DECEMBER 2025
The walk began at Sri Gopal, known for its malpua—a caramelised, syrup-soaked pancake—and pakudi. From there, the group tasted chenna-rabidi near Dharamshala at a small spot serving the classic Old Town sweet.
A stop at Seu Dokan followed, where participants watched sev being fried. Next came kora khoi, a traditional temple offering made from puffed rice bound with jaggery. At the century-old Gudia Dokan, participants tasted different sweets made through methods preserved across generations. The walk then moved to Kalia Cha Dokan, a popular tea stall serving kalia cha, a strong, dark tea beloved by locals.
Continuing through the lanes, the group sampled patra chaat, Bhubaneswar’s distinctive version of chaat wrapped in colocasia leaves, followed by jianta ghuguni, a hearty winter snack made from yellow peas and spices. No Old Town walk is complete without gupchup—crisp puris filled with tangy spiced water—notably not referred to as pani puri here. The final stop was Appam Central, where participants tasted freshly made appams before heading toward the temples.
Along the way, the group explored key landmarks including Curzon Mandap, Bindu Sagar Water Tank, and the Ananta Vasudev Temple.
Glimpses of the food on the street food walk in Bhubaneswar’s Old Town. Photos by Tiyali Bose
“… I learnt new stories, and ate dishes that I didn’t know existed in Bhubaneswar or were associated with Bhubaneswar… Food like chandrakanti, khara khayi, or the habit of mixing boondi with fresh sev as a snack were things that I did not even know were associated with Odia culture… or the concept of Curzon Mandap in Lingaraj Temple or the newly discovered temples in the old city are stories for my diaries of Bhubaneswar… Thank you for organising it… Loved it.”
-Tiyali
“Chef Rachit is a walking encyclopedia of Odia food. He shared interesting trivia and tidbits of history about the food we sampled at some iconic establishments in Bhubaneswar. We got to hear some fascinating stories from shop owners and took a closer look at how some items were being prepared. It was nice that everyone could order food according to their preferences. Some vendors who were on the initial list were unexpectedly unavailable, but l guess such uncertainties do occur. Overall, it was a fun and delicious tour of an old, unexplored part of my city.”
-Rini
Chef Rachit Kirteeman is a chef, consultant, and passionate advocate for the diverse cuisines of Odisha. Trained at Taj Hotels, he has honed a wide range of culinary skills but remains dedicated to preserving and showcasing the flavours of his home state. Through pop-ups, he works to bring Odisha’s culinary heritage to a wider audience.