If you are a food lover, Pondicherry should be on your list of food destinations. A well-known and culturally diverse Indian union territory near Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry is a city mainly influenced by French culture. Why focus on the street food? Through them, you can dive into the culinary delight of the city by exploring the roadside sellers and experience the French culture via the food. Let’s munch on the best street foods you must not miss there.
📋 Quick Navigation
1.Bondas
If you ask any person in Pondicherry what their favorite street food is, most people will say it’s Bondas. They prepare it with mashed potatoes, peas, vegetables and spices. This mixture is then coated with chickpea flour batter or the dosa batter and deep-fried till golden brown. Nonveg options like chicken, fish, beef, or prawn bondas are also present. It has a wide range of filling. These are served with sweet and spicy chutney, which makes it a good food for every taste bud.
2.Mutton Rolls
Here’s a special call for the mutton eaters. If you like mutton, you cannot skip the mutton roll of Pondicherry. Slender pieces of mutton are stir-fried and then rolled into a paratha. They are available anywhere in the streets of Pondicherry, so you can grab one anytime you feel like having it.
3.Bouillabaisse
As we know, Pondicherry is famous for its seafood cuisine, making it a perfect place for you to find many dishes here. One of the dishes is the classic fish stew loaded with flavors and served with a rouille, a provencal mayonnaise style sauce. This stew has a variety of local seafood, like shellfish, crab, oyster, mussels, prawns, etc available there.
4.Soybean Dosa
Soybean dosa is a popular and healthy breakfast item in Pondicherry. It is protein-rich and has an affordable price. The dosa batter contains a small portion of soybean paste. It is loaded with nutrition and flavors to explore taste and health benefits. It is one of the best food that any age group can enjoy. It is served with chutneys and sambar.
5.Crispy Prawns
If you love seafood, then these crispy prawns are your call. These healthy prawns are first marinated with salt, pepper, mustard oil, garlic, and lemon juice, then coated with corn flour, coconut powder, and salt. These are then deep-fried in hot oil until they become crispy and golden brown. These crispy prawns are one of the favorite dishes in Pondicerry. You can find them in the streets or in restaurants there.
6.Coq Au Vin
Coq Au Vin is a famous French dish in Pondicherry that means Rooster in Wine. As the name suggests, the chicken is braised with lardons, wine, and mushrooms. And this is not some random wine. Here, the typical French red wine is used to cook the meat and make the rich and tasty sauce. You will find them in the streets in Pondicheery, where they popularly serve it with mushrooms and pearl onions.
7.Crab Masala
Crab Masala or crab curry is an Indo-Portuguese dish made with small freshwater crabs cooked with a thick gravy of onion, ginger, coconut, and other spices. If you love crabs, then this recipe is something you must try. Its aromatic and spicy nature will draw you towards it. Served with hot rice, you will be pleased to have the combo.
8.Masala Puri
Masala puri is one of the famous chaats in India. This recipe is made with masala puri, a crisp disk-like tart made with wheat flour, red chili powder, coriander powder, and salt. Then, it is topped with spicy gravy of lentils and chickpeas, along with other ingredients as per the taste. You can have it as a breakfast or evening snack option.
9.Panipuri
All over India, people have different tastes and cuisines that vary according to state, region, ingredients available, and tradition. But one thing common among us is the love for pani puri, which is known by different names everywhere. And not just name, the taste is also different. Pondicherry is another place where the pani puri is very popular among tourists and the locals. They make it with potato, onions, chickpeas, and coriander chutney stuffed in a round crispy puri and served with tangy and spicy water. Different types of water are available here according to your preference, so you can choose whichever you like.
10.Samosa
One famous place to try samosa, a crunchy and delicious pastry, is Pondicherry, as they have their spices and techniques to make this iconic snack. It is filled with potatoes, peas, chillis, carrots, and other spices. It is the most common one, as there are other different fillings. You can find it anywhere in the evening, and the perfect option to have it with chai.
11.Chana Chaat
Chana Chaat is a flavourful but healthy alternative to regular chaat. It is rich in protein and has flavors for your taste buds. You will often find roadside vendors selling this healthy snack, served as a salad for your lunch or dinner. In this recipe, boiled chickpeas are topped with onions, tomatoes, and cucumber, and then some lemon juice and spices are sprinkled on top.
12.Medu Bada
One major show stealer of south Indian cuisine is the medu bada. It is made from black lentils soaked overnight and ground into a thick batter. Then other ingredients are added to the batter, such as ginger, pepper, curry leaves, chilies, etc, and then given a donut-like shape and fried in hot oil till golden brown. It is a breakfast as well as an evening snack. Served with sambar and coconut chutney, this will give you a healthy experience.
13.Khow Suey
Khow Suey is a well-known Burmese dish with veg and nonveg variants. This dish has different layers of noodles, a vegetable curry made with coconut milk, and various spices. These are garnished with coconut, cashew nuts, fried onion, garlic, and spring onions. This dish involves much effort and the correct techniques to make the noodles, thus making it a flavourful dish.
14.Quiche
Quiche is a delicious French dish, a tart filled with egg custard and small amounts of cheese, fruits, veggies, mushrooms, meat, and other seafood. It is one of the famous fresh foods in Pondicherry. This dish has a good variety, so you can take your pick and have it as an on-the-go dish. Whether served hot or cold, you can enjoy it in whichever style you like. It is available in various restaurants on the streets of Pondicherry.
15.Pineapple Sheera
Are you done with your lunch and want something sweet for your dessert? Then, a bowl of pineapple sheera would be perfect. It is one of the best sweets in Pondicherry that the tourists and the locals crave. It is prepared with pineapple puree, semolina, clarified butter sugar, and saffron and garnished with cashews and raisins with a sprinkle of cardamom powder.
16.Idli Sambar
Idli Sambar is a comfort food for every South Indian, as well as for the whole country. During the morning, these soft and tender idlis are served with hot sambar and coconut chutney. These are a great breakfast option which is healthy, tasty, and affordable. It is also low in calories and is the best breakfast if you want something light and with less masala. If you visit the country India, it is a must.
17.Sandwiches
What is the one food that can be a breakfast option and mid-day meal and can be healthy also? Yes. It’s a sandwich. And its take it and go nature makes it even more in demand food for the tourists. This place offers a wide range of sandwich options. Whenever you feel hungry, go to any shop and munch the grilled bread topped with mayonnaise, vegetables, various kinds of butter, and whatnot.
18.Street Style Mutton Soup
Are you also a mutton lover? Then this soup is something that you must try. A hearty bowl of spicy broth with a piece of mutton, this street-style soup is quite famous in Pondicherry and can be found in the street side vendors. You can pair it with mutton samosa, and you’ll love it. It is one of the favorite street foods of Pondicherry.
19.Spinach Crepe
Want a healthy food option to stick to your health goals during your vacation in Pondicherry? Try this Spinach crepe, a French food seasoned with spinach sauce and feta cheese. It is filled with mushrooms or other meat according to your preference for the meat eaters. And if you want some drink to have with it, you can have any fruit beer.
20.Pesto Chicken Pizza
Pizzas are famous in Pondicherry, but this pesto chicken pizza is quite the hype. If you love the herby flavors of pesto sauce, then you have to try this pizza. These pizzas are prepared in wood-fired brick ovens, giving you a different and rich taste compared to the other pizzas. Topped with pesto sauce, basil leaves, olives, and meats, this pizza will have a blast in the mouth.
