From Locho To Bhajiya, Best Street Food In Surat You Have To Try

If you’re in Surat or planning a trip there, get ready to dive into its local delicacies and snacks that promise to leave a lasting taste. Surat, in Gujarat, isn’t just famous for diamonds and textiles, but it’s also loved for its signature street food, enjoyed by both locals and tourists. From the buttery locho to crispy bhajiyas and the refreshing ice dish, the city bursts with flavour at every bite. You’ll find vendors at nearly every corner of the street with their carts full of these delicious snacks. So, sit back and let us take you through 10 must-try street food in Surat.

10 Must-Try Street Food In Surat 

1. Locho

We cannot start this list without mentioning locho, now, can we? People of Gujarat are well aware of this tasty dish. One of the city’s signature street food, locho is just like dhokla, made using fermented gram flour and chana dal batter, which is then steamed to give it a soft texture. The best part? Locho is never eaten plain. It’s often topped with melted butter, tamarind chutney, chopped onions and coriander. Besides adding the spice, these ingredients also add a perfect edge to its taste, making it sweet, spicy and tangy. For the people of Surat, locho is pure comfort food.

Also Read: 7 Best Street Food Dishes In The World That You Probably Love!

2. Ghari

Ghari is a sweet treat, often enjoyed as a popular street food in Surat. Traditionally eaten during Chandi Padvo, ghari holds a lot of cultural importance. Made with mawa or khoya, this rich, sweet dish is stuffed with dry fruits like almonds, pistachios and cashews, and flavoured with saffron and cardamom for that beautiful aroma. Ghari is shaped into small rounds and deep-fried in ghee. You’ll find countless variations across Surat like chocolate ghari, mawa ghari, badam ghari, and more.

3. Surti Sev Khamani

Bursting with flavour, Surti Sev Khamani is one of Surat’s most beloved street food snacks. Vendors make it using chana dal dhokla. While it may taste a bit like dhokla, believe us when we say it’s much tangier, spicier and more flavourful. Vendors in Surat usually temper it with oil, chutneys, green chilli, mustard seeds, lemon juice and even sugar. This combination makes every bite delicious and unforgettable.

4. Undhiyu

Typically enjoyed in winter, Undhiyu is a special Surti street food dish made by slow-cooking vegetables like baby potatoes, brinjals, Surti papdi and raw bananas. These are all cooked together in a spicy masala of coconut, ginger, garlic, coriander and other spices. Traditionally, Undhiyu is cooked upside down in an earthen pot buried under coals. That’s where it gets its name, “Undhiyu”, which means upside down. Also, this soul-warming dish pairs best with puris.

5. Bhajiya

Surat is incomplete without its bhajiya. Though enjoyed in many Indian cities, its roots lie deep in Gujarati culture. Also known as pakoras in North India, bhajiya is made by coating thinly sliced vegetables like potatoes, green chillies and brinjals in besan batter, then deep-frying them till they are crispy. People usually enjoy this street food snack during monsoons with a hot, steaming cup of chai. 

6. Ice Dish

Forget your usual baraf golas, Surat’s Ice Dish is truly something else. This is the ultimate summer snack. Street food vendors in Surat crush the ice and drizzle it with flavoured syrups or sweetened sugar to make this popular delicacy. You can enjoy it as-is or pair it with chilled kulfi falooda. Besides that, vendors in Surat often top it with jelly, dry fruits and pieces of candied fruit. This cooling dessert offers instant relief from the scorching summer sun.

Also Read: 10 Traditional South Indian Dishes In Chennai You Must Try On Your Next Trip To The TN Capital

7. Fafda Jalebi

Not just Surat, but the whole of Gujarat can’t imagine a morning without Fafda Jalebi. Enjoyed both as breakfast and an evening snack, this sweet-and-savoury combo is an iconic part of Surat’s local food scene. Fafda is a deep-fried snack made from gram flour, served in long strips, and paired with jalebi, the golden, spiral-shaped Indian sweet soaked in sugar syrup. Moreover, the crunch of spicy fafda and the sweetness of jalebi together make for a perfect street food snack of Surat.

8. Khichyu / Khichu

You simply can’t talk about Surat’s street food without mentioning Khichyu. A healthy steamed snack, it’s typically made with rice flour or millet flour. It has a soft, sticky texture and is seasoned with green chilli paste, carrom seeds and cumin. Street vendors often finish it off with a drizzle of ghee and a generous sprinkle of red chilli powder. Surprisingly light yet filling, Khichyu is both flavourful and guilt-free.

9. Nankhatai

An underrated street food snack in Surat, Nankhatai is the city’s answer to your everyday butter biscuits. Though it’s a bakery item, locals still consider it part of their street food culture. Vendors sell nankhatai at every street corner and on carts in Surat. People love this comforting tea-time snack known for its warmth, simplicity and soft texture. Made with just flour, ghee, sugar and cardamom, this butter biscuit pairs perfectly well with your morning or evening chai.

10. Dabeli

People often compare Dabeli, one of the city’s most loved street foods, with Mumbai’s Vada Pav. It consists of spicy potato filling stuffed into a soft bun, sprinkled with a special chilli-garlic masala or ‘gunpowder’, and served with chutney. But the real magic lies in the toppings. Vendors in Surat add pomegranate seeds, tamarind chutney, roasted peanuts and sev for that unique punch of flavour.

Surat’s street food tempts you with bold yet comforting flavours, no doubt. These snacks have already tempted us to eat them all. Tell us, which street food in Surat would you try first? The buttery locho or the tangy sev khamani, or would you like to go the extra mile and try their famous ice dish?

Cover Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons/ Vivekpat30