Jabalpur is a small, slow pace, relaxed, calm town at the heart of India- Madhya Pradesh.

Street food
Since I was born and brought up there and spent about 22 years; you can take my words and I will be providing unbiased and authentic information about food of Jabalpur. I was always keen for value and taste hence rarely visited big restaurants (though there were not many at that time except a few which one could have counted on fingers).

Popular classic street food snacks at Jabalpur are Samosa, Aloo Banda, Mangoda and Bhajiya etc. From Chat perspective the popular items are Fulki/Panipuri, Gatpat (mixture), Aloo Chap, Samosa, Vada, Bhel-Puri etc. Poha-Jalebi is also popular but during morning hours only.
During summers you will see carts selling Barf Ka Gola, ice bars, Kulfi, Jaljira, Lassi, Mangoshke and Dahi Vada etc. Come winters and you have carts of Gajak, Laiya etc. You also will find carts selling seasonal fruits / salads / Munchies like Janun, Guava, Mango, Cucumber, Ber, Green Gram, sugarcane chunks (Gaderi) etc. If you are lucky you may also see a cart selling Churan as well as Masala Kharakh (probably Arjun-Ban); try it; if you can. Chances of bumping to cart selling old school colorful Sev (typically orange, red, deep yellow in color both salted and sweet) are rare but they are the old timers… really old timers and not many takers these days.

These days you may find cart selling pan Indian snacks but if it is not mentioned in para above; it is not Jabalpuriya stuff.

Here are some interesting food items available on the streets of Jabalpur.

…Barf Ka Gola…

Sold on cart at busy places in old market area “Lord Ganj” as well as other too for Rs10; Ice block crushed using hand operated machine and filled in to a glass. Topped up with dry coconut powder and further with flavour of your choice like orange, cola, rose, pineapple, kala khatta, lemon etc.
If you want to go one step further; a bread slice will also be crushed in to ice. Regarding taste; only a kid or a person with heart of a kid can. Hygiene; only parents can.

… Breakfast 

Annapurna Snacks (opp Khandelwal Furnitures, near Maharashtra School)

This place starts early in the morning and serves Poha, Jalebi, Samora and Alubanda.

Fantastic taste.

…Night life (no alcohol and no non veg….)

When bustling and busy main market area of Sarafa (silver-gold market) and Fuhara (fountain)starts to shutdown at about 9:00 PM; push karts take over the side of the road selling hot/cold mild, sweets made up from milk and derivatives, lassi, chat, samosa , aloo banda, falahari chat, mangoda and much more. This goes on till late mid night.

Baba Falahari Chat (Sarafa):

Snacks made out of stuff from fruits and vegetables in milk fat. Most famous cart is “Baba ki Chat”. Heavy cast iron griddle kept over a wood fired furnace on a cart. Everything is cooked using pure ghee. Serving only 3 items.

Gatpat (Mixture)…

Slow roasted boiled potato pieces, topped up with water chestnut sev (fried noodles), fried peanuts, crushed wafers, tamarind chutney, roasted cumin seed powered, rock salt, red chili powder and coriander.

Chap…

Mashed boiled potato flat patty filled with ginger and green chili paste, slow roasted on the griddle will crisp dark brown. Split in two, topped up with water chestnut sev (fried noodles), fried peanuts, crushed wafers, tamarind chutney, roasted cumin seed powered, rock salt, red chili powder and coriander.

Tamatar…

Mashed boiled potatoes and tomatoes slow roasted on griddle till the preparation starts leveling fat. Topped up with water chestnut sev (fried noodles), fried peanuts, crushed wafers, tamarind chutney, roasted cumin seed powered, rock salt, red chili powder and coriander.

Malai Roll and Rabdi (Sarafa):

Popular among business community Rabdi is made by lengthy process of slow cooking of milk and sugar for hours together. The resultant is thick condensed milk which develops a bit granular structure yet having some viscosity to crawl. Very delicious!
Malai roll is made from the cream which floats naturally over the surface of milk once it is boiled and allowed to cooled down. Multiple layers of above mixed with sugar and allowed to set. Delicious.

Jain Kulfi (Garha Road):

Ingredients used are reduced milk (over prolonged slow heating), adding sugar, fry fruits. Concoction filled in to small sealed containers and dropped in to earthen pot which is already filled with ice and salt mixture. The pot is shaken continuously till the ice-cream sets. The result is soft, creamy ice cream which is hard enough to hold on stick but soft enough to bite. Rs 10 for a stick. Great stuff.
There are many others as well and it is easy to find one near you (wherever you are).

… Night life (Non Veg but no alcohol…)
You will find many carts and road side outlets selling non veg (chicken, fish, mutton etc). Majority of them are new and catering to the needs of changed taste of town but some of them are very old and located deep inside particular areas of the town serving tender, tasteful, cheap non veg snacks.

Kebabs (Choti Omti)…

Choti Omti area (Gully that goes in opp Riyaz Hotel), this small shop uses coal fired flat pit and skewers for slow cooking overnight marinated beef (buffalo meat) chunks in tomato and secret spice base. Tender, spicy, cooked to perfection served with thin slices of onions and a lemon slice.
There are a few shops over there in the locality.

…Evening delight…
At market area, there are some carts/small shops which are always crowded. Typical items available are Samosa, Aloo Banda, Mangoda, Chat etc.

Gupta Chat (Civic Center):

Started from a small cart now grown up as a shop Chat is core competence for them. Common stuff is Fulki (also called pani-puri), Chap, Samosa, Gat-Pat or Mixture and uncommon Bhaji Vada.

