Banaras Food Trail: Blue Lassi, Malaiyo, Tamatar Chaat and Kulhad Chai You Must Try in Varanasi
In Banaras, food is not merely eaten — it is experienced. Beyond the temples and ghats, the winding lanes of the old city hide legendary eateries that have served the same recipes for generations, turning every visit into a delicious pilgrimage of its own. Start at the famous Blue Lassi Shop in Kachori Gali, a short walk from Kashi Vishwanath temple. For close to a century, this tiny shop has been serving thick, creamy lassi in earthen kulhads, topped with malai and fresh fruit. A few lanes away, Deena Chaat Bhandar near Dashashwamedh is an institution of Banarasi chaat, best known for its tamatar chaat — a fiery, tangy creation you will struggle to find anywhere outside Kashi. No food trail here is complete without the city's beloved milk desserts. If you visit in winter, hunt for malaiyo at dawn — a saffron-kissed milk froth so light it melts before you can even think. Through the year, shops around Chowk and Godowlia ladle out rabri, thick creamy doodh and other milky indulgences that Banarasis swear by. For the perfect pause, head to Laxmi Chai Wale in Chowk, where kulhad chai comes with crisp bread toast warmed over coals — a combination locals have loved for decades. The best way to enjoy Banarasi food? Wander on foot in the morning or after the evening Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat, go hungry, and let the aromas guide you. In the city of Mahadev, every corner has a flavour waiting to become a memory.
Compiled by HelloBanaras from public sources: