Visiting India? Make Sure You Stop By These Tasty Cities

When travelers make the long, long trek to India, they usually visit Delhi and Mumbai, both of which are well known for excellent culinary options, from fine dining to street food. Part of the draw of those two major hubs is how they encompass so many different regional Indian cuisines in their city limits. However, the best place to enjoy these regional foods is in the regions themselves. Here are five other tasty cities to visit while you're in India. 

Amritsar is worth visiting for the stunning Golden Temple alone, but while you're there, you might as well sample authentic Punjabi dishes like butter chicken — which is loved the world over yet tastes the best here — and chole bhature. Cool down in the summer with falooda. For a decadent vegetarian meal, don't miss the famous Bhrawan Da Dhaba.

Cochin is in Kerala, and Kerala cooks use often rice and fish as their main ingredients — along with lots of spices. Here, you'll want to eat appam — a pancake made from rice and coconut milk — and the special Kerala white biriyani. This also makes Cochin a particularly delicious destination for gluten-free travelers. Enjoy it under a colorful canopy at Ginger House Restaurant, located in the historic Jewish district.

Regional cuisine varies so much in south India that in Chennai alone you'll be able to enjoy specialties from Kerala, Andhra, Chettinad, and more — you'll never, ever, get bored of the food in this city. You'll want to order the Andhra thali (a plate of rice with various curries) at Ashoka, get idlis and dosas for breakfast at Murugan Idli Shop, and try some Indian-Chinese food (especially the "crackling spinach") at Mainland China. 

The most famous biryani house in India, and possibly the world, is Paradise Hotel in Hyderabad. In other words: don't miss eating this iconic Indian dish in this city. The cuisine of Hyderabad is more meat-heavy than other regional Indian food, evident in dishes like keema (minced meat) samosas and maghaz masala (fried lamb brain). 

Often called India's intellectual and cultural capital, Kolkata ain't too shabby when it comes to food either. Add kathi rolls and Indian-Chinese food to your list, and the typical Bengali maacher jhol, a fish stew with what Saveur calls the region's distinctive mix of five spices: toasted fenugreek, nigella, cumin, black mustard, and fennel seeds. For a Bengali feast, head to Kewpie's.