Famous Street Food of Kolkata [Popular Dishes]

With the boom of industrialisation and a mix of cultures, Kolkata is every food lover’s delight. The Cultural Capital of India, its favourable sweetmeats and tangy choices will melt your hearts. The colourful jhaal muri or the sumptuous Kathi rolls and how we can miss the Luchi rolls that are heaven for the cheap price ranges.

Bengali cuisine is rich and distinct in its history. The combined influences of European and Mughlai food have led to its transformative palette due to the phoron spices mix, mustard oil, and poppy seeds.

So, let’s find out all the dynamic and vibrant food Kolkata has to offer!

1. Kathi Rolls

Originating from the heart of Kolkata, the stuffed meat or veggie wrapping on wheat-based roti is found across the town. The sweet and spicy sauces and the chopped onions add the best tang and make it lip-smacking.

2. Luchi and Aloo Dum

It is a food that is enjoyed as a hearty meal and is equally economical. There is nothing like the puffed-up maida puri served along with spicy Dum Aloo. The street food stalls often also alternatively serve small sweets to cut down the spice from the Aloo Dum.

3. Ghugni Chaat

Steamed chickpea served with lemon, chopped tomatoes, onions, pudina, and dry spices is something you would not want to miss.

4. Moghlai Paranthas

This wheat-based roti stuffed generously with Chicken or Mutton Keema and often fried on the pan with egg will fill your evening cravings. These parathas are broken into small cutlet sizes and served along with spicy mayonnaise.

5. Momos

With many Chinese ancestral families staying in many parts of Kolkata, the local dumplings are to die for! Stuffing of vegetables, chicken, fish, and pork, these buns, whether steamed or fried, are consumed for breakfast, lunch, or snacks!

6. Channar Jilpi

Jalebi-shaped cottage cheese served in sweet syrup; this delicious snack is one of the most famous street sweets of Kolkata and every sweet tooth lover's delight.

7. Telebhaja

The fried vegetable snack, usually made of potatoes or onions that are a Kolkata classic, is often accompanied by evening tea during the monsoon season.  But you can enjoy it anytime, anywhere, even during a short break as snacks to munch on!

8. Dimer Devil

Devil’s Egg or Dimer Devil is a classic Kolkata deep-fried hard-boiled egg coated in spicy minced meat and other ingredients. This high protein snack enjoyed by both local and non-locals alike particularly draws attention today from gym-goers.

9. Dhoodh Cola

Probably you must have never heard of this unique and flavourful beverage made with milk and soft drinks. It is served in tiny matkas or clay cups, consumed mostly after having a hearty street food meal.

10. Jhalmuri

A children’s delight during school days to movie hall munchies - never miss this puffed rice savoury snack mixed with twenty-some spices, namkeen, sev, and peanuts. The extra sauces and onions, chillies, and coriander served in small paper pouches in the city.

Why set up a street food business of Bengali Foods?

1. Popularity: Because of its popularity and deep-rooted affection for the culture, Bengali food is a gastronomic delight and serves to appeal to almost all consumer taste buds.  Moreover, as consumers are always looking for vibrant and dynamic flavours, Bengali food with its wide sweet and savoury compilations serves such delights!

2. Easily accessible: Today, food empires are expanding. Bengali food offers success as it is easily accessible to people's tastes. Moreover, the street food business must have very little investment, and Bengali food is preferred as you have many choices you can make from.

3. Innovative: The cuisine is more often innovative than any food cuisines globally and has already derived credibility for itself. Setting a business that already is known and serves customers’ tastes will only bring better profits on investments.

How to Establish Bengali Street Food Business?

1. Find your Location of Operation: you need to first formally understand where to set up your street food business. This will help you find the customer’s choices and preferences.

2. Look for the Perfect Setup: You also need to find the kind of street food business to set up, whether it’s a vehicle, food truck, or a small-sized shop.

3. Lookout for Competitions: You do not want to do the same thing as your Competitors, as then it will take the customers from your business. Therefore, innovate and set up your name in the market.

4. Apply for licenses as permits: Many food carts need certain fire or road permits. Similarly, you might need software like POS systems to help you smoothly run your affairs.

5. Requisite Employees: Hardly every small street food establishment needs either 1 or 2 employees in the least. Therefore, instead of employing many, you have more resources at your disposal.

6. Equipment and Ingredients: You need to set up a business with easily accessible resources and equipment used for multi-purposes.

7. Look for Investments: Based on the above criteria, it will help you find the investment needs of your business. This can range anywhere between Rs 50000- Rs 10,00,000.

Once you have established your business, you will see the profits within 6 months-1 year of establishing the business. You need not get worried if the returns are not showing in the first month itself. Continue your business, and as per many investors in this market, 50% of profits returns guaranteed!

Also read:

1) How to grow your brand? Best Tips & Tricks
2) Things You Need To Know Before Venturing into a Franchise Business
3) Here's how to start a Fast Food & Snacks Business in Easy Steps
4) Serving Meals on the Wheels - How to Open a Food Truck in 10 easy steps?
5) OkCredit: All you need to know about OkCredit & how it works.

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FAQs

Q. Why are the Famous Bengali Street Food with Locals?

Ans. The locals are crazy for their Chaat, Puchka, Luchi and Aloo Dum, Telebhaja, Dimer Devil, and Dhoodh Cola.

Q. What is special about Bengali Street Food?

Ans. The origin of street foods in India is from Bengali street food, and diversity with ingredients with flavour is what makes it unique. Moreover, limited investment makes it lucrative for business owners to invest in Bengali Street Food.

Q. What could be the investment in Bengali Street Food?

Ans. The best part of Bengali street food is that you can innovate any recipe while retaining some original elements. It makes it appealing to every consumer, be it in India or Abroad. Moreover, food ingredients are easily accessible everywhere.

Q. What could the projected profits look like?

Ans. The limited investments and easily accessible resources lead to high profits for business owners. The profits can range anywhere between 30%-50% within 6 months to one year.