regional cuisines of india - what to eat in every state

tldr: india has 30+ distinct regional cuisines - more culinary diversity than any other country. this guide covers 25+ states with must-try dishes, food philosophy, and links to detailed city guides. from kashmiri wazwan to kerala sadya, rajasthani dal baati to bengali fish curry. the definitive overview.

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having researched food across 19+ indian cities for this site, documenting hundreds of restaurants and street food stalls, one thing has become overwhelmingly clear: india’s culinary diversity is the deepest in the world. no other country has this many fundamentally different food traditions operating within the same national border.

this guide is the overview. the map of india’s food landscape. for each state or region, i’ve covered the food philosophy, the must-try dishes, and linked to detailed city guides where available. this is not a “top 10 indian dishes” listicle - it’s an attempt to capture the full picture of what india eats.

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north india

punjab - the global ambassador

punjab is the indian cuisine the world knows. butter chicken, tandoori chicken, naan, dal makhani, sarson ka saag with makki di roti, chole bhature, lassi. the cuisine is built on wheat, dairy (butter, ghee, cream, paneer), and the tandoor (clay oven).

food philosophy: abundant, rich, and generous. punjabi food doesn’t do subtle. the portions are large, the butter is visible, and the hospitality is overwhelming.

must-try dishes: butter chicken (the original), amritsari kulcha, sarson ka saag + makki di roti (winter), chole bhature, lassi (sweet, makhani)

where to eat it best: amritsar for the authentic experience, delhi for the refined versions

kashmir - the banquet tradition

kashmiri cuisine (wazwan) is one of india’s most elaborate food traditions. a formal wazwan feast can have 36 courses, all non-vegetarian, served on a large copper plate (trami) shared by four people. the cuisine uses saffron, dried fruits, fennel, and a specific type of red chili (kashmiri mirch) that gives colour without extreme heat.

food philosophy: ceremonial, meat-centric, and aromatic. kashmiri food is designed for cold weather - rich, warming, and sustaining.

must-try dishes: rogan josh (lamb in aromatic red gravy), gushtaba (minced meat balls in yogurt), yakhni (yogurt-based lamb curry), dum aloo (baby potatoes in spiced gravy), kahwa (saffron-almond tea)

uttar pradesh - the triple threat

UP is three cuisines in one state: awadhi (lucknow), banarasi (varanasi), and general UP.

awadhi cuisine (lucknow): the most refined non-veg tradition in india. slow-cooked (dum), subtly spiced, and designed for the nawabi palate. kebabs that melt on the tongue, biryanis layered with precision, and bread that’s paper-thin.

must-try: tunday kabab, galouti kebab, lucknowi biryani, sheermal, kulcha-nihari

banarasi food (varanasi): vegetarian street food perfection. tamatar chaat, kachori-sabzi, malaiyo, thandai, blue lassi.

must-try: tamatar chaat, malaiyo (winter), kachori-sabzi, banarasi paan

read detailed guides: lucknow food, varanasi food guide, prayagraj food

rajasthan - the desert kitchen

rajasthani cuisine is defined by scarcity. the arid climate means limited water and fresh vegetables, so the cuisine evolved around dried ingredients, dairy, and preservation techniques. dal baati churma (wheat balls with dal and sweet crushed wheat) is the state’s soul food.

food philosophy: practical, high-energy, and built for desert survival. lots of ghee, buttermilk, and dried preparations that keep without refrigeration.

must-try dishes: dal baati churma, laal maas (fiery red meat curry), ker sangri (desert beans), ghewar (honeycomb sweet), pyaaz kachori (jaipur)

bihar - the most underrated

bihari cuisine is rustic, hearty, and criminally underrated. built on sattu (roasted gram flour), mustard oil, seasonal vegetables, and rice/wheat. the food is designed for the gangetic plains - high-energy, affordable, and built from locally grown ingredients.

food philosophy: sustenance-first, mustard oil-based, and deeply tied to festivals and seasons. litti chokha is field food elevated to cultural symbol. sattu is india’s original protein supplement.

must-try dishes: litti chokha, sattu paratha, champaran mutton, bihari kebab, thekua, dal pitha, chura dahi, makhana preparations

where to eat it best: patna for restaurants and street food, champaran for the original handi mutton

read detailed guides: patna food guide, bihari cuisine guide, litti chokha guide, champaran meat guide

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south india

tamil nadu - four cuisines in one state

tamil nadu isn’t one cuisine. it’s at least four:

kongunadu (coimbatore/western TN): spicier, more coconut, seeraga samba rice biryanis, kola urundai. distinct from chennai food.

chettinad (southern TN): the spiciest cuisine in south india. black pepper, star anise, marathi mokku, kalpasi. legendary chicken and mutton preparations.

