15 Best Street food in Chennai for Satiating Taste Buds

If you relate Chennai only with Idli and Dosa then it is high time that you revise your knowledge.  Chennai, which is one of the top food destinations for many people, has a lot more dishes to offer than the ones which are typically associated with the place. The rich culture of the place clearly reflects on their food plate as well with a number of varieties to try from. If you are a foodie and are looking for some of the best street food in Chennai, here are some of the things that might excite you.

15 of the Must-Try Street Food in Chennai for all Food-Lovers

1. Idli

This is one of the most common street foods that one can find in Chennai. It can be found at almost all the street corners of Chennai. It tastes best when served with sambar or coconut chutney. This light snack is easy to make and easy to eat and thus tops the list of street food variety in Chennai.

There are many variations that you can find in Idli as it can be fixed with a number of ingredients when making it. When in Chennai, don’t miss Idli for anything.

• Best places to try: Murugan Idli, Idli factory or Idli Express

Also Read : Places to Eat in Chennai

2. Dosa

No introduction is needed to describe what Dosa is. It is not only famous in South Indian region but is also famous all around India. Being the staple food of South, you can find some most amazing and delicious Dosa in Chennai.

These are made from rice and are stuffed with many varieties. The popular stuffing in the Dosa is that of mashed potatoes with onions. This crispy and lightweight dish can be enjoyed at any time of the day and is available at an extremely affordable price.

• Best places to try: T. Nagar, Remix Dosa, Krishna Dosa Kadai and Dosart

3. Chaat

This North Indian snack is very famous and popular amongst the locals of Chennai. It can be found at every street corner and everyone serves different flavours than the others. It is a mixture of a number of ingredients mixed with many spices.

Of course, you can make this as much spicier as you can. The variety of chaats here are extremely well-balanced and every variety is different from the other. We would suggest you try all the varieties and get the best flavours.

• Best places to try: Mini Street, Hemanth Chaat, and Ganga Chaat

4. Pani Puri

No street food list of Indian variety can get completed without the mention of Gol Gappa or Pani Puri. These are the best street food that most of the people like. Not only in Chennai but these are famous in every region of India.

Talking about Chennai, Pani Puri makes one of the most famous street foods loved by the people. Many people are seen having this local dish along with the street side. Every local vendor has a different style of making it and believe us you will love all of them.

• Best places to try: Mini Street, Vishnu’s Pani Puris, Shree Mithai and Gangotree

5. Uttapam

This South Indian snack is a big hit amongst the locals of Chennai. This dish is a mixture of many vegetables and makes a delicious snack that is loved by the locals and the tourists that visit the place. The different variety of vegetables gives this dish a mix of different flavours.

Uttappam is a lot thicker than Dosa but is served with chutney and sambar as most of the dishes of Chennai are. You may choose from the different varieties available in this dish according to your taste and likings.

• Best places to try: Mini Street, George Town, and Ratna Café

Also Read : Places to Visit in Chennai

6. Atho

This is a unique dish that is found in Chennai. It combines different flavours to satisfy the taste buds along with being healthy. This dish is made by mixing noodles with a lot of vegetables and spices. Although you can try this in the way you like, the best taste comes when it is tried spicier. Well, cooked noodles can satisfy your taste buds while the vegetables present in it make the dish lot healthier than just being a junk food.

• Best places to try: Burma Bazaar, Beach Road, and G.A. Road

7. Puttu

This dish makes the best dish to be tried in the breakfast or as an evening snack with tea. The dish is made with rice which is sufficient to keep you stuffed for a good amount of time. This is a dish that is made with rice and is topped with coconut.

To add a little more flavour to the dish, it is garnished with more coconuts and sugar. At most of the places, it is made with the normal rice but there are few places which make this dish with black rice.

• Best places to try: Maplai, Nair Mess, and Ente Keralam

8. Bhajji

Bhajji is a very popular snack in Chennai and in other parts of South India. It is very similar to Pakodas and is made in the same texture and shape. It can be stuffed with potato, onions or any other vegetables.

