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Food tours in Varanasi: what to eat and which tour to book
Food in Varanasi is shaped by the city's role as a Hindu pilgrimage centre: much of what you eat in the old city is vegetarian, and many places near the temples cook without onion or garlic. The day starts with kachori and spiced potato curry with jalebi, moves through chaat and lassi served in clay cups, and ends with milk sweets and a Banarasi paan. The best eating is in the crowded lanes of the old city between Godowlia, Dashashwamedh and Chowk, and in the student-heavy area around Lanka and Assi Ghat in the south.
Use this page to know what to order, when it is in season and how to stay well. The dishes and areas below say what each part of the city does well. The tours are real GetYourGuide listings, with prices as seen when we checked; prices and times change, so confirm on the booking page before you pay.
What to eat in Varanasi
| Dish | What it is | Where to eat it | Typical price* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kachori with potato curry and jalebi kachori sabzi, jalebi | Small fried breads stuffed with spiced lentil, served with a spicy potato curry, usually followed by hot jalebi (fried spirals of batter soaked in syrup). The standard Banarasi breakfast. | Breakfast shops across the old city, especially in the lanes around Chowk and Godowlia; they are busiest from early morning to late morning. | roughly ₹40–80 (about €0.40–0.80) a plate |
| Tomato chaat tamatar chaat | A Varanasi speciality: tomatoes cooked down with potato, spices, ginger and green chilli, topped with crisp bits and a sweet-sour syrup, served hot in a leaf bowl. | Chaat shops around Godowlia and the old city lanes, mainly in the late afternoon and evening. | roughly ₹40–80 a bowl |
| Winter milk foam malaiyo | Very light, sweet milk foam flavoured with saffron and cardamom and topped with pistachio. It is a winter-only dish, sold early in the morning, roughly November to February. | Sweet sellers in the old city lanes; ask around Chowk and the lanes near the Kashi Vishwanath temple. | roughly ₹30–60 a cup |
| Lassi in a clay cup lassi (kulhad) | Thick, sweet yoghurt drink served in a disposable clay cup (kulhad), often topped with malai (clotted cream) and sometimes fruit. | Lassi shops in the old city lanes and around Godowlia; several well-known shops have look-alikes with similar names. | roughly ₹40–120 depending on toppings |
| Banarasi paan | A betel leaf folded around areca nut, slaked lime and sweet or aromatic fillings, chewed after a meal. 'Sweet paan' (meetha paan) without tobacco is the usual choice for visitors. | Paan stalls on almost every corner, especially around Godowlia and the ghats. | roughly ₹20–60 |
| Milk sweets mithai — rabri, peda, lavang lata | Sweets made from reduced milk (khoa) and sugar, such as rabri (thickened sweet milk), peda and lavang lata (a fried, clove-pinned pastry filled with khoa). | Sweet shops (mithai bhandars) across the old city and on the main roads near Godowlia. | roughly ₹20–50 a piece, or sold by weight |
| Baati chokha | Roasted wheat dough balls (baati) dipped in ghee, eaten with chokha, a smoky mash of roasted aubergine, tomato and potato. Typical of eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. | Dedicated baati chokha restaurants and stalls in the city; ask locally for current favourites. | roughly ₹100–250 for a plate |
| Thandai | Chilled milk drink with nuts, fennel, rose and spices, popular in summer and at Holi. Some shops offer it with bhang (cannabis paste); the plain version is the safe choice. | Drinks and sweet shops in the old city and around Godowlia. | roughly ₹50–120 a glass |
Where to eat: markets and neighbourhoods
Godowlia and Dashashwamedh Road
The busy junction and road leading down to Dashashwamedh Ghat, lined with chaat shops, sweet shops, lassi and paan stalls. Crowded, loud and the easiest place to start.
Old city lanes (galis) near Kashi Vishwanath and Chowk
Narrow lanes packed with breakfast kachori shops, sweet makers and tiny tea stalls, many cooking without onion or garlic because of the temples.
Assi Ghat and Lanka
The southern end of the ghats and the area near Banaras Hindu University (BHU) gate. Cheaper student eateries and chaat stalls in Lanka, and travellers' cafés with international menus around Assi.
Muslim quarters around Dalmandi and Madanpura
The main places in the centre to find meat dishes, such as kebabs, biryani and qorma, which are rare in the Hindu old city near the ghats.
