Lucknow is known for two things, its Nawabs and its kebabs. But only the true Lucknowis know that there is much more to Lucknowi food than just kebabs. Being a Lucknowite by birth and having tasted the food of each and every nook corner and lane of the old Lucknow as well as new makes me the perfect guide for Lucknowi food. Let me warn you beforehand only, that the quest for delicious food will take you into many congested streets and localities but believe me the effort will be worth it. Let’s begin:
1. Tunday Kebabi:
As I mentioned before, there is much more to Lucknow than just nawabs and kebabs. But it is also a fact that Lucknow is incomplete without its Nawabi andaaz and Kebabi mijaaz. Tunday kebabs are the most delicious kebabs not only in Lucknow but in the whole world. Tunday kebabi serves two kinds of kebabs, one is the the mutton kebab and the other is the beef (only buffalo meat) kebab. The kebabs served here are the gilawati kebabs which tend to melt as soon as they get inside your mouth. The spices used in these kebas are a well kept secret of the family which owns the tunday franchise. The level of secrecy about their spices is so high that all the spices used in the kebabs are grounded and mixed in their family home only by their family members. This is also the reason that the tunday franchise is not a success outside Lucknow because then the spices would have been required to be grounded in the outlet outside the family home in Lucknow. The keema used for the kebabs is minced multiple times and mixed with the pulp of raw papaya. The pulp of raw papaya is the key ingredient which provides the smoothness and the melting property to the kebab. The taste is truly awesome and you should try the beef (buffalo meat) kebabs is you want the true experience as originally the kebabs were prepared with beef (buffalo meat) only. I personally recommend having the kebabs with mughlai paratha rather than rumali roti.
Now, the main problem comes in front of the tourists when they are in Lucknow and they come to discover that there are a ton of tunday kebabis in Lucknow. Don’t worry folks, the guide is here. Its true there are many tunday kebab outlets in Lucknow and most them are original also. But if you want the true authentic taste then you should visit the Chowk outlet or the Aminabad outlet. The chowk outlet is the original and the oldest outlet but the place is inside a very tightly packed lane with little space to even walk, due to the rush of market. The chowk outlet being the oldest is also not that much aesthetically appealing. The Aminabad outlet is the best in every way. In fact every food loving celebrity who has ever visited Lucknow has been to the Aminabad outlet and you can find all of their pictures on the entrance wall.
Cost: approx. Rs 300 for two people.
Must try: Gilawati Kebabs + Mughlai paratha along with a bottle of coke.
Online delivery available.
2. Alamgir Restaurant:
This restaurant is a hidden gem even for the majority of the local population. The reason being its location, it is situated in a very narrow lane in front of the Aminabad tunday kebabi outlet. Majority of people who come their only go to the Tunday kebabi outlet but they ignore that the whole lane in which the Aminabad outlet of tunday kebabi is situated is a foodie’s treasure trove. One gem of that treasure is the Alamgir. I also discovered it by accident only when on a fine day I went out with my friends to Aminabad for some kebabs but to our dismay, the tunday outlet there was closed. We were standing their regretting on our choice of day for the outing when I saw the board of Alamgir. We went their, it was a small outlet with a sitting of maximum 50 people. We ordered Lucknowi chicken biryani, butter chicken, chicken masala and a lot of mughlai parathas. Everything was on point, the taste the service the affordability and the staff. The reason this small outlet has found a place on this list is that it is a complete package. Everything here tastes authentic and awesome.
Cost: approx. Rs 350 for two.
Must try: Chicken masala and Shahi tukda.
Online delivery available.
3. Prakash Kulfi:
After eating all that food from Tunday and Alamgir, when you will get out of that lane, on your left side you will find an outlet by the name Prakash ki mushhoor kulfi. Prakash kulfi is a brand in itself. Like to most Indians noodles means maggi, for Lucknowites kulfi means Prakash kulfi. This is basically a yellowish coloured Indian ice cream prepared in large aluminium pots overnight. Now they have started serving many flavours like chocolate, mango etc but I recommend the original simple kulfi served on a small steel plate topped with soft gelatine textured yellow lachha. Let me also tell you that salt is used in the preparation of the kulfi and sometimes your kulfi may taste salty. Don’t hesitate and ask the waiter to replace it, they will do it happily.