Bhaji Vada…

It is double deep fried ball made from batter of gram seed flower and typically spinach. The ball is soaked in water for long so that it becomes tender. For this dish, same is crushed in a bowl, topped up with hot boiling yellow peas and broth, sev (gram seed flower fried noodles), onion, tamarind chutney, sour curd, red chili powder, rock salt, roasted cumin seed powder and coriander.

Ramnath (Sarafa Bazar)…

One of the oldest snacks center serving Samosa and Bhajiya in bowl made of leaves along with exclusive, thin sour butter milk and sour tamarind chutney. Two piping hot Samosa @ Rs 10.

Ram Poha Jalebi (Teen Patti Chowk… well… without teen patti now)…

Warm poha served on news paper along with green chili. Only Rs 10.

Other Very popular Joints / Stalls / Shops / Choupatis 

Shyam Samosa:

Near Lord Gunj police station towards Sarafa (at Shyam band gali corner) this cart sells piping hot and lip smacking Samosa, Mangoda (moong dal bhajiya) etc. Chutney is worth mentioning. Beware… stuff finishes early.

Deva ke Mangode:

Location is bada fuhara. Ask anyone and you will be directed towards… Piping hot Mangoda and the guy can sieve them out from hot oil using bare hands.

Prakash chat:

Cart operates near traffic signal just before Shashtri bridge. Popular since long. He started with Bhel Puri cart to start with. Well he is a big man now and has shops as well (yet cart is still there).

Sadar Choupati:

Army cantonment area choupati with many carts and stalls serving local chat. One called Fatehpuri I still remember.

Civic Center Choupati:

At city center shop serving pan-india snacks as well as desi Chinese, desi Italian and local chat.

Lachchu Bhaiya Ke Dal-Sev (Namkeen):

If you visit Gwari Ghat (banks of Maa Narmada) this small shop is located on three road junction just before Gwari Ghat. They always have freshly made, one of the best Dal-Sev in town.

Restaurants, Hotels and Shops (The Jabalpur Classics)

If you are visiting Jabalpur and want to know what you must not miss “The Jabalpur Classics” I grew up eating at these places…

Indian Coffee House (Karamchand Chowk / Sadar / Super Market area):

Mother of all coffeehouses around (they have branches across country last one I remember started at Bangalore)
For true South Indian Snacks, filter coffee and Meals but they also serve Panjabi food)

Badkul (Sarafa and Vijay Nagar):

One outlet at Kamania Gate and another at Shiv Nagar near Damoh Naka
Well known for Khowa/Mawa Jalebis, Water chestnut Vadas, Meals etc

Baderiya Mishtanna Bhandar (Kotwali area):

For Mava Jalebis, Besan/Magaj Laddus, Sweets made from milk and Namkin all prepared in pure ghee

Digambar Lodge (Mukadamganj):

Located on a busy narrow street; run by Jain family the hotel has legassy as well as history. My father was regular here during his bachelor days. Pure veg food. Pure ghee used in preparations; everything served here is fresh and hot at damn economical rates.

These days though the place has lost its charm due to location yet old timers still prefer this place.

Rajbhog (Sadar):

Bangla sweets (Chena made), Sandesh/Sondesh (they also have Nolel Gur/Gud Date Palm jaggery Sandesh during season)

Navnita Restaurant (near 4th bridge or Choutha Pul as called locally):

It is vegetarian restaurant. Popular among business community. Tasteful stuff at decent rates. Consistent since early 1980s

Kamling Chinese (near 4th bridge /Choutha Pul it is called locally):

Owned and operated by original Chinese old man (he does not man the cash counter these days like earlier). Very nice Indian Chinese preparations. I experienced Indian Chinese food first time here many many decades ago.

And yes; they provide home made chopsticks on demand … some Jabalpuriyas know how to use them 🙂

Clock Tower Chinese (Near Clock Tower Omti… Ghanta Ghar it is called):

Old Chinese restaurant serving Indian Chinese food (check if not shut shop… someone told me sometime back)

Baba Ki Chat (Falahari only) Bada Fuhara (night time) mentioned above

Hanuman Ki Lassi. There are other Lassi stalls which are good. Near State Bank Of India Ghamandi Chowk, Ikshadhari Lassi near Teen Patti Chowk (in summers)

Ikshadhari Lassi. This one is located between Malviya Chowk and TeenPatti Chowk. Serves lassi with different flavors.

Thakur Gajak. During winters Gajak and Laiya are popular.  You need to locate this cart near Bada Fuhara as well as Near Kamaniya. They had a shop inside gully (Kuliya) next to Bhartiya Bhandar (not sure about current status).

Banarsi Bhandar. They are M/s Radhesshaym Jhuthairam Chourasia. Located near Fal Mandi / Bada Fuhara; these guys are experts in pickles (matchless variety) as well as preserved food. They started with Pan Shop and later diversified in to this business.

There are/were many other old restaurants but I am not sure about current status.

• Rambharose Hindu Hotel (Andherdeo) … Indian Snacks
• Amrut Bhandar (Victoria) … Authentic Bangal Sweets (it seems they have opened shop at Vijay Nagar now)
• Indore Sev Bhandar (Lord Gunj) … Namkeen, Mixture, Farsan etc
• Bajirao Poha (Sarafa) … Fantastic Poha
• Sher-e-Panjab (Malviya Chowk) … Good food with Bar
• Riyaz Hotel (Omti area) … wonderful non veg
• Laxmi Cafe (Delite Cinema) … Authentic South Indian Snacks and meal
• Sonali Sweets (Ranjhi) … fantastic Samosa
• Jalaram Sweets and Namiks (Ganjipura)… Gujrati Snacs and Sweets

And if you are a Pan buff… dont miss Shankar Pan near Jyoti Cinema

Last but not the least… If you want to buy most expensive beers of your life and have it at the bar just head to Hotel Narmada Jackson Civil Lines.