8 Best Dhabas To Save on Your Maps for the Next Road Trip

I distinctly recall a 2019 college road trip to Kasara which lies along the Mumbai-Nashik route. The plan was an overnight trek to Maharashtra’s Sandhan Valley (also known as the Valley of Shadows). We decided to fuel up before commencing the long walk through the ravine.

At a local food joint, piping hot Maggi, samosas (a savoury Indian pastry), vada pavs (deep fried potato dumplings in bread), and chai occupied the length and breadth of the ricketty table as 17 hungry adolescents feasted to their heart’s content.

Manners and etiquette waltzed out through the window as we smacked our lips and licked the spicy Maharashtrian garlic chutney off our fingers. It became clear to me why since time immemorial, dhabas (roadside food stalls) have been the first choice of truck drivers.

Presumably, the first instances of dhabas appeared around the middle of the 20th century on Grand Trunk Road (one of Asia’s oldest roads that connects Central Asia to the Indian subcontinent). I can vividly imagine a bunch of truckers sitting around on charpaayis (cots), digging into paranthas (a Punjabi speciality), and gulping down glasses of lassi (sweetened milk) as empty plates were cleared, making room for more helpings.

The dhaba culture still persists and, whether you recall or not, you’ve had a slice of it. Here are eight dhabas you may want to check out.

1. Chilika Dhaba

If seafood is where your heart lies, then the Chilika Dhaba (located near its namesake lake) in Barkul, Odisha, is where you should be heading. Spicy curry seeps out of vibrant crab shells, soaking the meat inside. Regional and authentic local masalas coat the prawns that, when compared to their city counterparts, are massive. The lobsters and tiger prawns play chief guests at the celebration on each thali (Indian food platter).

At the Chilika Dhaba, seafood is the star of the menu with lobsters, prawns and crabs being the popular choices, Picture source: (L): Odisha Food Lovers; (R): Bhaskar

At Chilika Dhaba, there isn’t a set menu; the meats and recipes depend on the catch of the day. Among the non-vegetarian standouts is the mutton curry. 

Address: NH16, Barkul, Odisha – 752030.

2. Giani Da Dhaba

Giani Da Dhaba has seen an affluent list of patrons including the likes of former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah and former Punjab Chief Minister, Captain Amarinder Singh. Resilience was evident among the owners when the building was demolished in 2017 to make way for four laning of National Highway 22. Within months, the dhaba was on its feet, albeit on the opposite side of the road.

Authentic North Indian delicacies are found at Giani Da Dhaba which was started in the 1970s, Picture source: Giani Da Dhaba

The history of the founder Kuldeep Singh, a mechanic at a local watch manufacturing company, traces back to the 1970s when he started an eatery for commuters en route to Shimla. With time, the popularity grew and the humble menu of tea and biscuits expanded to butter chicken, paranthas, and other non-vegetarian delicacies.

Address: Giani Da Dhaba, Dharampur, Himachal Pradesh – 173209.

3. Amrik Sukhdev

The pride of Haryana’s Murthal and the solace of truck drivers — Amrik Sukhdev dhaba has stood the test of time since 1956. It was this year that a gentleman Sardar Prakash Singh conceptualised a space where truck drivers could be served roti (Indian flatbread), dal (lentils), and paranthas. Spoonfuls of hot butter greased the surface of steaming paranthas.

Amrik Sukhdev started as a small dhaba in 1956 to provide truck drivers with meals, Picture source: Amrik Sukhdev

Since then, the flavours and consistency have endured, while the menu has expanded. The offerings are no longer limited to the three items but include North Indian delicacies and Indian sweets. Every bus driver on their way from Delhi to Chandigarh makes a stop at this iconic spot.

Address: No.52, 250KM Stone, Grand Trunk Rd, Murthal, Haryana – 131039.

