For those who have lived in Delhi long enough, this may be a known fact but it still warrants acknowledgement. Some of our most delicious food is served at state bhawans, and no one can change our mind about it.
Andhra Bhawan’s Biryani to make your Sunday incredible in Delhi. #ttot #travel #Food pic.twitter.com/aRtONnA3Ej
— Budget Trip Tales (@Budgettriptales) April 2, 2017
This may come as a surprise to some, and the reason behind it is that the bhawans are not endorsed enough. We want to fix that. First of all, what are state bhawans? Well, as the name suggests, these are buildings representing the different states of India where official work is carried out. They also have guest houses where people can stay, mostly those are used by officials.
Now, these buildings have their own kitchens and they serve the food, the state is known for. And it’s GOOD. There is authenticity in it which you won’t find at most other restaurants.
Parampara Thali @Jakoi, Assam Bhawan. Best State Bhawan food in all of Delhi. @rockyandmayur knows best! pic.twitter.com/JAAIo0VJSu
— Niladri Haldar (@muttonmomo) September 18, 2015
New week, new #bhawan! Tried the #Meghalaya canteen and was not disappointed 🤤. The #Bhawanchallenge continues and with it, all the best authentic food #India and #Delhi have to offer! #IncredibleIndia pic.twitter.com/w3uUjN9uZO
— Stefanie Bergeron (@Stefanie_Berge) June 7, 2022
I have personally been to Bihar Bhawan, Gujarat Bhawan, Andhra Bhawan, and Assam House, and I have never come back dissatisfied. Bihar Bhawan has a full platter of Bihari dishes, available in vegetarian and non-veg options, and you should definitely try it if you go there.
Meanwhile, Assam Bhawan is known for its Parampara Thali. A lot of these places offer thalis that include local food from the region.
Whenever there is an opportunity while in Delhi, for lunch, i make it a point to visit one of the state Bhawans for the experience of enjoying India’s diversity through food.
— dewaker (@dewakerbasnet) July 23, 2019
Two of the very popular state bhawans… https://t.co/ffkCbddw9P
Rhiannon: Delhi has got Assam / Kerala / Andhra / Maharashtra Bhawans (+ others as well). All these places have awesome regional cuisines. Kerala and Andhra used to be my favourites. Food with flavours of their state.
— amit sengupta vlogs 📷 (@travellerAmit) July 26, 2019
Wholesome and delicious.
Andhra Bhawan is where things get real, though. It is not easy to get a seat at the place because of the number of people waiting to eat there. So, you have to plan your day, and meals accordingly. Once you do get there, though, the rasam and the rice, and the chicken fry will solve all problems.
In fact, we made an extensive list of must-try food from the 14 state bhawans of Delhi. You can take recommendations from here.
Delhi food is incomplete without state Bhawans. So here goes –
— D (@PocketOfSunsh) April 15, 2022
Andhra Bhawan Canteen – Ashoka Road
Gujarat Bhawan – Kautilya Marg, Chanakyapuri
Bangla Bhawan – Hailey Road
Karnataka Food – Delhi Karnataka Sangha, R.K Puram
Maharashtra Sadan – Kasturba Gandhi Marg
Apart from food, which is great, as discussed, another amazing thing about the bhawans is that they offer food at much cheaper rates than even half-decent restaurants, and I like that most of these places are simple. That, of course, doesn’t work for people who want fancy ambiance, but if you are into unassuming spaces with quality food, bhawans, are going to be your deal.
Bhawans make Delhi richer by introducing the city to different cultures and cuisines, and this should be discussed more.
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