DECEMBER 2025
The Local Food Club’s theme for December 2025, Street Food, was brought to life through a series of walks across India. In Pune, the walk explored the historic neighbourhoods of Narayan Peth and Sadashiv Peth, tracing how the city’s eating-out culture developed around fasting practices, community kitchens, iconic tea houses, and the rhythms of old Pune life.
Led by independent researcher-historian Ashutosh Potnis, the walk introduced participants to the layers of history hidden in everyday snacks. Pune’s food culture has long been tied to its communities and their social practices. Many dishes that Punekars casually call “upvas food” emerged as ingenious solutions for fasting days: affordable, filling, and made without grains. Alongside sat the tea houses—like the city’s many Amrutatulyas that shaped a distinct habit of gathering over strong, sweet ‘chaha’.
Walking through the Peths, participants tasted their way through the stories of various foods—from kharvas, a steamed milk pudding made from colostrum, to batata pattice, upasachi kachori, and finally a cup of Pune’s beloved Amrutatulya chai. More than a food trail, the walk explored how the city’s geography, migration, and politics of identity shaped what Pune eats today.
The walk began in Narayan Peth at Prabha Vishranti Gruha, where participants tried traditional kharvas, a delicately set pudding made from cow’s colostrum and lightly seasoned with cardamom. The next stop was Athavale Dairy for a taste of Pune’s classic milk-based snacks before heading to Bedekar Tea Stall, where steaming cups of spiced chaha offered a glimpse into the city’s timeless tea culture.
Moving deeper into the Peths, the group reached Pavgi Snacks Centre for batata pattice—mashed potato patties shallow-fried and served with chutneys—followed by Vateshwar Amrutatulya, one of the city’s many tea houses serving strong, sweet Amrutatulya-style tea.
In Sadashiv Peth, the walk continued to Shree Upahar Gruha for upasachi kachori, a fasting-day kachori made without grains, comprising ingredients like sabudana and peanuts. At Nimbalkar Talim Chowk, the group explored the bustle of one of Pune’s oldest public spaces before stopping at Raja Ices for a cooling bite of ice cream and milk shakes.
Glimpses of the incredible food on the street food walk in Pune’s old city. Photos by Ashutosh Potnis.
“I absolutely loved the food trail in Pune. Every stop offered tasty, authentic local dishes and the experience felt well curated. Our guide made it even more special by sharing fun facts and little stories about the places and food. A perfect mixture of food culture and storytelling!”
-Beena
Ashutosh Potnis is an independent researcher-historian based in Pune. For the past six years, he has led heritage tours across the city. His work focuses on medieval and regional histories, and he has spoken and written for various publications.