arcot (northern TN): nawabi-influenced, with biryanis and non-veg preparations influenced by the arcot nawabs.

general TN: idli, dosa, sambar, rasam, filter coffee - the foundation that defines south indian food globally.

must-try dishes: masala dosa (the universal), chettinad chicken, kongunadu biryani (seeraga samba), kothu parotta (madurai), jigarthanda (madurai), filter coffee

read detailed guides: coimbatore restaurants, coimbatore cafes, madurai food

karnataka - the diverse south

karnataka has more internal culinary diversity than most countries:

mangalorean: four traditions (bunt, gsb, catholic, beary). ghee roast, kori rotti, neer dosa, sorpotel. the most complex coastal cuisine in india.

mysorean: heritage food shaped by the royal palace. mylari dosa, mysore pak, traditional meals.

north karnataka: jolada rotti (jowar flatbread), enne badanekayi (stuffed brinjal), and hearty preparations distinct from south karnataka.

bangalore cosmopolitan: the modern melting pot - craft beer, international restaurants, south indian tradition.

must-try dishes: ghee roast (mangalore), mylari dosa (mysore), bisi bele bath, mysore pak, ragi mudde

read detailed guides: mangalore restaurants, mangalorean cuisine guide, mangalore seafood, mysore food guide, mysore restaurants, bangalore food

kerala - the coconut kingdom

kerala cuisine is arguably the most diverse non-veg tradition in south india. the state eats everything - fish, chicken, beef, pork, duck, rabbit - and prepares each differently. the base is coconut (oil, milk, grated, ground) and rice. the sadya (festival feast) served on a banana leaf with 20+ items is one of india’s greatest food experiences.

food philosophy: coconut-everything, diverse non-veg, and the sadya tradition. kerala food is lighter than north indian despite the coconut - it’s less dairy-heavy and more flavour-balanced.

must-try dishes: kerala sadya (the feast), fish molee, appam with stew, puttu and kadala curry, malabar biryani, karimeen pollichathu (pearl spot fish), beef fry

andhra pradesh & telangana - the spice frontier

andhra food is the spiciest in india. guntur chilies are used generously, and the heat levels challenge even seasoned spice eaters. telangana cuisine is distinct from andhra - less chili-forward, more influenced by hyderabadi mughlai traditions.

must-try dishes: hyderabadi biryani, andhra meals (unlimited thali with extreme spice), gongura pachadi (sorrel leaf chutney), pesarattu (green moong dosa), haleem (ramzan special)

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east india

bengal - the food intellectuals

bengali cuisine treats food as the highest art form. the approach to fish (hilsa is sacred, cooked 13+ ways), the progression of a meal (from bitter to sweet, in strict order), and the sweet tradition (sandesh, rosogolla, mishti doi) are unmatched in india.

food philosophy: intellectual, artistic, and seasonal. bengalis discuss food the way others discuss philosophy. the concept of “roshui” (cooking) is elevated to near-spiritual status.

must-try dishes: ilish bhapa (steamed hilsa with mustard), chingri malaikari (prawn in coconut), kosha mangsho (slow-cooked mutton), luchi-alur dom, rosogolla, sandesh, mishti doi

odisha - the temple food tradition

odia cuisine is shaped by the jagannath temple tradition in puri. the mahaprasad (great food offering) at jagannath temple is the largest kitchen operation in the world - feeding 10,000+ people daily. the food is largely vegetarian, rice-based, and uses minimal garlic/onion (temple restrictions).

food philosophy: temple-influenced, rice-dominant, and lighter than bengali cuisine. the use of panch phutana (five-spice tempering) is distinctive.

must-try dishes: dalma (dal with vegetables), pakhala bhata (fermented rice with water), chhena poda (baked cottage cheese dessert), machha besara (fish in mustard), rasabali (sweet)

read more in the bhubaneswar food guides.

assam & northeast - the frontier cuisines

northeast india has cuisines that most indians have never encountered. the food uses ingredients rare in the rest of india: bamboo shoot, bhut jolokia (ghost pepper), fermented fish, silk worm, king chili, black sesame.

assamese: khar (alkaline preparation), masor tenga (sour fish curry), pitha (rice cakes during bihu), duck curry with ash gourd

naga: smoked meats, fermented bamboo shoot, raja mircha (ghost pepper), anishi (fermented yam leaves)

manipuri: eromba (mashed vegetables with fermented fish), kangshoi (vegetable stew), black rice

must-try dishes: masor tenga (assamese sour fish), naga pork with bamboo shoot, laksa-style noodles (guwahati), momos (northeast style)

read more in the guwahati food guides.

