Indian Breakfast Foods: 10 Dishes to Start Your Day Like A Local

I won’t lie: Indian breakfast foods are probably one of my absolute favorite things about visiting India. From poori bhaaji on a foggy Delhi morning, to idli dunked in sambar in Chennai, or a spicy misal pav in Pune. Breakfast is genuinely the highlight of my day.

Hotel buffets rarely scratch the surface. In my experience, traditional hotel offerings in India can often be lackluster and plain-ish in general. But rest assured, I’ve done the hard work of locating some of the best spots to sample a local breakfast in India. Each area offers its own specialty, whether served in a centuries-old eatery or dhaba (roadside stall).  

With that, here are 10 of my favorite Indian breakfast dishes, plus exactly where to try them if you want the real thing.

1. Idli Sambar (Tamil Nadu and Karnataka): Soft Pillows of Rice Cake and Thick Lentil Stew

Idli-sambar is one of the most famous Indian breakfast foods, which you’ll find across Indian restaurants around the world. In short, idli is basically a steamed rice cake that’s sometimes flavored with turmeric.

For an excellent idli, you’ll want to be able to break it with a spoon, but you also still want it hot enough basically be filling your face with steam. It’s all about the balance. You want your sambar (chutney-style sauce) to be tangy, a little spicy, and full of carrots or whatever vegetables are in season.

My favorite spot for idli sambar is Murugan Idli Shop in Chennai (the branch on Gopathi Narayanaswami Chetty Road). They serve it with four types of chutney: coconut, tomato, mint, and gunpowder (red chili, garlic, and dal) with ghee. In true south-Indian style, the meal is served on a fresh banana leaf.

I often get an order of medu vada on the side. Shaped like a donut, this dal fritter hits the spot on a cold winter morning.

Local tip: At Murugan, you may notice locals asking for extra gunpowder sambar (locally known as molaga podi) with ghee on the side. Mix it with a spoonful of chutney for a nutty, spicy dip.

2. Misal Pav (Maharashtra): Indian Breakfast Foods For A Fiery Kick

If you’ve never had misal pav for breakfast, you should be warned: prepare to sweat. This dish is made from sprouted lentils stewed in a spicy gravy, topped with crunchy farsan (fried and crunchy chickpea flour snacks), chopped onions, coriander, and a squeeze of lime. This dish comes with soft, fluffy pav (bread rolls) toasted with butter.

Locals in Pune swear by Bedekar Tea Stall. They open at 7 am and serve until they run out, usually closing by noon. This is genuinely a Pune institution: no frills, metal plates, and long shared tables. But travel is about making new friends right?

Generally speaking, misal pav is a spicy dish, but the ones I ate in Pune were definitely milder than what they serve all over Kolhapuri.

3. Aloo Paratha (Punjab, North India): Stuffed Flatbreads Topped With Butter Puddles

Can we really talk about Indian breakfast foods without aloo paratha? This flaky wheat flatbread is stuffed with spiced mashed potatoes, fried on a tawa (traditional Indian pan), and slathered with white butter. It’s usually served with dahi (plain yogurt) and achar (local pickle). To this day, I haven’t met someone who doesn’t like aloo paratha. Like genuinely, who doesn’t like bread and potatoes?

You’ll find hundreds of versions across North India. That being said, the tastiest aloo paratha I’ve had was at Gulshan Dhaba on the Delhi-Karnal highway. This roadside eatery is a popular trucker’s stop, which means it’s fast, cheap, and made by folks who have genuinely perfected the paratha flip.

Local tip: If you want to eat aloo paratha like a local, ask for a whole green chili and raw onions on the side. And a clay cup full of masala chai, of course!

4. Poha Jalebi (Madhya Pradesh): Indian Breakfast Foods For A Sweet-Salty Combo

Poha (flattened rice with turmeric, curry leaves, and peanuts) isn’t unusual on its own. But combine it with hot jalebis fresh out of the oil? Now you’re eating like a Madhya Pradesh local!

Try it at Saraswati Tea Stall in Indore’s Chhappan Dukaan area. Travelers don’t usually know about this nondescript, hole-in-the-wall spot. But ask any local and they’ll tell you this is the best place for poha. Their version is light and lemony, and the jalebis crackle when you bite in. You’ll be surrounded by locals who all seem to know each other, eating off paper plates and sipping chai from tiny steel tumblers.

Local tip: Crumble up your jalebi and mix it right into your poha instead of eating it as a dessert. Sounds weird, I know. But it really elevates the dish.

