“EATING TOGETHER HAPPILY CAN BEST BE CROWNED BY THE VEGETARIAN FOODS.”
People turn vegetarian for many reasons, including health, religious purposes, concerns about animal welfare or a desire to eat in a way that avoids use of environmental resources. Some people follow a largely vegetarian diet because they can’t afford to eat meat. Becoming a vegetarian has become more appealing and accessible, thanks to the year-round availability of fresh produce, more vegetarian dining options, and the growing culinary influence of cultures.
If you are a vegetarian who loves flavorful food, then you’ll love India. It is considered the vegetarian capital of the world for having the most number of vegetarians than the rest of the world combined. Vegetarianism has existed in India since ancient times. Vegetarian food here has had thousands of years to develop great flavors and wholesome dishes.
In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about vegetarian food in Indian cities including dishes you must try.
“Food brings people together on many different levels. It is the nourishment of the soul & body; it truly loves.”
Sticking to a vegetarian diet is no problem at all if you are in India. In every city, you will be sure to find a restaurant that is either completely vegetarian or serves popular vegetarian dishes.
Popular surveys on Indian vegetarians give a similar outlook to bring food closer to mankind:
- There are 1305 vegan and vegetarian-friendly restaurants in India.
- 23%-37% of Indians are vegetarians, while some reports say is around 5-10%
- According to the 2006 Hindu–CNN-IBN states of the national survey, 31% of Indians are vegetarian.
- World Atlas ranked India number 1 in the world, 38% of the total population being vegetarians.
Talking about places and cuisines together; it’s a deadly combination. “Once people get connected to real food, they never change back.”
Are you looking for something to excite those taste buds? Let me introduce you to some amazing cities of India that serve vegetarian cuisines.
- Pune, Maharashtra: Pune is the cultural capital of the Maratha region & unsurprisingly food is the therapy for most Punekars. A tiny place which serves vegetarian thali’s way too big for everyone to finish “Baahubali Thali” is the most popular and trending monstrous plate with a challenge where if you manage to finish this in 40 mins with your buddy you get to take home 2 Lakhs rupees “Aaoji Khhaoji” is the name of the restaurant. Some other famous vegetarian quick bites available in Pune are Vada Pav, Pav Bhaji, Sabudana Vada, Poha, Jalebi, Dabeli, Naanza, Ghanderi kebab, Kahu methi.
- Palitana, Gujarat: It is a small city located in the Bhavnagar district of Gujarat is among the purest and most revered destinations. This city got the title of “The World first fully vegetarian” city in 2014. Famous vegetarian food we can look for if we ever visit Palitana is Bajri no roti, Thepla, Sweet Pongal, Dhokla, Khakra.
- Bengaluru, Karnataka: Silicon Valley and the Hub of IT in India, Bengaluru has its line of sumptuous vegetarian food that can blow your mind and have enough options to spoil you for choice. Bengaluru is also arguably the country’s best city for vegetarians, Some Famous mouth-watering vegetarian cuisines to have in Bengaluru are Mangalore Buns, Dosa, Medu Vada, Obbattu, Bhelpuri, Moong Dal Pancake, Paniyaram, Akki roti, Masala vada.
- Delhi: Displaying the chivalry of Indian history and ancient culture, Delhi is famous for one more aspect of food. A vacation in Delhi is incomplete without hitting the food stalls. One famous place in Delhi that is trending over social media is “Asli Paratha”, where you will get India’s largest paratha weight of over 1kg, finish eating this in less than 50 min, get a free lifetime supply of parathas. The number of Delhiites embracing veganism is on a noticeable rise. Some famous well-known vegetarian dishes to try when visiting Delhi are Ram Ladoo, Paranthe, Aloo Tikki, Multani moth kachori, Besan ka chilla, Raj kachori.
- Rishikesh, Uttarakhand: Rishikesh is a city that lies at the bottom of the Himalayan foothills. The vegetarian cuisine of Rishikesh has become varied and rich. The top picks of the most delicious vegetarian food you can enjoy in Rishikesh are Aloo puri, Kachori, Chole Bhature, Fruit Chaat, Gulab jamun.
- Ahmadabad, Gujarat: This city serves numerous vegetarian food items. People of Gujarat are food lovers who dedicate a lot of energy to making the perfect dishes and snacks. To celebrate the food culture, various street food festivals in Ahmedabad are organized. Seeing the dedication, many global fast-food giants are turning vegetarian. Now, let me introduce you to some very mouth-watering names of famous vegetarian food which we can easily find anywhere in Ahmedabad: Khakhra, Dhokla, Khaman, Dalvadas, Ragda Patties, Fafda.
- Chennai, Tamil Nadu: The city of Chennai, formerly known as Madras, when it comes to being vegetarian, Chennai comes first to offer a combination of scrumptious dishes. One famous vegetarian restaurant is making even meat lovers drool. I am sure you must be curious to know the name; it is “Eastern wedge”. Chennai has a lot of vegetarian dishes on its list, must-try food is Idli, Dosa, Puttu, Uthappam, Sundal, Athouk, Kothu paratha.
Over the last few years, traveling while being a vegetarian has become dramatically easier! Plant-based restaurants have been popping up at record rates all over India, offering more vegetarian food choices than ever before. Also, there are now apps and sites to help you like Swiggy, Uber eats, Zomato. You don’t have to step out; your food will be delivered to your doorstep. No matter which city you might be traveling to, you can find vegetarian-friendly restaurants easily.
Want to change your lifestyle and become a vegetarian? There are numerous inspirational stories readily available over the internet. Firstly make your mind and start taking small steps as well as try participating in online challenges like: