What to eat and drink in India: dishes, etiquette and dietary tips

Indian food is regional before it is national. The north cooks with wheat, ghee and cream: tandoor breads, slow curries and Mughlai dishes. The south runs on rice, lentils, coconut and tamarind, with breakfasts of dosa and idli and meals served on a banana leaf. The east uses mustard oil and river fish; the west coast adds seafood, coconut and kokum, with Portuguese traces in Goa.

If you only have a week, pick one region and eat it properly rather than chasing a list. A thali — a plate of dal, vegetables, rice or bread, yoghurt and pickle, often refilled — is the fastest way to taste a region and usually the cheapest full meal.

Prices vary more by city and setting than by dish. A local vegetarian thali or a plate of idli in a stand-up canteen is the cheapest full meal; a mid-range restaurant with air conditioning and a menu in English costs several times more. Tipping is not expected at canteens and small places; in restaurants 5–10% is normal, and many add a service charge already.

Alcohol is taxed heavily and is dry in some states on certain days, so check before planning a night out. Bottled water, chai from a stall and a plate of chaat are small change almost everywhere.

Vegetarian food is the default in much of India, and many restaurants are fully vegetarian. Packaged food carries a green dot for vegetarian and a brown dot for non-vegetarian. Jain food, which leaves out onion, garlic and root vegetables, is available in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Mumbai if you ask.

Vegan eating is harder: ghee, butter, cream, yoghurt and paneer turn up in dishes that look vegetable-based. Ask for no ghee and no curd, and check that breads are not brushed with butter. For allergies, explain before ordering rather than after; shared pans and oil mean cross-contact is likely even when an ingredient is left out.

Street food is worth eating, with the usual rule: choose busy stalls where food is cooked to order and served hot. Chaat is the one to treat with care, because pani puri is filled with flavoured water that may not come from a treated source. Pick vendors who use bottled or filtered water, or choose freshly fried items such as samosas and pakoras.

Tap water is not for drinking. Sealed bottled water is sold everywhere, and many hotels and cafés offer filtered refills. Boiling for one minute also makes water safe. Ice in drinks is the same question as the water it was made from; if you are being careful, ask for no ice. Peeled fruit you open yourself is a safe snack; cut fruit sitting out is less certain.

Eat with your right hand; the left is for handling bread only if you must, and cutlery is always available in restaurants. Wash your hands before and after — restaurants have a basin. In a thali place, staff refill until you cover the plate with your hand to signal you are done.

Do not offer food from your plate or touch shared food with a used hand. Many households and some restaurants are vegetarian, so ask before bringing in outside meat. Dress is relaxed at street stalls and modest in temple towns and family restaurants.

Breakfast is early and often savoury: idli, dosa, poha or paratha. Lunch is the main meal in many regions, and thali places fill up between about 12:30 and 14:30. Dinner runs late by Western standards, often from 20:00, and street food peaks in the evening.

During Ramadan, many restaurants in Muslim neighbourhoods change hours, and during festivals such as Diwali or Onam some family-run places close or serve a special menu. Vegetarian days — Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday depending on the region — are observed by some establishments, so a meat dish may not be available.

Carry small notes: many stalls and small restaurants cannot break a ₹500 note early in the day. UPI mobile payment is widely accepted, but it needs an Indian bank link, so most visitors pay cash. Tipping is optional at canteens and 5–10% in restaurants.

If you have a sensitive stomach, build up over the first few days: cooked food from busy places first, then widen the menu. Carry oral rehydration salts and a thermometer. See a doctor if there is blood in your stool, a fever above 38.5 °C, or symptoms lasting more than three days. This is general information, not medical advice.