Varanasi food tour
VARANASI FOOD TOUR - One of the world's oldest living city smells of marigolds, ghee and woodsmoke, with temple bells ringing through a maze of lanes that have fed pilgrims, poets and holy men for more than three thousand years. Perched on the banks of the sacred Ganges, Varanasi, known to locals as Kashi, the City of Light, is where Hindus come to pray and to bathe. Its food is every bit as devout, almost entirely vegetarian, cooked in vast blackened kadais.
Over four hours and 15+ tastings, we're eating our way through the old city's twisting galis, century-old sweet shops and family-run kitchens, with stops at the sacred ghats and a riotous flower market along the way.
First, something to cool you down. After a refreshing glass of nimbu pani, it's time for Varanasi's favourite drink. The city takes its lassi very seriously, and ours is made with rich buffalo milk, whipped thick and served in a traditional clay kulhad. Consider it the city's way of saying good morning.
Next, follow the hiss of hot oil to one of Varanasi's legendary breakfast counters. Crack into a chota kachori, a puffed little pastry shell stuffed with spiced lentils, then plunge it into aloo ki sabzi, a tangy potato and vegetable stew that locals eat by the bowlful before work.
If we're lucky, we'll catch the jalebiwala squeeze batter in hypnotic spirals, pulled straight from the kadai and dunked in syrup. Pair it with rabdi, milk simmered low and slow until it's thick, creamy and fragrant with cardamom.
At an old-school sweet and snack shop, sample chena dahi bhalla, soft cheese dumplings soaked in cool spiced yogurt, alongside fiery masala kaju cashews and silky khandvi, delicate rolls of chickpea flour flecked with mustard seeds and curry leaves.
Pull up a chair for a proper Banarasi lunch. Crisp phalahari pakodi fritters and a stuffed aloo paratha set the scene before the main event: a thali loaded with seasonal vegetable curries, paneer sabzi, golden daal, cooling mint raita, buttery roti. The curries change with the seasons, so no two thalis are ever quite the same.
Fully fed, we'll walk down to Manikarnika Ghat, Varanasi's most sacred ground. It's an unforgettable, deeply moving window into how this city sees life, death and everything in between.
We'll gather at a tiny tea stall for a restorative masala chai, poured from a height into a clay cup before finishing on several sweet notes - malpua, Varanasi's syrup-soaked sweet pancake, and parwal ki mithai, candied pointed gourd stuffed with sweet khoya.
There's just time to wander through the explosion of colour at the Phool Bazar flower market, where mountains of marigolds are strung into garlands for the city's temples, before cooling off with thandai, a chilled milk drink blended with nuts, saffron and spices.
Why this tour is awesome
Over four hours and 15+ tastings, we'll explore the old city's winding lanes, century-old sweet shops and family-run kitchens, with stops at the sacred Manikarnika Ghat and the Phool Bazar flower market along the way.
Expect thick buffalo lassi in clay cups, crisp kachori with spiced potato stew, freshly fried jalebi with creamy rabdi and a vegetarian thali. Along the way, discover the faith, history and centuries-old traditions that shaped Varanasi's food, before finishing with syrupy malpua, cooling thandai and a freshly folded paan.
Taste your way through Varanasi with 15+ tastings.
Wander through the colourful, temple-lined lanes of the old city.
Thick, creamy buffalo lassi served in traditional clay kulhads.
Kachori dough rolled out by hand, just as it has been for generations.
Golden kachoris puffing up in a sizzling kadai.
Crisp, blistered kachoris fresh from the fryer.
A tempting heap of golden kachoris, still warm from the kadai.
Tangy aloo ki sabzi ladled straight from the pot.
Chota kachori with spiced potato stew, the breakfast of Banaras.
The food heroes of Varanasi.
Jalebi batter swirled into hot oil in hypnotic spirals.
Sticky, syrup-soaked jalebi glistening on the tray.
Kachori, spiced curry and crisp jalebi, the perfect Banarasi plate.
Milk simmered low and slow over an open fire for creamy rabdi.
Stirring giant cauldrons of boiling milk at the paneer makers.
Fresh, soft paneer straight from the pan.
Silky khandvi, spicy masala kaju and cool chena dahi bhalla.
Bharatendu Harishchandra, Varanasi's beloved poet, watching over the lanes.
A gleaming Banarasi thali loaded with seasonal curries, daal and buttery roti.
A glowing shrine tucked into the old city walls.
The leaning Ratneshwar Temple, half sunk into the sacred Ganges.
Life, faith and temple spires on the way to the ghats.
Masala chai poured from a height, street-style.
Steaming masala chai in a clay kulhad.
Golden, syrup-soaked malpua, Varanasi's sweetest pancake.
Mountains of marigolds at the Phool Bazar flower market.
Conclude on a sweet note with a freshly folded paan.
Includes
- Price US $39 per person
- Language English
- Small group Maximum of 8 guests (private tours or groups of 9+, please contact us)
- Tastings 15+ tastings
- Drinks Bottled water and local drinks
- Duration 10am - 2pm
- Guide Led by one of our superb Varanasi food hosts
- Cancellation Cancel up to 48 hours before departure for a full refund
- Family friendly Families welcome on all our tours. Children 50% discount.
- Transport Walking tour through the lanes and ghats of the old city
- Instant confirmation Book now to secure your space (before we sell out!)
- Pick up / drop off Our guests come from all over the city, so to save time we have a meeting point. Your guide can help you find transport back at the end of the tour
Dietary information
- General advice Many local eateries specialise in signature menus, and may not have alternatives. It is not always possible to cater for all dietary requests at every stop
- Vegetarian Suitable, all tastings are vegetarian
- Vegan Unsuitable as dairy is used in 9-10 tastings (out of 15 total)
- Pescatarian Suitable, all 15 tastings are vegetarian
- Pork Suitable for no pork diets
- Halal Suitable, as the tour is fully vegetarian and no meat is served
- Gluten intolerance / Celiac Possible, though gluten is present in 5-6 tastings (out of 15 total)
- Lactose intolerance Unsuitable, as milk, yogurt and paneer are used in 9-10 tastings (out of 15 total)
- Tree nut / peanut allergy Possible, though tree nuts are used in 3-4 tastings (out of 15 total)
- Seafood / Shellfish allergy Suitable for no seafood diets
- Severe allergies Due to the nature of street food cooking, we can never guarantee any dish to be 100% free from allergens, as there is always the risk of traces and cross-contamination. It is unsuitable for severe allergies. Contact us: info@achefstour.com
How to book
To join our Varanasi food tour, use the calendar above to select your preferred date, and secure your tour with your card. For special requests, private bookings, or dietary requirements, please contact us. Safety of our customers is our first priority, so if you have any food allergies, please contact us before booking.
What to expect
This tour is designed for adventurous eaters with an interest in discovering the food locals eat. Itβs a walking tour, but the pace is gentle, and there are plenty of rest (eating) stops along the way. Join us on the best Varanasi food tour in the city, you won't regret it.
Meeting point
Meet outside theΒ 1916 Cafe & Restaurant in Varanasi's old town. It's easy to reach either on foot from most hotels, or via taxi. There will be more details on your booking voucher.Β
Cancellation Policy
Why you should book with us
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99% 5 star reviews across our tours -
Secure payments through provider Peek
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No hidden charges - all food tastings included in the price
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Authentic food experience, escape the tourist traps