5. Kanda Batata Poha (Maharashtra, Central India): Classic Indian Tiffin Meal

This version of poha features onions, potatoes, and a generous squeeze of lime. While it’s a classic breakfast staple in some parts of the country, you’ll notice that some places also serve it in a ‘tiffin’ (Indian lunchbox) for people to take to work.

You can get a great one from Aaswad in Dadar, Mumbai. They’ve been around for decades, and the poha here comes topped with sev and coriander. I’m also a huge fan of their Mysore Masala dosa, served with gloriously thick garlic and red chili chutney.  

Local tip: If you’re visiting on a weekday, I suggest you head down right after opening time. Between the breakfast rush and the (many) office goers who come down to grab a ‘tiffin’ to bring to work, it does get super busy.

6. Appam with Stew (Kerala): Indian Breakfast Foods For Rice Pancakes

Pancakes, but make them Indian. Appams are soft, lacy-edged pancakes made from fermented rice batter and coconut milk. They’ll usually come with a light vegetable or chicken stew. These tasty delights are easily one of the most popular Indian breakfast foods in South India.

For me, the best place for appam is unquestionably at the Kashi Art Cafe in Fort Kochi. I love how the appams here are made fresh, and the stew is mild, creamy, and packed full of flavor. Unlike most meals in India, the stew isn’t overly spicy, so I usually recommend this place for for those who prefer their curry on the the milder side.

7. Chole Bhature (Delhi, Punjab): For Deep-Fried Goodies and Chickpeas

This is heavy, indulgent, and definitely not for the calorie-counting crowd. Bhature are giant puffed breads, served with spicy chole (chickpea curry), pickled carrots, and raw onions.

Delhi locals will tell you about Sita Ram Diwan Chand in Paharganj. The place doesn’t look like much on the outside, and you might be tempted to skip it – but trust me on that! They’ve been serving this same dish for decades, and the queue starts forming before 9 am.

Local tip: Eat it hot. Bhature loses its magic once it cools down a bit. I always have mine with a cold glass of sweet lassi on the side.

8. Pesarattu (Andhra Pradesh): Protein-Packed Indian Breakfast Foods

Made from green gram (moong dal), pesarattu is Andhra’s answer to the dosa. This crepe is spiced, filling, and usually stuffed with upma (dry semolina porridge) for extra bulk. The best ones are crisp on the outside and soft in the center.

Try it at Chutneys Restaurant in Hyderabad. They’ve got a couple of branches over the city, but I went to the one in Banjara Hills. They serve it with an assortment of chutneys, including ginger, coconut, and tomato. It goes down a treat when paired with a cup of strong, Indian filter coffee.

Local tip: Ask for the MLA Pesarattu. This spicier version is popular among Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) – which explains the name!

9. Sabudana Khichdi (Maharashtra, Gujarat): Indian Breakfast Foods For Fasting

Usually eaten during Hindu religious fasts, sabudana khichdi has made its way into regular breakfast menus for being filling, yet super versatile. It’s made from soaked tapioca pearls tossed with cumin, peanuts, and boiled potatoes. Some places serve it with mixed vegetables and mint leaves.

Locals in Mumbai head to Prakash Shakahari Upahaar Kendra in Dadar. It’s slightly sticky (think of the consistency of sushi rice), perfectly spiced, and served with a side of raita (yogurt sauce with grated cucumber and mint).

10. Luchi Aloo Dum (West Bengal): For Puffed Bread And Rich, Spiced Potato Curry

A Bengali breakfast classic, luchi isn’t all that different from bathura. It’s a smaller and lighter flatbread made from flour and fried until just golden. It’s served with aloo dum, a hearty potato curry that clings to the bread with every dip.

Head to 6 Ballygunge Place in Kolkata (the one near Patha Bhavan school) for a proper sit-down version. For something more casual, Putiram Sweets on the College Row serves a plate that locals have relied on for decades.

Local tip: 6 Ballygunge Place sometimes makes fresh batches of baigun bhaja (battered and fried eggplant). If they’ve got it on the menu that day, I suggest you give it a try. It goes really well with their mishti doi, a sweet, fermented yogurt sweetened with jaggery.   

Planning your travel arounds India? Don’t miss our ultimate Rajasthan itinerary for an epic time in the Land of Kings? After more of a vacation? Make your way to coastal Goa for 3 days, before checking out the beachside town’s vibrant cafes and bars. But if you ask us, there’s no better way to take in that legendary Indian nightlife than with a proper Delhi pub crawl!

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