Top 10 Local Food in Agra To Try Today

India – a place of many cultures and traditions, but what makes this place so special? So much so that tourists from all over the world come to visit this colorful land. Apart from this land’s rich heritage, it is India’s flavor. The food varies from region to region and is just as diverse and flavorful in each state. Indian cuisine is best renowned for its bold and vibrant use of spices. With the influence of Mughlai delicacies in Agra, the food here is considered one of the best. The street food is legendary for its bold flavors and tourists cannot get enough of it. So the next time you make a tour of India, be sure to check out these amazing local foods in Agra.

Beyond Taj Mahal Agra’s best local food

Agra is famous for its street food, snacks, and sweets. Along with adventure activities in Agra, restaurant hopping or local food hopping in Agra seems to be one the best activities to indulge yourself in. Finding the best local food in Agra is quite an adventure in itself.The best local food in Agra is a combination of mouth-watering Mughlai delicacies and affordable and lip-smacking street food. Along with the street food of Mumbai and Delhi, some of the best street food is found in Agra. We have curated for you all the best local food in Agra that you can get, and we researched the destinations where you can get them. So let us take a look.

1. Petha

“Agra ka Petha” famous all around India is considered one of the most savory and delicious snacks in Agra. Traditionally prepared from white pumpkin or ash gourd, this sweet – as most people consider it – is a treat like no other. It is flavored with nuts, spices, and a variety of other ingredients. It comes in two types, dry and hard, and soft and liquid-like. You may say that petha is arguably the best local food in Agra. This visually ice-cube-like sweet treat is one of the many reasons that make people flock to Agra. Many innovative flavors have been created for Petha over the years with vibrantly colored petha flavored with everything from rose flavored to paan flavored. The demand for petha has grown more and more because of its popularity and therefore it has given room for innovation of flavors and variants. Some of the variants include angoori petha and kesar petha, with angoori petha being the most famous.

Best places to get petha –

1. Panchi Petha – 855A Fatehpur Sikri Road, Naulakha, Sadar Bazar, Agra
2. Deviram Sweets and Restaurant – Khandelwal Colony, Katlupur, Rakabganj, Agra
3. Munna Lal Agarwal Petha Wale – Daresi-2 T-point, Rawatpara, Agra
4. Pracheen Petha – Shaheed Bharat Singh Dwar, Noori Gate Road, Mantola, Agra
5. Bhagat Halwai

2. Paratha

Like most Indians, nothing screams a perfect Mughlai dish without the addition of Paratha. Paratha, like petha, is probably one of the best local food in Agra. A fried flatbread made of wheat with various ingredients stuffed such as potatoes, cheese, grated cauliflower, or carrots makes this a perfect combination with your paneer dishes or a butter chicken. Sometimes served with chutneys, your taste buds are sure to be amazed. You can order paratha with a lot of other curries and condiments, so let your imagination run wild and explore this amazing food.

Best places to get paratha –

1. Ram Babu Paratha Bhandar – Nala Bharon, 6/127, Belanganj Road
2. Parthawala Dot In – 508 Awadhpuri Nagla Shah Gunj, Agra
3. Mama’s Paratha – Fatehabad Road, Agra
4. Gopaldas Paratha Wale – Tora Tajganj, Fatehabad Road, Agra
5. Anokhe Parathe – Fatehabad Road, Agra

3. Bhalla

Another one of those sought-after local foods in Agra is a bhalla. Like paratha, chaats are extremely common and found in most parts of India. However, Bhalla is one of the few which is prepared as a street food in Agra. The Bhalla is sometimes confused for Aloo Tikki, as it has been revamped in certain states with mashed potato being the main ingredient. A dish made out of mashed potatoes with finely chopped onions and peas mixed with Indian spices, and chickpea curry and is served hot with chutney. It makes for an excellent evening snack, especially when navigating Agra’s busy streets and wanting to grab a bite.