4. Puran Singh Da Dhaba

The story of Puran Singh Da Dhaba is cloaked in history. A simple Google search will render many results with the same name. But the original dhaba traces to Ambala. Some say Puran Singh settled in the city after retiring from the Indian Army; others say he settled here post-Partition. While the origins were debated, it was unanimously agreed that Singh’s mutton and chicken recipes were too good to be true. An anecdote tells of how other dhaba owners paid Singh to close at 6 pm so that they could get some business!

It is hearsay that the dhaba is a favourite of Chef Ranveer Brar. 

Address: 9R6X+CC7, Ambala Cantt, Haryana – 133001.

5. Dhaba End Dee’s Samaroh

With its colourful bamboo facade, and aromas wafting out of the enclosure that stands along National Highway 37, Dhaba End Dee’s Samaroh is easy to spot. The menu is equally compelling. It is filled with authentic Assamese preparations — such as duck butter masala, pork chilli, bahu fish fry, fried pavo, and pigeon chilli.

Authentic Assamese preparations can be sampled at Dhaba End Dee’s Samaroh, Picture source: Dhaba End Dee’s Samaroh

Address: National Highway 37, Near Koliabhomora Batamari Kachari Pam, Tezpur, Assam – 784027.

6. Ganga Dhaba

Ask any officer from the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) about their favourite dhaba for chai and snacks and they will point you in the direction of Ganga Dhaba. It is helmed by 70-year-old Deepak Garg, who started a food joint in 1978 and christened it ‘Om Chinese Restaurant’. Today, it is known as Ganga Dhaba.

Deepak Garg and his wife Sussma run the Ganga Dhaba near LBSNAA in Mussoorie, Picture source: Deepak

Evenings witness jam sessions with the officers bonding over old numbers. A crowd favourite snack during these sessions is the Mughlai parantha and aloo-pyaaz parantha prepared by Deepak’s wife Sussma.

Address: F3C3+25J, Unnamed Road, Charleville, Mussoorie, Uttarakhand – 248179.

7. Kesar Da Dhaba

Once a favourite of Lala Lajpat Rai, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, and Indira Gandhi, Kesar Da Dhaba is tucked in the narrow lanes of Chowk Passian, Amritsar. The idea was born in 1916 when a gentleman Lala Kesar Mal and his wife Parvati from the Sheikhpura region of Pakistan began selling dal makhani (a curry of black lentils, red kidney beans, cream and fresh butter, cooked overnight in a copper vessel) along with roti.

Kesar Ka Dhaba in Amritsar serves delicious paranthas, firni and Punjabi specialities, Picture source: Kesar Ka Dhaba

After the Partition in 1947, the couple decided to shift the dhaba to Amritsar. With hot crisp paranthas, creamy lassi, delicious thalis, and the traditional Punjabi dessert firni (sweet pudding) filling up the menu, Kesar da Dhaba carries on the legacy of Punjabi cultural heritage.

Address: Chowk Passian, Gali Rajpura, near Telephone Exchange, Amritsar, Punjab – 143001.

8. Rajinder Da Dhaba

Fish fry and anda (egg) fry. This duo has been a crowd-puller ever since the inception of Rajinder Da Dhaba in 1968. When Rajinder Kumar Dua, a vegetable vendor at Kamal Cinema Road in Delhi, came up with this idea, he never fathomed the kind of love it would amass.

Soon, the dhaba rose to the ranks of one of the most popular food joints in Delhi. The dhaba’s success is in traditional achari tikkas (meats marinated in yoghurt and spices), dahi kebabs (minced meat cooked on skewers), shahi paneer (a cottage cheese preparation), and kormas (creamy and spicy curries). Don’t miss out on the galouti kebabs (minced meat cooked in spices) and the chicken curry. We hear they are quite appetising.

Address: AB-14B, Nauroji Nagar Marg, opposite Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi, Delhi – 110029.

Edited by Pranita Bhat

Sources

Iconic Giani Da Dhaba on Kalka-Shimla Highway no more by Saurabh Prashar, Published on 1 June 2017.

The Truckers’ Food That Became an Indian Culinary Style by Kalpana Sunder.

History of Puran Singh Ka Dhaba by Desi Food Stories.