The Food Trail of Amritsar

Of the 28 states and 8 union territories in India, one thing that connects them all, among many others, is the food! When we undertake travel, most of us are enthusiastic about the local food and delicacies of the place. One state that is absolutely at the top of the list of vibrancy and celebration of food, people and culture is– Punjab! If you wish to spend your long-weekend enjoying history and culture, I would highly recommend a short weekend getaway to the holy city of Amritsar.

Amritsar lies about 15kms from the Eastern border of Pakistan and is well-known for the Golden Temple, Jallianwala Bagh, the vibrant show at the Wagah border and the mouth-watering dishes that you must try when you visit this wonderful city. Let’s take you on a food trail around the city of Amritsar to give you a glimpse of the famous eateries and what they are famous for!

When we talk of the must-eat places in Amritsar, one thing you must know is that most places are purely vegetarian but I promise you won’t miss your meat even one bit! One such iconic place that you must begin your food journey at is Kesar Da Dhaba!

The place began as a small restaurant in Lahore, Pakistan and was started by Lala Kesar Mal, who was a Punjabi Hindu. After the partition, the restaurant moved to Amritsar and is located in a lane in Passian Chowk, near the Town Hall. One can easily walk to the restaurant from the Golden Temple.

When you reach the Dhaba, the simplicity of this 100-year-old place will immediately comfort you, before its food does. At Kesar Da Dhaba, begin your meal with the most authentic Dal Makhani you will ever have in your life with some Tandoori Roti. Other dishes you can try are the Sarson da Saag, palak paneer and matar paneer and the wide range of parathas. After trying out the many options they provide, you may want to try out the phirni that they serve in earthen pots(matkas).

After this delicious beginning to the food trail, the next place that is a must-visit is Ahuja Milk bhandar for their thick, creamy glass of lassi! Visiting Punjab without trying atleast a glass of lassi would be a crime! Though you would find a glass of lassi at almost every nook and corner of Punjab and the city of Amritsar, having atleast one glass of it at Ahuja Milk Bhandar is highly recommended. Inspite of being full, we didn’t miss our glass of Lassi at this small, family-owned milk shop.

After a sumptuous afternoon meal, it was time to burn those calories by site seeing and it was the perfect time to visit the pompous show of patriotism at the most disputed border in the world –the Wagah border. To see this grand display of Indian Nationalism, you can hire a cab or hop-in a bus that takes you to the Attari border where the actual Wagah border is located. The ceremony begins before the sunset and is actually the flag-lowering ceremony of the two neighbouring rivals. No place in India oozes with patriotism as much as this place each evening and people from all corners of the country make a visit here.

We reached returned to our hotel in Amritsar from the Attari around dinner time and so it was time to hit the next place on our list. If you want the taste of authentic tandoori food, and some non-vegetarian delicacies, you must visit Bira Chicken. Being hardcore non-vegetarians, that’s exactly where we went for our first day’s dinner. The grilled chicken here is a must-try along with Amritsari fried fish. The smell emanating from another humble eatery in the city is only appetizing as you wait for your order to arrive. It was impossible to ignore a large number of tourists who flock this place and relish the original flavour of Punjab that is served with love on a plate.

The next morning, we made our way to another iconic eatery in the by-lane adjacent to the Golden Temple. A small eatery, that was buzzing with customers both inside it and those who were awaiting their turn outside to Kulwant Singh Kulchewala. This is another family-run place that, hands-down, serves the best kulchas in the whole of Amritsar, is one place that you will remember all your life. They served 4-5 varieties of generously stuffed kulchas that include alu-pyaz, gobi, paneer, pitthi and a 4-in one! Since we were two of us and hungry for breakfast, we ordered four out of a possible five parathas. I would be lying if I don’t’ say this– these were the best kulchas I have ever had in life till date.

With our stomachs full and happy, we shared a glass of malai lassi before making a visit to the Jalianwala Bagh, which was at a walking distance from this eatery. After spending about 30-45 minutes inside this history-laden historical garden, it was time to visit the Harmandir Saheb or the Golden Temple, which is located right in the middle of the city. The eternal calm the moment you enter its premises transports you into a different zone. The holiest shrine of the Sikh community transcends all forms of segregation based on caste, religion, creed, and beliefs and unifies all humans under one Almighty!

After our visit inside, we decided to spend some time sitting by the sacred pond in the middle of the complex premises. I felt a magical calm inside my mind and body after a few minutes. The atmosphere was something indescribable until you experience it first-hand. The sacred chants from within the temple are audible throughout the complex via speakers and it does have a different feel.

It was lunchtime and as per our plan, we made our way to the langar section within the premises. The langar at the Golden Temple at Amristar is the largest langar in the world and feeds a record number of people for free every day! Once you enter the great dining halls and take your seat on the mats on the floor, you are served with a dal, one vegetable preparation, kheer, the home-made humble roti and rice. There is no limit to how much you can eat and you can ask for more when the volunteers pass by you. The meal ends with serving buttermilk or chaas, before you proceed to deposit your plate in the used-plate section outside the dining hall.

After yet another sumptuous meal, we made way to explore the streets for some phulkari items to take home with us. While exploring these narrow lanes, we reached another famous eatery – Gurdasram Jalebiwala. Being an eternal jalebi fan, this place was high on my list and trust me, it does not disappoint even one bit. The joy of watching your jalebis being made and served hot to you is a priceless joy if you are a foodie and more so if you are jalebi fan!

The walk through the market lanes had made enough space in my tummy to devour a few (read many) jalebis and pack a few for the remaining part of our walk. If you are not so much of a jalebi fan, you can also try the other pure ghee and pure milk sweets on offer at this stall, which is located at the corner of two lanes.

After a total of 1-2 hours of walking through the narrow lanes and roads, we decided to head back to our hotel, only to come back to the city centre for our dinner at Brother’s Dhaba. For our last meal in the city and for the weekend, we decided to try the very famous Brother’s Dhaba which serves authentic Punjabi cuisine. We decided to have a little of all we had eaten in the past two days to have a proper foodgasm before wrapping the trip up!

Since had had an early dinner, we decide to revisit the jalebiwala for some jalebis and some lassi before heading back to our hotel for the night and this trip of Amritsar. On our way back home in the flight, I may have spent a large amount of my time reminiscing the out-of-the-world kulchas, jalebis and lassi. In fact, writing down this piece has taken me back to those narrow lanes of Amritsar that serve some of the best dishes you can get anywhere in this country!