Food tours in Varanasi compared
Every tour below is a real listing on GetYourGuide or Viator, checked on 2 Oct 2026. Prices move with season and group size, so treat them as a guide and confirm on the booking page.
| Tour | Length | Price* | Group | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Varanasi Cooking Classes with Shobha | 2 - 3 hours | from €36 per person | — | Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients. | Check dates |
| Varanasi Street Food Crawl (2 Hours Guided Tour) | 2 hours | from €20 per person | — | First-timers on a budget who want to try many cheap dishes in one go. | Check dates |
| Ganga Aarti with Street Food Tour of Varanasi | 3.5 hours | from €36 per person | — | First-timers on a budget who want to try many cheap dishes in one go. | Check dates |
| Food Tour: Highlights Tour with Tasting &Sunset in Varanasi | 2.5 hours | from €12 per person | max 10 | Evening eaters who want dinner and drinks rolled into one, plus the city after dark. | Check dates |
| Food Walking Tour of Varanasi | 2.5 hours | from €18 per person | max 8 | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Exploring Varanasi Markets: Guided Tour with Local Guide | 2 hours | from €11 per person | max 10 | Morning people who want to see where locals shop and taste produce at the source. | Check dates |
Varanasi Cooking Classes with Shobha
On GetYourGuide · run by Shwetank Rao Tripathi
- Length
- 2 - 3 hours
- Price
- from €36 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 15 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Suits
- Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients.
Varanasi Street Food Crawl (2 Hours Guided Tour)
On GetYourGuide · run by Yo Tours
- Length
- 2 hours
- Price
- from €20 per person
- Rating
- 4.4 ★ from 13 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Included
- 1. Highly trained and friendly Storyteller/ Guide who can speak English & Hindi 2. Food Tasting 3. Beverage 4. Great conversations, interesting stories, local tips and recommendations 1. Hotel Pickup and Drop 2. Water…
- Suits
- First-timers on a budget who want to try many cheap dishes in one go.
- Starts
- St. Thomas Church
Ganga Aarti with Street Food Tour of Varanasi
On GetYourGuide · run by Shwetank Rao Tripathi
- Length
- 3.5 hours
- Price
- from €36 per person
- Rating
- 4.7 ★ from 11 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Included
- Food and drinks Transport
- Suits
- First-timers on a budget who want to try many cheap dishes in one go.
- Starts
- Hotel Ganges Grand - Varanasi
Food Tour: Highlights Tour with Tasting &Sunset in Varanasi
On GetYourGuide · run by Land mark tourguide
- Length
- 2.5 hours
- Price
- from €12 per person
- Rating
- 4.5 ★ from 7 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 10
- Included
- The tour will begin at 2:00 PM, and the first stop is Kashi Chat. After exploring the ghat, your guide will take you to try the first dish, in our next destination, Madhur Jalpan grid, where we will try Pori Sabzi, a…
- Suits
- Evening eaters who want dinner and drinks rolled into one, plus the city after dark.
- Starts
- It is crossing road where a beautiful church established under British goverment rules and it dedicated to St thomas also known St thomas church. Local transport service provider called this location Girjaghr chauraha. So you will easily meet your guide there.
Food Walking Tour of Varanasi
On GetYourGuide · run by Nine Tours
- Length
- 2.5 hours
- Price
- from €18 per person
- Rating
- 2.9 ★ from 3 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 8
- Included
- Tasting portions Special dietary needs Bottled Water Adequate time at each location and photography opportunity Flexibility and safety measures Hotel Pickup & Drop Alcoholic beverages Gratuities for the guides
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- Kashi Chat Bhandar
Exploring Varanasi Markets: Guided Tour with Local Guide
On GetYourGuide · run by Lets Go Far
- Length
- 2 hours
- Price
- from €11 per person
- Rating
- 3.4 ★ from 3 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 10
- Included
- English/Hindi Speaking Live Tour Guide Walking tour through bustling markets and bazaars. Discover traditional handicrafts, textiles, and spices. Learn about Varanasi's trade history and local culture. Photography opp…
- Suits
- Morning people who want to see where locals shop and taste produce at the source.
- Starts
- St. Thomas Church
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan earns a small commission — the price you pay is exactly the same.
Street food, sit-down or a cooking class?
Street food
Most of the city's signature food is street or counter food: kachori and jalebi at breakfast, chaat in the evening, lassi and sweets in between. Pick busy stalls where food is cooked hot in front of you, and start with small portions if you are new to Indian street food.
Sit-down meals
Sit-down restaurants are mostly in hotels, in the cantonment area and around Assi, serving North Indian thalis and mixed menus. A vegetarian thali is the best-value full meal. Many restaurants near the ghats do not serve alcohol or meat.
Cooking classes
Cooking classes in Varanasi are usually small and run in a family home, teaching vegetarian North Indian dishes such as dal, sabzi, roti and chai. Check what is cooked, whether a market visit is included, and the exact meeting point, as old-city addresses can be hard to find.
How much to budget for food
| Style | Per person, per day* |
|---|---|
| Budget (street food, markets) | ₹400–700 (about €4–7): street breakfast, a thali lunch, chaat and lassi |
| Mid-range (one sit-down meal a day) | ₹1,000–2,000 (about €10–20): restaurant meals and café stops |
| Splurge (tasting menus, wine) | ₹3,500+ (about €35+): dinner at an upscale hotel restaurant |
Vegetarian, halal and gluten-free
Vegetarian & vegan: One of the easiest cities in the world to be vegetarian: most food near the ghats is vegetarian, and many places are also free of onion and garlic. Vegans should note that ghee, milk, paneer and yoghurt are in a lot of dishes and sweets; ask for food without ghee or dairy.
Halal: Meat is not common in the old city near the temples. Halal meat dishes are found in the Muslim neighbourhoods such as Dalmandi and Madanpura, and in some restaurants elsewhere; ask before ordering.
Gluten-free: Hard for coeliacs: kachori, puri, roti and many sweets use wheat, and fryers are shared. Rice dishes, dal and some chaat can work. Bring a written note in Hindi explaining 'no wheat (gehun), no maida, no atta'.
Food scams and tourist traps to avoid
- Bhang lassi or bhang thandai sold to visitors as a harmless 'local experience', sometimes much stronger than expected and taking hours to wear off. Order plain lassi or thandai and say 'no bhang' clearly. If you do try it, be aware of the strength and the effects lasting many hours.
- Look-alike shops trading on the name of a famous lassi or sweet shop, often pointed out by touts or rickshaw drivers who get a commission. Find well-known shops on a map yourself and check reviews; don't follow someone who offers to 'take you to the famous one'.
- Stomach trouble from tap water, ice or raw salads. Drink sealed bottled or filtered water, skip raw salads and cut fruit at street stalls, and choose food cooked hot to order.
- Self-appointed guides at the ghats who start a free walk and end it at a shop or with a request for 'donations', including the well-known cremation-wood donation pitch at Manikarnika Ghat. Politely decline unsolicited guides, and don't hand over money for 'wood' or 'the poor' to strangers at the ghats.
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Staying near the markets saves time and taxi money — most food tours start in the old centre.
Common questions
Is street food in Varanasi safe to eat?
It can be, if you are careful. Choose busy stalls with high turnover, eat food that is fried or cooked hot in front of you, and avoid raw salads, cut fruit and anything sitting out. Drink only sealed or filtered water and be wary of ice. If you have a sensitive stomach, start with sweets and cooked snacks before moving to chaat.
Can I get meat in Varanasi?
Yes, but not in the old city around the ghats and temples, where nearly everything is vegetarian and often made without onion or garlic. For kebabs, biryani and other meat dishes, go to the Muslim neighbourhoods such as Dalmandi and Madanpura, or to restaurants in hotels and the cantonment area. Ask before ordering, as many places are strictly vegetarian.
What is malaiyo and when can I find it?
Malaiyo is a light, sweet milk foam flavoured with saffron and cardamom, made and sold only in the cold months, roughly November to February. It is eaten early in the morning and usually sells out by mid-morning. Look for it at sweet sellers in the old city lanes; outside winter you will not find it.
What is bhang, and should I try it?
Bhang is a cannabis paste traditionally added to drinks such as lassi and thandai, especially around Holi and Shivratri, and some licensed shops sell it. Its effects can be strong, unpredictable and last many hours, and it is a common cause of bad experiences for visitors. If you want the drink without the risk, order plain lassi or thandai and say 'no bhang'.
Do I need to tip in Varanasi?
At street stalls, no. In sit-down restaurants, leaving about 5–10% is appreciated if service charge is not already on the bill; check the bill first. On food walks and cooking classes, a tip of roughly ₹200–500 per person for a good guide or host is generous. Carry small notes, as stalls often cannot change large ones.
What is the best time of day to eat around the old city?
Early morning (around 7:00–10:00) for kachori, jalebi and, in winter, malaiyo; late afternoon and evening for chaat, lassi and sweets around Godowlia. The lanes are quieter early and very crowded in the evening, especially near Dashashwamedh Ghat around the evening aarti and on festival days.
* Prices are approximate, gathered on 2 Oct 2026 from menus, markets and the booking pages linked above. They change with season and exchange rates.