Cost: approx. Rs 150 for two.
Must try: Lachha kulfi.
Online delivery available.
4. Raheem’s Nehari kulcha:
Nehari is perfect for breakfast and there is context behind this claim of mine. Historians say that Nehari was a food of common working class of Delhi under the Mughal rule, who needed energy for the whole day of work and nehari was packed with power. Nehari was one of the very few foods which made its way from the common man’s plate to the royal dastarkhwan of the mughal sultanate. The best and most authentic place to try out this Delhi delicacy in Lucknow is Raheem’s. This outlet is situated in the same densely packed street of Chowk area about which I told you earlier. It is only a few meters ahead of the Tunday chowk outlet.
Cost: approx. Rs 300 for one.
Must try: Mutton Nehari along with kulcha.
Online delivery available.
5. Idrees Biryani:
Biryani of every place hold’s its own character in it. Unlike the Kolkata and hyderabadi biryanis, Lucknowi biryani is not very spicy, rather its flavourful and soothing. The most lipsmacking Lucknowi biryani is served by a very small outlet on the main road of Nakkhas by the name of Idrees Biryani. It is so small that they don’t even have space for sitting but they cover it up with the delicious biryani that they make. It is an estimate that Idrees biryani sells more than one quintal of mutton biryani everyday. This figure clearly expresses the love of Lucknowites for Idrees Biryani.
Cost: Rs 240 for two.
Must try: Mutton Biryani.
Online delivery available.
6. Royal Café:
Situated in the heart of Lucknow that is Hazratganj, Royal Café is the go to place for chaat lovers. The Chef Mr. Maurya is famous by the name of Chaat King. He also runs a youtube channel by the name Chaat King. Royal Café offers wide variety of chaats from palak patta chaat to kulhad chaat. But the most awesome is their basket chaat. All the dishes are made with desi ghee and on a copper pan. These factors provide a unique taste and flavour to the chaat. You can find basket chaat now in many five star restaurants but it is royal café which made it famous.
Cost: approx. Rs 600 for two.
Must try: Basket chaat.
Online delivery available.
7. Sardar ji ke mashoor chhole bhature:
The name of the place is long but so will be the sigh of satisfaction that you will make when will taste the chhole bhature here. Situated in lalbagh, this place has too many counterfeit outlets. In fact it has its counterfeit outlet right beside it. The only way to recognise the authentic one is to follow the name which I have told you, “Sardar Ji Ke Mashoor Chhole Bhature” without any suffix or prefix.
Cost: approx. Rs 100 for two.
Must try: Chhole Bhature + Halwa.
Online delivery available.
8. Rattilal’s khasta:
Khasta is the staple breakfast food for many Lucknowites and the best khasta in the city is available at all the Ratti Laal outlets. I personally prefer the Aliganj outlet, due to its secluded location there not to much crowd there and you get your order fast. The best thing about Ratti laal is that they make their khastas in desi ghee only just like royal café.
Cost: approx. Rs 200 for two. (Aliganj outlet)
Must try: Khasta.
Online delivery available.
9. Sharma Chai:
Sharma chai is the heartbeat of all the chai lovers of Lucknow and the prime vellagiri and Chai – Sutta point for the college students. The craziness for Sharma ji’s chai is so much that on a pleasant morning one has to wait for upto 20 minutes to get a kulhad of chai. And not just chai but their ball shaped samosa’s are also loved by people.
Cost: approx. Rs 100 for two.
Must try: Kulhad Chai + Samosa.
Online delivery available.
10. Bajpayee Kachodi Bhandar:
If you want to taste khasta, puri, kachodi and chhole bhature all at one place and that too delicious then Bajpayee kachodi is the place for you. Located in Hazratganj, it is a decades old family run outlet which still provides its customers with the true authentic taste.
Cost: approx. Rs 100 for two.
Must try: Chhola Puri. Online
delivery available.
