🔗 Share this article

Delectable kebabs, aromatic biryani, and fluffy, ethereal desserts.

The historic city in northern India of Lucknow has forever been a dream destination for epicures, with inhabitants and tourists alike celebrating its exquisite cuisine.

Worldwide Recognition

In a recent announcement, Unesco designated it as a City of Gastronomy within its Creative Cities Network – adding it to a exclusive roster of global cities and igniting hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's sublime food. With this status, it joins a international community of cities metropolises across more than 100 countries committed to promoting "innovation as a key factor of city development that is sustainable".

The honor "demonstrates its centuries-old food heritage and lively food ecosystem," according to a spokesperson from Unesco's Regional Office for South Asia.

Lucknow is just the second Indian city – following Hyderabad, which was chosen in 2019 – to earn a spot in this highly sought-after list of 70 global destinations internationally.

A Metropolis Shaped by Cuisine

The accolade for this historic city arrives as little surprise to its inhabitants or avid food lovers. Many share the sentiment that it is "an honor long overdue".

With the UNESCO accolade, this cherished, bustling, and vibrant city – the administrative center of India's biggest state – is finally in the global gaze for what has always defined its soul: an profound love for food.

"'The day's menu, how will it be cooked' is a constant dialogue from morning until night in many homes," explains a local cultural expert. "And you are actually assessed by the quality of food that is produced in your kitchen."

A Royal Culinary Legacy

The Nawabi City – as it's popularly called after its historic affluent Muslim rulers – is renowned for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a unique take on biryani that were invented, perfected, and raised to exquisite levels in their imperial kitchens.

These imperial kitchens were centers of gastronomic creativity, fusing Iranian and indigenous Indian styles to create what became known as the culinary tradition of Awadh.

It was during this time that Lucknow's most famous kebabs were fashioned. Legend has it that the mutton galouti was devised to feed an elderly nawab who had lost his teeth. His chefs minced the meat with papaya, kesar, and a blend of spices and made it so soft that it needed no chewing.

But arguably the greatest contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cooking Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a gentle, leisurely heat, with the pot's lid securely closed with dough.

A Diverse Culinary Landscape

Apart from the famous kebabs and biryani, the culinary masters also developed a repertoire of dishes that included kormas (creamy curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a decadent bread pudding).

However, Lucknow is not only about kebabs and biryani – the region is also a vegetarian's paradise.

The local Baniya community's cuisine doesn't just highlights seasonal produce but also offers the city its exquisitely crafted Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – spicy fried snacks.

Time-Tested Food Joints

Virtually on many street corners, there are tiny kiosks and kiosks – lesser-known treasures that are immensely popular with the locals.

In the city center of Hazratganj, throngs of people start gathering from the crack of dawn at a famous tea stall to get a piping hot cup of spiced tea with milk, offered in clay glasses, along with pillowy soft buns covered in freshly churned white butter.

For breakfast, one can head to a no-frills joint operating in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Nearly 150 years after it was set up, the place is still in great demand for its hot kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).

Safeguarding a Culinary Heritage

The city also offers unique treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a airy dessert found in the winter. The process of making it is intricate and complicated. The artisan whisks the milk and then exposes it at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its incredible frothy texture.

On crisp mornings, street vendors can be seen in historic neighborhoods like Aminabad and Chowk. Some but say that their children are unwilling to take up the skill.

A well-known culinary expert from Lucknow has often said that the city's rich food legacy places it at the very pinnacle of the Indian street food experience. The significant impact from the UNESCO recognition, it is believed, will be realized only if Lucknow can now build recognition about its lesser-known eateries.

Every dish in Lucknow tells a story – crafted by generational food businesses, from humble street carts to busy restaurants, and secret family recipes.

The global recognition, it is hoped, will encourage more people worldwide to explore these narratives and visit the city to taste the food wonders of Lucknow.