u/No_Stomach_3848

Context: I have lived in 11 different Indian cities, and travelled deep into all parts of the country except Bihar and 5 of NE states (only been to Assam and Meghalaya).

I found the tier 2/3 cities with a vibrant local food culture had a better regional cuisine offering as compared to the larger urban centres of the region.

This list is just a compilation of my personal favourites. Every single eatery on this list, I've tried after it was recommended by a local.

Hotel Odhens in Kannur, Kerala - this was a revelation for me. Some of the best seafood I've ever had in my life. Even the free and unlimited sides were fantastic.

GMaps link

Kareema's in Srinagar, J&K - Had the wazwan style spread here. Everything somehow looked the same, but tasted extremely different; have no idea how they pulled it off. The meat shines through every single dish beautifully. Too much food for 1 person; I'd suggest going here in atleast a 2-3 person group.

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Shack without a name in Salatpur, Gujarat - On the state highway from Ahmedabad to Modasa, there is a small shack that serves dal wada with kadhi. Best time to have it is between 6 to 8 am. They do just one thing but they do it so well. Spiced fried dal vadas with sweet kadhi. So well balanced.

GMaps link - the shop seems to have a name now although I don't remember seeing any board or name back in 2021, when I visited.

Gadh Kalewa, Raipur, Chattisgarh - vegetarian, local chattisgarh food. All the snacks are unique and can't be found elsewhere in the country. Go for the snacks options rather than the thali. The rustic ambience/setting is probably my favorite in this list.

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Papaji Dhaba, Mohali, Punjab - Go here for just one dish; barbeque chicken. Its not exactly a barbeque in the truest sense, its more of a rotisserie chicken. Just 3 ingredients - chicken, salt, chaat masala. They keep on basting the chicken in its fat and juices as it rotates in the rotisserie. Very unique. This was also a regular childhood eatery for me; always took it for granted until I had to move cities.

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Power Kadai, Madurai, Tamil Nadu - The parottas in Madurai are unlike anywhere in TN, Kerala or anywhere else. Very fluffy and bun-like. This specific outlet probably has the best parottas, and mutton curry with the most depth and balance which also goes well with dosa. They also have an egg + mutton brain dish. Haven't seen it anywhere except Madurai.

Gmaps link

Prem Pavitra Bhojanalya, Alwar, Rajasthan - I could have never imagined that a simple dal fry can be made into such luxurious dish. I have no idea what technique they use, but if I had to guess they probably slow cook/stew it before roasting with ghee. Can't say. But as god is my witness, this is probably the best dal in the entire country. Very simple, honest but deep flavours of the dal itself and an almost nihari-like texture. Excellent with fresh rotis, and shallow fried chillies that they serve as a free side. Dahi bada was good too.

This place was recommended to me by a fellow sales exec. Apparently all field sales folks across all industries have their lunch here anytime they have to visit Alwar.

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I would love to hear your recommendations too, specifically regional cuisine representation from tier 2/3/4 cities.

>Any restaurant recommendations that serve these (anywhere in India) are highly appreciated, thanks.

My paternal grandparents migrated to India from Mianwali (western part of undivided Punjab) and maternal grandparents were from Multan (southern tip).

Barely anyone talks about food the western and southern punjabi migrants brought here in 1947. It seems to be kind of lost and I haven't really seen any restaurant serve it yet, anywhere across the country. Some of the most unique things we cook at home include dishes like:

Meat Karela - which is a karela + mutton dish

Doodh ki sabji / adrak ki chhitt - its a kadhi like dish. Slightly thinner than curry with garlic and ginger doing the heavy lifting.

Bhe (lotus root) sabji - my personal favourite.

Swanjan ke phool ki sabji - banana flowers are made into this bharta type mash curry. Very unique.

Kuchnar phool - dish made from moringa flowers.

Kharoday ka soup - made from lamb trotters. Its like a mix between paya soup and yakhni. I remember it being specifically made when I had a fractured arm as a 10 year old.

Bhusri - this is like a sweet thick roti made with jaggery and some spices. It would be made after binding it with a thread before cooking. My mother used to make this on Lohri (Punjab's winter harvest festival). My dad's side of the family though traditionally had a different savoury version of bhusri, made with radishes.

There's so much more that we have lost now. Pakistan's punjab might still probably eat all of these things, but I have never seen these in mainstream indian cooking / restaurants.

A lot of the food was inspired from the ingredients found near riverside marshlands of Indus and its tributaries. I think a lot from this cuisine was forgotten because we lost access to the lands that provided these ingredients, and of course there is also the fact that an entire generation got impoverished and uprooted overnight.

Source : Stories from my family's lived experiences and my childhood memories.

Improved the Vada pav by replacing the vada with authentic awadhi chicken shami kebabs.

I travelled across 23 Indian States to explore the regional cuisine. Here is my top 7 local eateries in India list. Tier 2/3 cities only.

My grandparents carried these recipes from Indus, across the border in 1947. Can't seem to find them in any restaurant in India.