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west india

maharashtra - the power food state

maharashtrian cuisine is diverse: the konkan coast (malvani seafood), the vidarbha region (spicier, different from mumbai), pune’s misal pav tradition, and mumbai’s street food culture.

food philosophy: bold, spice-forward, and energetic. maharashtrian food uses kokum, peanuts, and jaggery in ways that create distinctive sweet-sour-spicy profiles.

must-try dishes: vada pav, misal pav, pav bhaji, puran poli, modak, solkadhi, bharli vangi (stuffed brinjal), kolhapuri chicken

read more in the mumbai food guides, pune food guides

gujarat - the vegetarian laboratory

gujarat has the most advanced vegetarian cuisine in india. the snack tradition (khaman, dhokla, khandvi, fafda, gathiya, handvo) is unmatched. the thali meals are elaborate, balanced, and systematically designed - sweet, sour, salty, and spicy in harmony.

food philosophy: strictly vegetarian for many communities, sweet-leaning (gujaratis add jaggery to everything), and technically sophisticated. the fermentation techniques in dhokla and idra are genuine culinary science.

must-try dishes: undhiyu (winter mixed vegetable), dhokla, khandvi, thepla, fafda-jalebi, gujarati thali, dabeli, khaman

read more in the ahmedabad/gujarat food guides.

goa - the party state’s serious food

goan food is the most portuguese-influenced cuisine in india. vinegar, pork, coconut, and local spices create a food tradition that’s unique in the country.

must-try dishes: pork vindaloo, fish curry rice, bebinca (layered coconut cake), feni (cashew/coconut spirit), chicken cafreal, prawn balchao

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central india

madhya pradesh - the crossroads cuisine

MP sits at the crossroads of north and south, and the food reflects both. the western part (indore, ujjain) has the best street food scene in india. the eastern part has more rice-based, simpler food.

must-try dishes: poha-jalebi (indore), bhutte ka kees, dal bafla (wheat balls with dal), mawa bati (sweet version), rogan josh (bhopal mughlai), seekh kebab (bhopal)

read more in the indore food guides, bhopal food guides

chhattisgarh - the rice bowl

chhattisgarh is known as the “rice bowl of india” and the cuisine is rice-dominant. the food is simple, affordable, and uses local ingredients like chana (chickpea) and various greens extensively.

must-try dishes: bore baasi (soaked leftover rice, a traditional breakfast), chila (rice flour crepes), faraa (steamed rice dumplings), muthiya (dumplings)

read more in the raipur food guides.

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the state cuisine comparison table

state	base grain	cooking fat	spice level	veg/non-veg	signature dish
punjab	wheat	ghee, butter	medium	both	butter chicken
kashmir	rice	mustard oil, ghee	mild-medium	mostly non-veg	rogan josh
UP (lucknow)	wheat	ghee	mild	non-veg focus	tunday kabab
UP (varanasi)	wheat	ghee	medium	mostly veg	tamatar chaat
bihar	rice + wheat	mustard oil	medium-high	both	litti chokha
rajasthan	wheat, millet	ghee	high	both	dal baati churma
tamil nadu	rice	gingelly oil	high	both	dosa, biryani
karnataka	rice	coconut oil	medium-high	both	ghee roast
kerala	rice	coconut oil	medium	diverse non-veg	sadya thali
andhra/telangana	rice	gingelly oil	very high	both	biryani
bengal	rice	mustard oil	mild-medium	fish-heavy	ilish bhapa
odisha	rice	mustard oil	mild	mostly veg	dalma
maharashtra	rice + wheat	peanut oil	medium-high	both	vada pav
gujarat	wheat + millet	peanut/sesame oil	low-medium	mostly veg	dhokla
goa	rice	coconut oil	medium	non-veg heavy	fish curry rice
MP	wheat	mustard/sesame oil	medium	both	poha-jalebi
assam	rice	mustard oil	medium	fish-heavy	masor tenga

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the universal truths

having researched all these cuisines, certain patterns emerge:

every state thinks its food is the best. and every state is right, within its own framework.

the cooking fat defines the cuisine. mustard oil (east/north), coconut oil (south/west coast), ghee (punjab/rajasthan), peanut oil (maharashtra/gujarat), gingelly/sesame oil (tamil nadu/andhra). change the fat, and you fundamentally change the food.

rice vs. wheat is the great divide. south and east india eat rice. north and west india eat wheat. the border runs roughly through MP and Maharashtra. cities on the border (like bhopal) eat both.

chili tolerance is regional. andhra and rajasthan eat the hottest food. kashmir and bengal eat the mildest. most states fall in between. don’t assume your tolerance applies everywhere.

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for city-specific guides with restaurant reviews and street food recommendations, explore the individual city pages across the site. the best food cities in india ranking evaluates which cities offer the best overall food experience, and the best street food cities in india focuses specifically on the street food dimension.