Vada pav in Mumbai, kachori in Indore, and chaat in Old Delhi — this 10-day street food trail strings together India's best cities for food lovers. A perfect itinerary for a travel buddy duo who plan trips around their next meal as much as the sights.
Mumbai: Vada Pav and Beyond
Start in Mumbai for vada pav (₹15-25), the city's defining street snack, best found at stalls in Dadar and around Juhu Beach. Pav bhaji and bhel puri round out a one-day food crawl, and a single afternoon hitting 4-5 stalls rarely costs more than ₹300-400 per person.
Indore: The Underrated Food Capital
A roughly 12-hour train journey or short flight takes you to Indore, home to Sarafa Bazaar — a jewelry market by day that transforms into a night food market after 8pm. Garadu (spiced yam), bhutte ka kees (grated corn), and a staggering variety of sweets make Indore one of India's most underrated street food cities, with most dishes priced ₹30-80.
Jaipur and Agra: Rajasthani and Mughlai Flavors
Jaipur offers pyaaz kachori and the city's distinct take on chaat, while a stop in Agra en route to Delhi adds Mughlai-influenced street food alongside the obligatory Taj Mahal visit. Budget ₹40-100 per dish across both stops.
Delhi: The Grand Finale
Old Delhi's Chandni Chowk is the trip's climax — parathas at the century-old Paranthe Wali Gali, jalebi at Old Famous Jalebi Wala, and an overwhelming variety of chaat all within a few hundred meters. Budget at least half a day here, as the density of options makes rushing counterproductive.
Trip Logistics and Budget
The full 10-day route (Mumbai-Indore-Jaipur-Agra-Delhi) covers roughly 1,400km, manageable via a mix of overnight trains (₹400-1,200 per leg in AC classes) and short flights. Total food costs for the trip rarely exceed ₹3,000-4,000 per person given how cheap individual street food items are — the larger costs are transport and accommodation.