at lunch, rolls and puchka in the evening, and sweets at any hour. Start with the five dishes below, then let a Bengali thali show you how a home meal is served.
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8 Kolkata dishes found
Mild
Medium spiceDaab Chingri
Non-vegPrawns cooked in a mustard and coconut paste and served inside a tender green coconut (daab), which is sealed and baked or steamed with them.
₹450–950
Best around: Ekdalia Road
MildFish Chop
Non-vegSpiced, mashed fish shaped into a cutlet, crumbed and fried, served with kasundi (mustard sauce) and salad.
₹60–200
Best around: Ekdalia Road
Medium spiceKathi Roll
Non-vegA paratha wrap of kebab or egg with onions and green chutney — Kolkata's beloved street roll.
₹60–180
Best around: New Market (Hogg Market)
Medium spiceMacher Jhol
Non-vegA homely Bengali fish curry in a light spiced gravy, eaten with rice — everyday Bengali comfort.
₹150–350
Best around: Ballygunge and Ekdalia Road
Mishti Doi
VegSweetened caramel-tinged set yogurt in an earthen pot — the perfect Bengali dessert.
₹40–100
Best around: Ballygunge
HotPuchka
VegKolkata's fiery, tamarind-water version of pani puri — crisp shells with spiced potato and tetul jol.
₹20–60
Rosogolla
VegSpongy chhena dumplings in light sugar syrup — Bengal's iconic sweet.
₹15–40 each
Street food in the evening
Puchka is Kolkata's version of pani puri. The shell is filled with spiced mashed potato and dipped in sour tamarind water, and it is sharper and hotter than versions elsewhere. Stalls come out in the late afternoon near markets, parks and the Victoria Memorial. Pick a busy stall, where the water is changed often. The kathi roll is the other street staple: a flaky paratha wrapped round egg, kebab or chicken, with onion and a squeeze of lime. It is said to have started at Nizam's, near New Market, which opened in 1932.
Fish and rice at lunch
Macher jhol is the everyday Bengali fish curry, light and thin, eaten with rice. Rohu and katla are the common fish. Hilsa, called ilish, is the prized one, best in the monsoon. Bengali meals are usually eaten in courses, starting with something bitter or plain and ending with chutney and sweets. A thali at a Bengali restaurant is the easiest way to taste the whole order.
Sweets
Rosogolla are soft balls of fresh chhena, cooked in light syrup. West Bengal received a geographical indication for Banglar rosogolla in 2017, and the confectioner Nobin Chandra Das is credited with the spongy version in 1868. Mishti doi is sweetened yogurt set in a clay pot, often coloured caramel-brown by date-palm jaggery or cooked sugar. The pot soaks up moisture and thickens the curd. Sweet shops sell both by the piece or pot, and many also sell sandesh.
Vegetarians
Three of the five dishes here are vegetarian: puchka, rosogolla and mishti doi. Bengali menus also have plenty of vegetable dishes, such as shukto, dal and fried vegetables, and many restaurants serve a vegetarian thali.
Where to go next
See where to eat for the kitchens behind these dishes, and the photo spots to plan your day around meals.
Questions
Kolkata — FAQ
How is Kolkata puchka different from pani puri?
The shells are thinner and crisper, the filling is mashed potato with spices and often boiled gram, and the water is made sour with tamarind. It is usually hotter and tangier than the pani puri of Mumbai or Delhi.
What is the best time of year to eat hilsa in Kolkata?
The monsoon, roughly July to September, when hilsa swim up the rivers and are at their fullest. Restaurants and home cooks steam it in mustard paste or fry it.
Is Kolkata street food safe to eat?
Usually, if you choose busy stalls where food is cooked in front of you. Be more careful with puchka water and cut fruit, and start with small amounts if your stomach is new to Indian street food.
Does Kolkata have good vegetarian food?
Yes. Many sweet shops are pure vegetarian, and Bengali cooking has a long list of vegetable dishes. Ask for a vegetarian thali in a Bengali restaurant, and check the menu, as some vegetable dishes, such as muri ghonto, are cooked with fish.