Best places to get Bhalla –

1. Vaishno Bhalla House – Rakabganj, Agra
2. Agr Chat House – 14/2 Chaat Gali, Saudagar Lines Road
3. Sri Dauji Chatpata – Kamla Nagar, Agra

4. Dalmoth

For people craving spicy and crunchy dishes, Dalmoth is a go-to snack. A mixture of nuts, spices, and fried lentils dalmoth travels well as it is a dry snack. You can put it in Tupperware or a container and pack it in your bags when traveling. Your ready-to-eat snack will always come in handy whenever you feel like snacking. Imagine those wintery evenings in Agra, sipping tea and dalmoth – a perfect combo. Sometimes used as a snack to offer when guests arrive, having a packet of dalmoth at home will always come in handy. Dalmoth is also sometimes served with alcohol. Beer or whiskey with dalmoth works wonders. So eat healthily and drink responsibly. So the next time you and local food hopping, why don’t you grab a pack of dalmoth?

Best places to get Dalmoth –

1. Panchhi Petha Dalmoth – National Highway 2, Opposite Heera Talkies, Near Bhagwan Crossing, Agra
2. Gopal Das Pethe Wale – Near ITC Mughal, Fatehabad Road, Agra
3. Sri Dauji Mishtan Bhandar – Nunhai Road, Rambagh, Industrial estate, Agra

5. Bedai served with Jalebi

One of the famous local foods in Agra and a fan favorite among street foodies, the bedai served with jalebi never disappoints. A very popular food in north India and a common breakfast served in Mathura and Agra, the bedai is an urad dal stuffed crispy puri. Match that with Jalebi then you get a match made in heaven.The jalebi is a spiral dessert made from fermented batter of all-purpose flour that is fried and soaked in sugar syrup. A dish best served hot, those first bites from the sticky and sweet jalebi will feel heavenly. Famous among the people with a sweet tooth it serves as a good appetizer as well. A bedai is typically spicy, but one of the most sought-after and best local food in Agra. The bedai is a mouth-watering treat to most locals. Also known as kachori, the bedai is sometimes served with spiced potato curry. The locals indulge in this breakfast regularly.

Best places to get bedai –

1. Deviram Sweets – Khandelwal Colony, Katlupur, Rakabganj, Agra
2. Shree Thakur Ji Misthan Bhandar – Bansal Market, Near ITI College, Balkeshwar, Agra
3. Shanti Sweets – Kamla Nagar, Agra
4. Bhagat Halwai – 62/1 West Shivaji Nagar, Pashuram Nagar, Shahganj, Agra

6. Shawarma

Shawarma is a dish that is said to have originated in the Middle -East. Shawarma is famous not only in India but the fame of this local food of Agra is known worldwide. The taste in Agra has the rich influence of Mughlai recipes making it special and savory in every way. Shawarma is a dish served with green and white mint sauces in fried chicken pieces on a roll. Thin slices of meat (mostly chicken in Agra) that have been seasoned are added to a tandoor flatbread and condiments like shredded onions, pickles, and sauces are added to your liking.

Best Places to get Shawarma –

1. Mama Chicken Mama Franky House – A-17, Sadar Plaza, Agra Cantt, Igdah Colony, Agra
2. The Salt Cafe – 1C, 3rd Floor, Fatehabad Road, Taj Ganj, Agra
3. Tastes of Shawarma – Plot No. 150, Church Road, near St. Paul’s School, Agra

7. Paneer Tikka

A commonly served dish in the northern parts of India, the paneer tikka is a favorite among vegetarians. Gaining popularity in many countries, especially Dubai and Bangkok, this cheese-like milk product is healthy and savored globally. India comprising mostly vegetarians, looks at paneer tikka as a staple food and has a lot of demand. Tandoor is a clay oven used to bake different types of bread mostly in India and Pakistan. Paneer is a type of cheese marinated with spices and a skewer is used to arrange it with pieces of capsicums, onions, and tomatoes. The skewers are then grilled in a tandoor and then served where you can dab butter onto it or lemon and chaat masala. Paneer Tikka is not only the best local food in Agra for vegetarians but it is for flexitarians as well. The Indian spices mixed in the Tikka give it that extra “oomph.”

