Road trips are fun until your stomach begins signalling lunchtime!
A long drive on one of India’s many national highways with nothing but long stretches of road to keep you company sounds like the perfect getaway. But when hunger strikes, it is a scramble to find the best eatery. So, we’ve put together a list of elite as well as hole-in-the-wall spots where you can get your lunch, dinner, and anything in between before you hit the road again.
1. Karnal Haveli
Located off National Highway (NH) 44 — which connects Kashmir to Kanyakumari, Karnal Haveli is where Punjabi cuisine and culture converge. Right from the music to the ambience, everything at this 8.25-acre heritage haveli is an ode to North Indian magic. The haveli also offers accommodation along with food, and hence, it is a great choice for families that are travelling long distances and wish to relax for a bit.
The menu is laden with sandwiches, chole bhature (chickpea curry served with deep-fried bread), dum aloo (baby potatoes cooked in a delicious gravy), and a host of paneer (cottage cheese) dishes. The website boasts of the place being a haunt for artists and art connoisseurs from the world over who flock to the haveli to witness its imitation of Punjabi culture.
Address: 133.5 Mile Stone, NH 44, Karnal, Haryana – 132001
2. Amrik Sukhdev
In 1956, a young man Sardar Prakash Singh started a dhaba (roadside eatery) in Murthal, Haryana. Along with his wife, Prakash began catering to the many truck drivers who would stop by the dhaba while on their way to deliver goods. The clientele enjoyed the fare here — rotis (Indian flatbread), dal (gravy made of lentils), and three kinds of parathas (Indian flatbread).
Through the years, fusion foods have also kicked into gear at the eatery, and today, Amrik Sukhdev is a name to reckon with. The eatery’s tale is of how a simple idea of making truck drivers a meal was incentivised and turned into a booming business that is now loved by not just truck drivers but anyone driving on National Highway 1 (which forms a part of the historic GT Road).
Address: 52.250 km Stone G.T. Road, Murthal, Distt. Sonipat, Haryana -131039
3. Sri Shiva Darshana Shashi Hotel
Located off National Highway 275 (also known as the Bengaluru-Mysuru access-controlled Expressway), this eatery is commended for its thatte idlis (a large, flat, spongy rice cake), which they have been serving since the 1950s. These are said to be as light as air by many customers who drive down to the eatery simply to have their fill of the breakfast dish.
In fact, history hints that the Bidadi area in the Ramanagara district that falls on this stretch of road is the birthplace of the thatte idlis. This is also why the dish sometimes goes by the name Bidadi thatte idli.
Address: Q9VJ+FH7, Kenchanakuppe, Karnataka – 562109
4. Azad Hind Dhaba
If you happen to drive through National Highway 6 (which connects Gujarat with West Bengal), and stop by the Azad Hind Dhaba, don’t forget to glance at the wall behind the cash counter. It features a painting of a woman dancing on a bright red background while an elephant looks on.
An article in The Hindu revealed how one of the owners Madan Sharma was left astounded one afternoon in 1999 when legendary painter M F Husain started adding colour to the sketch that had been done a few years prior to that. As Sharma revealed, Husain was a frequent customer who loved sitting at the eatery and sipping his favourite kadak chai (strong tea).
Aside from the iconic painting, the dhaba also boasts an iconic menu that features many specialities such as tandoori chicken, daal tarka (a North Indian dish made with split lentils), kulchas (leavened bread) and paneer gravies.
Address: 12-1 Ballygunge Circular Road Ballygunge, Kolkata – 700019
5. Kinara Village Dhaba
The Kinara Village Dhaba located off National Highway 48 (Old Mumbai-Pune Highway) is an experience in itself. Whether you are a weary traveller looking to stay the night at a cosy spot, or whether you are looking to get away from town for a few days, this cultural experience will satiate your desire.
The rooms are fitted with traditional and hand-picked furniture; the Kinara family has been collecting antiques for over four decades and you’ll be witnessing decor that is more than a century old. Your afternoons will be filled with reading books, while the tandoori chais and live ghazal (poem) sessions will fill your night. The menu is an eclectic mix of North Indian and continental cuisines, and even wines to keep you company.
Address: Toll Plaza Old Mumbai – Pune Highway, Vaksai Naka, Varsoli, Lonavala, Maharashtra – 410401
6. Paakashala
The best part about highway eateries is that the food at these spots is not confined to one culture but lies at the convergence of many. These eateries blend different flavours, specialities, and culinary secrets of the regions that the highways traverse through, offering every rider something to look forward to.
One such spot is Paakashala, located near National Highway 75 (which passes through Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu). Hailed for its vegetarian breakfast, the place is the brainchild of K N Vasudeva Adiga (son of K V Nagesh Rao and K N Saraswati who conceptualised the iconic Brahmin’s Coffee Bar).
With a menu spanning 325 dishes across five cuisines — including dishes like kesari bath (a semolina dessert) banana buns, pudi dose (dosa with spiced lentil powder spread) — you are in for a treat.
Address: Koppa Bangalore Mangalore Highway, NH75, Kunigal, Karnataka – 572142
7. Hotel Karthik
Located 5 km from the Mangaluru main city, close to National Highway 66, the eatery makes a mean tuppa masala dosa (a crisp thin butter pancake), pundi gassi (steamed rice dumplings in a spicy onion gravy), and other specialities.
But as an article by Condé Nast points out, the best part of the menu is the KT (Kalladka Tea) style coffee which was popularised by Hotel Laxmi Nivas. The drink includes a strong and sweet coffee with the coffee concentrate at the bottom layered with hot milk and milk foam, similar to the tea that was prepared by Hotel Laxmi Nivas.
Address: WR2P+X4M, Kulur Ferry Rd, Urwa Store, Kottara, Mangaluru, Karnataka – 575006
Edited by Pranita Bhat
No comments:
Post a Comment