The best thing is the chutneys with which it is served. It tastes the best when served with a special chutney that is a bit spicy to enhance the flavours of this Bhajjis. These are available at an affordable price too.

• Best places to try: East Mada Road, Nair Mess, Jannal Kadai and Mak N Bhajji Shop

9. Jalebi

Just like other parts of India, Chennai is also famous for having the best Jalebis as their street food. There are many vendors which serves the best Jalebi while there are many which are quite more famous for their taste.

As Jalebi is a sweet dish it is usually preferred being eaten after the main dishes. However, you can enjoy this dish anytime you want. It is best combines with Rabri which adds to the flavour and taste of the dishes.

• Best places to try: Sowcarpet, Ram Prasad Jalebi stall, Rotiwala and Shubh

10. Samosas

This particular dish needs no introduction as it is one of the most common street foods that are famous in the entire Indian regions. This makes the best snack to be served and eaten in the rainy season or as an evening snack.

Mostly, the most common stuffing that is preferred in Samosas is that of potatoes but there a lot of options that can be tried. The other varieties of stuffing that is famous in Chennai are onion samosa, mint samosa, and daal samosa.

• Best places to try: Sri Karpagambal Kapali sweet stall, The Samosa factory, and Samosa Treat

Suggested to Read : Places to Visit in Chennai With Friends

11. Sundal

Sundal is one of the most preferred and famous street food in Chennai. You will find a lot of places selling this food. Without a doubt, every corner of the street tries and adds different flavours in the dish but the common taste that dominates this dish is that of chickpeas.

The boiled chickpeas are mixed with onions and spices and are served in a paper cone. It is one of the famous dishes that are found on most of the beaches of Chennai and you can see people enjoying the beach along with this particular dish.

• Best places to try: Marina beach, Mathsya, OSB hot and chat and Royal Sandwich

12. Kuzhi Paniyaram

This dish may look like Idli but is a lot different in terms of taste. It can be eaten as a sweet or as a savoury. Black lentils and rice are the two main ingredients that are used for preparing this dish. Both sweet and spicy flavours of the dish are loved by the locals and you can find this street food available on every corner of the street. We would recommend trying both the flavours of the dish as both contain a different enjoyment.

• Best places to try: Venkatesan Street, The Old Madras café, Murugan Idli Shop and Dakshina Puram

13. Idiyappam

This dish can be termed as the Indian version of noodles. If you like noodles then you must try this dish and would definitely like this as well. This noodles like item are made with rice and are served in rings like the design. It is served with a curry or with coconut milk. It is one of the most popular dishes in South India and is generally preferred to be eaten in the breakfast. One must surely try this dish when in Chennai.

• Best places to try: Srinivasan Road, ID, Kaaraikudi and Kozhi Idli

14. Kulfi

If you are a person who loves sweet dishes, you would definitely fall in love with Kulfi of Chennai. These Kulfi are one of the favourite sweet dishes of many people and it can be found at every corner of the street and at many local vendors of Chennai. You can find a number of varieties of Kulfi in Chennai. Right from the Malai ones to the coffee Kulfi, there is something for everyone. Don’t miss these Kulfis when in Chennai as these are certainly the best you will taste.

• Best places to try: Lake Area, Mini Street, Bombay Kulfi, Natural Ice cream, and Kulfi house

15. Kothu Parotta

This is one of those dishes in Chennai that you can either try in some fancy restaurants or can be tried on the streets of Chennai. However, this dish available in the restaurant makes a great taste but the taste of this dish available on the street is something else. It is made by mixing a number of vegetables with shredded potatoes along with different spices. However, besides mixing vegetables, one can mix meat or eggs in the potatoes as well.

• Best places to try: Thambi Vilas, Madurai Kumar Mess, and Maplai

These common street dishes of Chennai are something that should not be missed at any cost. These make the best street foods in Chennai and people from all around the world come to taste these dishes. However, these dishes should be tried at the best street food places in Chennai for getting that perfect delicious taste of these dishes.

Have you tried any of these dishes? How was your experience? Comment below and share your experiences along with the name of the dish that you liked the most. We would love to hear your experiences of trying these dishes from you.

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