A street food tour of Kolkata

Hey y’all! It’s Ayan and Ani checking in from Kolkata (yes, we’re in India!). We’re back in our hometown for the first time since 2019 and can’t wait to explore everything we’ve missed.

Follow our travels via email for the next few weeks as we take you on a tour of one of the most dynamic cities on earth. From the outdoor markets to the art galleries to the street food, we’re here for all of it.

Today, we’re showing you our fav street food picks from the past week. The number of street food stalls across in Kolkata are infinite and somehow, they’re always busy. Usually, they look something like this:

Bright, bold and delicious. Here are our favorites:

1. Beet chop: Smashed beets and spices, fried in a soft, crispy shell. A popular wedding appetizer and pairs perfectly with a Coca Cola or Thums up.

2. Veg samosa: Flaky, spicy, packed with curried potatoes and peas. Yum.

3. Fish kabiraj: A soft bhekti fish fried with spices and chili. The layers of crunch with the spices woven in make this one of the best things we had by far. Should we just move here? 

4. Mini onion samosa: crispy, slightly sweet and approximately 1/8 the size of a regular samosa. Which just means you should eat more of them. 

5. Peanut chikki: Roasted peanuts + jaggery = perfection. This comes served in newspaper, like most of the food from street stalls and I’ll admit, I went back for seconds. 

Ok, that’s all for today. Check back next week for more from our trip.