Places to eat in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh

So! In the quest to taste the diverse famous delicacies of India, some people will go even in places where there is high adulteration and nothing really special in food. But because of my two-year stay in this zilla (district) called Ghaziabad, I had to find time for one road trip dedicated to its food. Thanks bansal saab for the company and driving Ghaziabad’s local boy Bahu-Balli’s public transport (Activa). Other participants include Emraan #me, Chota Bheem.

In no specific order, some of the ones which can generously put under “known foods of Ghaziabad” are here.

Chemical Burger @ Kavi Nagar –

Man! The name itself ignites that curiosity in you – what on earth are its’ ingredients? These burgers can give quite a stiff competition to branded names. Yours truly once waited 30 min to get a couple of them. The preparation is quite simple (click on the pic for better view) –

Switch on the stove for a metre diameter pan. Melt some butter and fry the red (pink/purple) coloured filling. Keep on mashing the filling, melt some more butter (Do this iteration atleast 2-3 times). Keep aside the filling. For buns, melt bricks of butter and with specialized artistic skills start the assembly line for producing these chemical burgers. Butter should be added as when required. Garnish with a paneer slice, a tomato slice and jaate jaate squeeze some lemon over it and pour some purple coloured liquid! Jai ho! Utterly Butterly delicious...

Now a lot of people including yours truly are quite sceptical about the red/pink/purple coloured filling. Some even honour it by chanting ‘The Dirty Burger’ (still in their hearts they love its taste). The maker says it’s the natural colour of beetroot but dil hai ki manta nahi. The end product is quite popular and tastes awesome.

The name ‘chemical burger’ is a courtesy a child who quite cutely ordered “bhaiya ek chemical burger”.

Place to be found – Kavi Nagar market, opposite one of India’s best MBA schools. Rate Card – Rs 20 per burger.

Lalman Lassi Wale @ Old Ghaziabad Bus Stand –

Just behind the Old Ghaziabad bus stand, you will find this shop. Surprisingly, it IS a full-fledged cement shop and NOT a lassi stand (Ghaziabad is not famous of milk products; rather it is quite notorious when it comes to availability of pure milk here). The sweet lassi @ Rs 20 is very standard and I can’t find any motivation with me to have it again. No comparison with lassi available at Kota/Amristar/Banaras. Better than ones sold in Chandani Chowk (Old Delhi) just because of a thicker malai layer! Shop is opened till late night. 

Pastry @ Madhurima Bakery –

Madhurima Bakery, Ghaziabad

One of best located eateries I have came across till date. It is damn famous (everybody we asked was able to tell the place). It is situated near Ghantaghar on the side of Vijaynagar. You will need to show some special effort to find this place. It is located inside a motor service station with blacksmith, carpenters using their tools with full Decibel impact. Even then, people will encourage you by saying ‘wahin hai, aage’ (its there, ahead). And all you see is a door – welcome to Madhurima bakery. Bakery is actually a wholesaler and manufacturers bakery products in bulk. Consequently, many line up for their bulk daily purchase.

Courageously ask the guys behind the counters for pastry and they will ask you numbers – 6,8,10 (A.P. series with a = 6 and d = 2). I bought a trial pack of standard Pineapple ones @ Rs 35 (6 piece). Pastries are standard and the taste shows the economies of scale motive in it. Keeping the taste! By its shear popularity among locals and business volume, it can be visited. I like the way he tells you his popularity being a wholesaler in the Ghaziabad district. 

Pahalwan Dhaba, Ghaziabad

Parathas @ Dhabas –

Throughout North India, they are everywhere. Even in South Delhi, they emerge in an ad-hoc fashion at nights (Yusuf Sarai, Moolchand, IIT D Gate). Paranthas in North India are staple. For their makers, its preparation is easy, fast and requires very less working capital. Ghaziabad has few famous ones (Pahalwan Dhaba, Shubham Dhaba).

I suggest you go to Shubhams. Parantha are pretty much the same but the real USP and the taste lies in Dahi Fry. Dahi Fry – it is a mixture of curd with tomatoes, onions boiled with adequate quantity oil. Paranthas are served with eraser-sized butter bricks and are a delight to eat, especially in winters. God bless the man/woman who invented the circular disks.

Location – 2-3 kms from Old Bus Stand

Madan Sweets, Ghaziabad

Madan Halwai –

Nice neat AC place located quite far from Old Bus Stand. No extraordinary dish I can think of. Pyaas Khachori will be my only recommendation. Among its peers with similar ambiance (Gulab@Kavi Nagar, etc), Madan is the cheapest.

More in the Zila - Don’t know much about non-veg items. One of them is Zaika rolls @ Kavi Nagar (right opposite Chemical Burger stall) - decent enough (hearsay). Then, stalls selling Chole Kulche outside Kachari are also popular (I recommend to avoid them). Nearby RDC too has many QSRs (nothing exceptional though, every city/town/zila have those AC chambers).

Places suggested by gamer n coder Vineet, native of Ghaziabad who went on to become a Gold medallist in his & mine graduation.  

Please note: Ghaziabad in the article is ‘Old Ghaziabad’ only!