Dhaka is a large metropolitan area that is brimming with life. And the only way to truly experience the sounds and sights of the beautiful city is by roaming the streets. It is an ethereal experience – the people, the noises, the scents. Your senses will be heightened. While roaming the busy streets of the city, one thing will always catch your eye – mouthwatering delicious street food. From the wealthy A-lister to the humble rickshaw puller, street food is loved by all. Some of the most popular street food available in Dhaka include fuchka, chotpoti, bhelpuri, jhalmuri, and kebabs. And a variation of these items are available almost everywhere in the city. But there are certain places that are more well known than others for their food. Which is why today, we’ll be exploring the best places for street food in Dhaka.
TSC, Dhaka University
The Dhaka University Area is a hotbed of culture, comprising mostly university students. And the favorite place for hanging out for most of these students is the Teacher-Student Centre, more commonly known as TSC. Right outside TSC, there’s a collection of street food vendors selling all sorts of street food. But the most popular of all the items sold in front of TSC is tea, which is Bangladesh’s drink of choice. You’d be hard-pressed to find any other place in Dhaka offering such variation when it comes to tea. Starting from the humble milk tea to chili & tamarind tea, you will find a whole host of flavors. People come from far and wide just to get a taste of the fantastic assortment of tea available at TSC. This, along with the assortment of other street food, makes it one of the best places for street food in Dhaka.
Opposite Dhaka College
The markets located opposite to Dhaka college are famous for the collection of export quality clothes available, that too at very cheap prices. This results in a huge number of people coming to visit the place every day. But after making your way through the massive crowd and haggling prices, your stomach will start to grumble. Thankfully, right outside the different markets, you will be greeted by a huge assortment of street delicacies, starting from the humble jhalmuri to the egg cake carts. But one item stands out from the rest – the Bangladeshi style bhelpuri. The bhelpuri opposite Dhaka College is renowned for its great taste and is a fan favorite among shoppers. After all, who can say no to some scrumptious bhelpuri after a tiring day of shopping?
Paribagh Overbridge
Unlike most other street food hotspots in Dhaka, the congregation of carts on the eastern side of the Paribagh overbridge is not located in a crowded place. This is fascinating, considering that most of the best places for street food in Dhaka are located in places that people visit regularly, for one purpose or another. However, in this case, the carts themselves are the point of attraction. These carts, located in front of Telejogajog Bhaban, serve mostly kebab. But the most popular cart there is Pizza Live, which serves high-quality pizzas at affordable prices. There are also a few juice bars, as well as jhalmuri and bhelpuri sellers, located there. Overall, the street food sold near the Paribagh Overbridge are both of great quality and also very affordable.
Khilgaon Pallima Sangsad
Khilgaon is an area that is renowned for its food and restaurant scene. Some of Dhaka’s hippest restaurants have started their journey here. And the types of food available in the area are very diverse. This great quality and diversity have also trickled down to the carts located within the area, most of which are concentrated in and around the Pallima Sangsad building. These carts sell a variety of items, including fast food and kebab. They’re frequented by both locals and outsiders who come to explore the food scene in the area.
Uttara Sector 13 Lake
Uttara is a massive area with a plethora of street food available almost anywhere. But what sets apart the street food scene in Sector 13 is its scenic setting. When compared to most places that sell street food in Uttara, the scenic view of the lake is a great place to be having street food. Young people flock to the lake to hang out with friends and create great conversations over a plate of fuchka and chotpoti. This scenic setting paired with the good food makes the Uttara Sector 13 lake one of the best places for street food in Dhaka.
Mirpur 2 Love Road
Mirpur is similar to Uttara in that it also has street food available almost everywhere. There’s one place however that stands out from the rest, and that is the vibrant street food scene in Mirpur 2 Love Road. This place is a favorite hangout spot of the young people in Mirpur. This is the place that you come to if you’ve only got 100 taka in your pocket and want to hang out with friends in Mirpur. There’s a huge variety of tea available in the area, comparable to that of TSC. There are also numerous fast food carts, along with traditional kebab carts. All in all, this is the best place to be in Mirpur if you’re young, looking for a budget meal, and want to hang out with your friends.
The six locations mentioned above are some of the best places for street food in Dhaka, with each having its own specialty. If you want to take a look at some of the world’s best cities (other than Dhaka, of course!) for street food, take a look at this article. For more insightful content like this, stay up to date with the Bproperty Blog!
