The real Indian palate rests in its smaller cities, says Ranveer Brar. As food spaces get saturated in the metros, these will be the torchbearers of the country’s food scene in the years to come, says the chef as he looks ahead and lists his four food metros of 2025
Chef Ranveer Brar looks ahead and lists the four ‘smaller’ cities, combining culinary legacy and contemporary food spaces, that will dominate the culinary map of 2025
For me, the real India has always dwelt in its smaller cities. Bursting with aspiration and yet grounded in tradition, it is these cities, some of which don’t really qualify as small anymore, that will be the torchbearers of India’s food scene in the years to come, particularly with food spaces getting saturated in the metros. The real Indian palate resides here. Here’s my take on India’s four food metros in 2025:
Indore: Famous for its street food in the Chhappan and the Sarrafa areas, the food capital of Madhya Pradesh has given us the classic sweet and salty poha jalebi, a unique combination of tastes you are unlikely to get anywhere else. New Indore is bustling with contemporary food spaces, elegant in both design and cuisine, and promising to be the next big food story. Indore is the city to look out for.
Lucknow: This is the city that has made me what I am, the city that has given India the gift of dum pukht and legendary kebabs like the galawat kebab. The Uttar Pradesh capital holds on its food traditions tight. It has had strong lineage of khansaamas and royal cooks and unmatched non vegetarian street food. Yet, over the last decade, Lucknow has embraced change with specialty multi-cuisine restaurants and international chains.
Kochi: Dating back to 1500, the port city of Kochi has seen a bewildering number of rulers, making it a melting pot of various cultures and traditions. Fort Kochi alone has more than 60 different cultures represented by families that have settled here for five centuries. This is a must visit city for all aspects of Kerala cuisine, Mopalla , Malabar, Saadya and Syrian Christian. Balancing tradition is the cosmopolitan nature of Kochi with state of the art supermarkets and international eateries finding a home here too. Kochi is going to be the food capital of the south in the times to come and deservingly so.
Coorg: The Kashmir of the south and at one time the smallest state of the country has a varied culinary history that is well documented and a cuisine that has evolved over the decades. A perfect blend of pre-colonial and colonial Influences both in culture and cuisine, the coffee capital of India with an enviable culinary legacy has always welcomed change with open arms. Coorg is a foodie haven just waiting to be discovered. It seems that the ‘farm to table’ concept of dining was created for Coorg as it has the perfect setting for both the farm and the table.
Coorg Chicken
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "indore-street-food")
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}