My quest to find affordable street food in Kolkata | Milaap

My quest to find affordable street food in Kolkata

Affordable living in a city is synonymous with Kolkata. This has multiple dimensions to it, affordable food is the most important of these. This is probably the only metro city where you can get a wholesome meal at Rupees 10 and even an exotic, mouth-watering dessert within Rupees 60. Being born and brought up in Kolkata I have always been lucky enough to be surrounded by such awesome food within such pocket-friendly prices.



Start off your chai adda in between work with these dal pakoras found in small stalls for Rs. 10 per packet. served with some pudina chutney, it's one of the best snacks one can enjoy on a monsoon afternoon tired between work.

Any story of Kolkata is not complete without its food. This place makes good food affordable for people from all walks of life. Whoever you are, a college student with a tight daily budget, a low earning daily wage labourer, a corporate office goer, there is some awesome food for all of them at every street corner of Kolkata.



These awesome luchis (fried Indian bread) can is just Rs. 20 per plate (4 pieces) with some side dish like potato curry or pulses.
 

Head to any street corner in Kolkata and you will find these foods. From Shyambazar in the North to Tollygunge in the South. Walking or working in this city you will never be at a lack of food. From the basic chai (tea) to health food like soup and bread can all be found right in street stalls. This is probably the only city where a Rs. 5 tea comes in a porcelain cup dish set.



These chais can be found in Esplanade at just Rs. 5, and it is worth the money, rather it tastes much beyond the price.



There are such lovely options too, at just Rs. 30 at a stall near Jadavpur.



Or you could try this if you want to get more experimental with your regular Maggi and add an egg to it. These come at Rs. 25.
 



Or simply planning to go the organic and healthy way? Go for some freshly cut food right in between the streets. They come within a price range of Rs. 5 to Rs. 20 per piece or per plate.



Or planning to chuck the diet and go the oily way. Want some exciting Kolkata Biriyani? Even that awesome plate full of pure love can be found at Rs. 70 right at Park Street.



One can even go completely out of the box of these typical Bengali foods and go the south Indian way and find dosas from Rs. 25 to Rs. 60. These can be found at every street corner in Kolkata and at any given time of the day.



Kolkata’s everlasting love for Chinese food can never be left behind in these food stalls. A great plate of chicken momo can be found at Kolkata for just Rs. 35.


A Bengalis food story is never complete without the quintessential egg and chicken rolls of Kolkata. This awesome and filling food comes as cheap as Rs. 20 and ranges up to Rs. 50. Photo credit- Sanchari Chatterjee.
 
But as they say, no matter how full the bus is, there is always some room for the conductor, and that conductor is the sweets of Kolkata in a Bengalis life. No matter how full we are, we can never get off with the meal without some sweets. So of course, we found ways to sell great sweets right on the roads to finish off a great meal with a sweet.



These authentic Bengali sweets are sold on the roads for as low as Rs. 8 each at Esplanade



This mouthwatering kulfi can be bought for Rs. 50 at a stall in Esplanade.



Or even this awesome, low on sugar pudding can be found at another stall for just Rs. 60.




Or you don’t like these conventional sweets? Then go for a glass of mango lassi for Rs. 30 to kill the heat. And believe me, they really do taste as good as they look.