Best Places to get Paneer Tikka –

1. Pinch of Spice – 1076, 2, Fatehabad Road, Opposite Hotel ITC Mughal, Agra.
2. The Salt Cafe – 1C, 3rd Floor, Fatehabad Road, Taj Ganj, Agra
3. Tease Me – 18/159D Hotel M House, Fatehabad Road, Purani Mandi, Agra

8. Samosas

A dish that is supposed to have originated from the Middle East and traveled its way across to India in the 10th century AD, the samosa doesn’t need any introductions. It is said that once the dish traveled to India it became quite popular among the Indian royalty.Samosas are quite famous across India but Agra’s samosa has a trait of its own with its unique flavor and the blend of spices. Enjoyed best with tea, the samosa is a fried snack with potato filling. It is served with green chutney prepared with mints and tamarind. It is best to enjoy evenings with tea and samosas while taking a break from discovering the many heritage sites of Agra. So gather your travel buddies, search for some cafes in Agra, order samosa and tea, and get lip-smacking.

Best places to get Samosas – 

1. Shri Dauji Mistan Bhandar – No. 13/15/A/33, Opposite Bhagwan Theatre, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Agra
2. GMB Gopika Sweets and Restaurant – Ground Floor, Crystal Tower, Fatehabad Road, Agra
3. Shrijee Sweets and Restaurant – 100 Feet Bypass Road, Amarpura, Shahganj, Agra

9. Choley Bhature

A dish originated in Punjab, this dish was said to have been introduced by the Punjabi refugees when they came to Agra in the aftermath of the partition of India in 1945. The dish soon got fame and was welcomed by the locals with open arms as it is one of the most-demand dishes in most eateries. This dish is served in almost every part of India, especially in the northern parts of India. The choley baturey is a fried flatbread – a little puffed for visual appeal – and served with chickpeas curry which is made with an assortment of spices. With a small amount of Indian curd and mango chutney served on the side – this side dish will make your taste buds savor all the flavors. The chole bhature may not be one the best local food in Agra but it certainly the most demanded.

Best place to get chole bhaturey –

1. Bhajan Lal Chole Bhaturey – near Bharat Talkies, Raja ki Mandi, Agra
2. The Manoj Restaurant – 1,43, Johari Bazar Road, Jama Masjid, Kinari Bazar, Mantola, Agra
3. Pandit Ji Chat Bhandar – Saudagar Line, Chaat Gali, Sadar Bazar, Agra.

10. Mughlai food

Saving the best for last, Mughlai food is a delicacy in Agra. An unparalleled cuisine, the Mughlai food has grown in demand and popularity in many places around the world. The cuisine in Agra is heavily influenced by the Mughals. Arguably one of the best local food in Agra, this dish is a treat for foodies. The Mughlai dishes consist of meat curries enriched with dried fruits and nuts, and flavored with the use of ground, whole spices. The meats prepared are very succulent and juicy with spices giving them exotic flavors and authenticity. The pieces of meat are prepared with a curry, which is enriched with different spices and gives off a salivating aroma. There are several types of Mughlai food you can try, including chicken tikka masala, butter chicken, biryani, sheekh kebabs, mutton korma, and pasanday. Large shops near Sadar Bazaar sell many varieties of curries, rolls, tikkas, etc, where you can savor all the flavors of Mughal cuisine. If you want to make the most of your trip to Agra, then you have got to try this delicacy.

Best places to get Mughlai food –

1. Taj Mahal Restaurant – Fatehanad Road, Near Saga Emporium, Agra
2. Pinch of Spice – 1076, 2, Fatehabad Road, Opposite Hotel ITC Mughal, Agra.
3. Aleem Restaurant – Shaheed Nagar, Tiraha, Bhagat Singh Marg, Agra

A trip to remember

The local food in Agra may be one of the best in India with the rich influence of Mughal cuisine and the packed streets with people trying street food. Locals crowd the eateries early morning to get their fill of bedai and jalebi or just to buy a pack of dalmoth. The evenings see more people trying out Mughlai food and packing it for dinner to enjoy with their loved ones. There is no certain answer for the best local food in Agra because there are many options, and you have to discover it for yourself and decide. The tourists too flock to Agra to try some of the best Indian dishes. Those spicy flavors and the aroma of the spices make the local food in Agra much more enticing and enjoyable. It gives meaning to the city of Agra as the food gets recognition globally and is mentioned by tourists and influencers alike. So while on your trip to Agra, don’t just visit the Taj Mahal, try some of the tantalizing local food, to immerse yourself into the culture and cuisine of this beautiful city.