🔗 Share this article

Tempting kebabs, scented biryani, and fluffy, cloud-like desserts.

The metropolis in India's north of Lucknow has forever been a food lovers' paradise, with inhabitants and visitors equally celebrating its superb cuisine.

An International Accolade

Last month, UNESCO designated it as a City of Gastronomy within its Creative Cities Network – placing it on a prestigious group of international urban centers and igniting hopes that it will showcase Lucknow's peerless food. With this status, it enters a global network of over 400 metropolises across more than 100 countries focused on promoting "artistic expression as a catalyst of development that sustains urban life".

The accolade "stands as proof of its deep-rooted culinary traditions and vibrant culinary scene," according to a official from UNESCO's regional bureau for South Asia.

Lucknow is only the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was chosen in 2019 – to find a place in this highly sought-after list of seventy urban centers internationally.

A City Defined by Food

The recognition for this venerable city comes as little surprise to its inhabitants or passionate food lovers. Many share the view that it is "a recognition that was delayed".

With the UNESCO recognition, this beloved, chaotic, and diverse city – the administrative center of India's largest state – is at last in the global gaze for what has perennially defined its essence: an immense devotion for food.

"'What's for dinner, how will it be cooked' is a constant dialogue from morning until going to bed in many homes," states a local cultural expert. "And you are actually evaluated by the standard of food that emerges from your kitchen."

A Heritage of Nawabi Cuisine

The Nawabi City – as it's often referred to after its 18th and 19th-century affluent Muslim rulers – is noted for its tender kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were created, refined, and taken to sublime levels in their opulent kitchens.

These imperial kitchens were hubs of culinary innovations, blending Persian and local Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.

It was in that period that Lucknow's most famous kebabs were fashioned. The story goes that the mutton galouti was devised to cater to an elderly nawab who had no longer had his teeth. His cooks ground the meat with raw papaya, kesar, and spices and made it so soft that it required no chewing.

But perhaps the greatest contribution of the cooks of Awadh was the slow-cook Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a gentle, slow heat, with the container's cover tightly sealed with a flour paste.

Beyond Kebabs and Biryani

Besides the obvious kebabs and biryani, the cooks also built up a collection of dishes that included kormas (rich curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a decadent bread pudding).

However, Lucknow is not just about kebabs and biryani – the region is additionally a dream for plant-based eaters.

The local traditionally vegetarian community's cuisine not only showcases local ingredients but also gives the city its highly curated Indian desserts, sweets, and unique street food, like chaat – tangy fried snacks.

Hidden Gems and Legacy Eateries

Nearly on many street corners, there are tiny kiosks and stalls – little-known gems that are immensely loved by the locals.

In the heart of the city of Hazratganj, throngs of people start gathering from the crack of dawn at a famous tea stall to get a steaming cup of spiced tea with milk, presented in earthenware cups, along with pillowy soft buns covered in freshly churned white butter.

In the morning, one can head to a simple joint situated in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was established, the place is still highly popular for its freshly fried kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).

Preserving Tradition for the Future

The city also offers special seasonal delights, such as makkhan malai, a cloud-like dessert found in the winter. The method of making it is scientific and complicated. The artisan beats the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the dew to give it its incredible light consistency.

On cold mornings, street vendors line up in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Many but say that their younger generation are reluctant to learn the craft.

A renowned chef from Lucknow has often said that the city's immense food legacy puts it at the very pinnacle of the Indian street food experience. The significant impact from the UNESCO recognition, however, will occur only if Lucknow can now create awareness about its hidden eateries.

Every dish in Lucknow has a narrative – shaped by family-run food businesses, from humble street carts to bustling restaurants, and guarded family recipes.

The global recognition, it is believed, will encourage more people globally to explore these narratives and travel to the city to taste the gastronomic treasures of Lucknow.