Patna is the capital and the largest city of Bihar. It is also the 19th largest city in India, with a population of 2.35 million. Famous for Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain pilgrimage centres like Bodhgaya, Nalanda and Vaishali, this place has a list of traditional culinary delights to serve among you. So, if you are planning to explore the best food in Patna, head to this magnificent destination located on the banks of the river Ganga. Scroll through the below list of delicacies, and get ready to treat your taste buds with sumptuous cuisines of Patna.
10 Best Foods In Patna
Here are a few must-try delicacies that you must add to your list of the best foods in Patna that are rich in flavours and give exposure to the cultures of the region.
1. Litti Chokha
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Litti chokha is a lip-smacking dish that is one of the most famous dishes of Patna. It is made with wheat and sattu along with spices and kneaded into round balls that are dipped into ghee and baked in a tava or oven. The texture of Litti is very crunchy. Chokha is prepared by mashing boiled vegetables like potatoes, tomatoes and brinjal. Chopped onions, garlic and spices are added to it. The Litti is eaten along with the chokha. It is a very flavourful dish that has a lot of cultural significance to the land of the city, making it the best street food in Patna.
Best Place To Eat: RK Litti shop, Mourya Lok
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2. Chandrakala
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Chandrakala sweet is similar to gujia. This sweet is prepared by making the outer covering with maida and filled with khoya and nuts that are dipped in sugar syrup. It is then garnished with saffron. The texture of this sweet is very famous because on the outer side it is very crunchy, but on the inner side it is very soft and melts in the mouth. It is made into a round shape like a moon, and hence got its name. Chandrakala sweet is also known as Suryakala in some other places. They are especially made during the Diwali festival.
Best Place To Eat: A1 Chandrakala Shop, Fraser Road
3. Chana Ghugni
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Chana Ghugni is usually eaten as an evening snack, which is very spicy and tangy. It is a very common dish that can be easily found throughout the region. If you want to savour a list of famous food in Patna, this delicious and mouthwatering dish is a must-try. This dish is prepared by boiling chickpeas and frying them with onions and spices along with Chida ka Bhuja, which is flattened rice. Also, other snacks are topped on this dish.
Best Place To Eat: Grihaangan food
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4. Kadhi Badi
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Kadhi Badi is one of the very delicious items in Patna. It is a vegetable curry in the form of gravy, also known as kadhi, while the badi is prepared with besan, which is gram flour. The crown floor is mixed with yoghurt and many other spices, making it rich in flavours. This dish is mostly eaten in summer and during the festivals of Holi and Krishna Janmashtami. It is a staple food and served with rice roti and puri.
Best Place To Eat: Foresto Paradise
5. Kesar Peda
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Kesar peda is one of the most essential food items of Patna. This dish has been acquired from the cultures of Bihar and Jharkhand. Kesar peda is prepared with khoya and flavoured with saffron and cardamom. It is prepared in thick and semi soft round balls. These peda can be stored at room temperature for longer days than other milk-based sweets. Each region has different methods of preparing peda. This dish is mostly prepared during Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, Raksha Bandhan, and other special occasions.
Best Place To Eat: Shantilal’s sweets
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6. Laung Lata
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Laung Lata, also known as lavang lata, is a traditional sweet of Patna. It is made up of maida, khoya, nutmeg powder, ghee, nuts, raisins, cardamom cloves, grated coconut and sugar. The dough is rolled out and the filling is placed in the centre. The dough is folded and closed completely. The cloves are pressed over the folded dough so that it doesn’t open up while cooking. It is then cooked in hot ghee until it turns golden brown and crispy. Indian sugar syrup is added to this dish until it cools down and absorbs it completely.
Best Place To Eat: Shantilal’s Sweets
7. Tilkut
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Tilkut is a famous dish in Patna that will put you into a sugar rush. It is one of the most famous deserts in the northern part of India. It is a healthy dish made from punched sesame seeds, cooked with a sugar based roll made into a ball filled with loads of crushed sesame seeds. It is then heated to the right temperature and proportions of jaggery are added inside it. The real hard work is to beat them until they turn into biscuit-like shapes. This is a seasonal dish available only in the winter made during the Makar Sankranti festival.
Best Place To Eat: Harilal’s sweet shop
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8. Balushahi
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Balushahi is a sweet flour cup with khoya inside it. It is one of the wonderful sweets in Bihar. Every bite is flavourful and different. The sweet is made up of a flour bowl with a mixture of sweet khoya, cardamom, cinnamon and sometimes saffron added for taste and fragrance. It is deep fried and then sugar syrup is added on top until it is absorbed. The speciality of this sweet is that the exterior part is very crispy and soft, but as soon as you eat it, it just melts into your mouth with the taste of sweetness.
Best Place To Eat: Gokul Sweets
9. Mutton Kebab
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Besides vegetarian dishes, there are also many non-vegetarian items, of which mutton kebabs are the most famous. The mutton kebabs here have a historical and rich origin. The mutton kebab has a tender meat coated with aromatic spices with distinct flavours and a delicious taste. There are many shops that are famous for mutton kebabs, which attract people just by their smell. Kharab is marinated with oil, garlic, onions, ginger and various spices. They are grilled with tender, succulent and flavour-packed bites, which are a must to add to your list of non-veg food in Patna.
Best Place To Eat: Old Champaran Meat House
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10. Malpua
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Malpua in Bihar is one of the other most delightful foods, which is a mixture of flour, milk, mashed bananas, cashew nuts, raisins, grated coconut, green cardamom and sugar that is deep-fried and dipped in sugar syrup. The texture of the malpua is so crispy near the crust but soft in the centre, which just melts in the mouth. The malpua is complemented with thick rabri to add more texture and flavour, making it more yummy. In some regions, malpua is also served with chicken or mutton curry during the festival of Holi as a main course dish.
Best Place To Eat: Mohan Sweets
The food in Patna is rich in flavours and also considered to have heavy ingredients. There are some of the best desserts and meat items to treat your taste buds with. The list given above is about the best food in Patna, which is a must-try to explore the flavours and culture of the city. From main courses to desserts, there are various items available to explore your taste buds. So, hoo on an excursion to Patna with TripXL to get a better understanding of them.
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