India and food are synonymous for me. I’ve met many Indians abroad, who were missing Indian food more than anything else. It works as well for a Delhite living in Mumbai, or a Mumbaikar living in Delhi.
This is one of the reasons Indian cuisine is one of the most accessible cuisines across the world. It has as well SO many varieties. It will take months to try all the dishes, though you will skip something in any case. I have put up this list of food festivals in India that will give you a nice intro to Indian cuisine.
Palate Festival
Palate Fest saw its first edition in 2014 in Delhi where it showcased India’s finest restaurant chefs, entertainers, and musicians. The festival includes food markets, cooking workshops, tasting and dinners with leading restaurants like The Oberoi, Radisson, Kebab Factory, The Taj Hotel, ITC, and other renowned brands.
Everything is followed by live performances by leading artists of India. In 2018, the festival will be held in Delhi and Mumbai in December and January accordingly. Stay tuned!
- When: December – January
- Where: Delhi, Mumbai
- Follow next edition: Palate Fest
Restaurant Week India
Pricing is one of the most attractive points of this fest. A 3-course menu cost starts at 900 INR and reaches over 1300 INR depending on the city. It is a very reasonable price considering these are some of the best restaurants that India has to offer.
This festival gives a possibility to wider crowds to taste and appreciate the dishes, which they generally wouldn’t have taken because of the price at these restaurants. To sum up, if you want to try Indian cuisine from the best chefs in the best of the restaurants, then you should not miss Restaurant Week fest.
- When: Every Spring (April – May) and Autumn (September)
- Where: Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata
- Follow next edition: Restaurant Week Fest
Sula Fest
Sula fest is an event for music, food and wine lovers. Nashik is the wine capital of India and there is no better place to hold a Wine-themed Fest than in Nashik.
At Sula Fest, you can expect artists from different parts of the world, live music, wine-tasting, a showcase of different cuisines. This is one of the rare events you can know more about winemaking from one of the top wine producers in India.
- When: 2-3 February 2019
- Where: Nashik (Maharashtra)
- Follow next edition: Sula Fest
National Street Food Festival
It’s hard to fully appreciate Indian cuisine without giving a try to Indian street food. To savor street food with less chaos and more hygiene, you can pay a visit to the Street Food Festival organized by NASVI (National Association of Street Vendors of India).
Street Food festival brings around 500 vendors from ALL OVER INDIA under one roof. You just think of your favorite Indian street dish and it will be here. Paratha gullies, chat corners, golgappa bazaars bring parathas, kachori, samosa, dosa, jalebis, papdi chaat and what not!
- When: December or January every year
- Where: Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi
- Follow next edition: National Street Food Fest
Asian Hawkers Market
If you are a fan of Asian cuisine or you are thinking now is the time to taste it – this is THE place to be. Japanese, Thai, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese – you name it. Numerous food stalls serving everything from seafood to rolls in one place.
Beyond food, this three-day event introduces you to different Asian cultures through live performances, songs, country stalls, and expositions. All foodies and culture enthusiasts welcomed!
- When: 23 – 25 November 2018
- Where: Select City Walk, Delhi
- Follow next edition: Asian Hawkers Market
International Mango Festival
Mango is a national fruit of India that marks a season apart of the year (April to July). During this time, you can find everything from mango – from signature restaurant dishes to street milk-shakes.
At the end of the season, you can attend numerous festivals around the country, however, the biggest is held in Delhi. If you are not a mango connoisseur, International Mango Festival in Delhi will help you to become one.
Here you can find hundreds of varieties of mangoes and ask questions about everything mango. You can take part in numerous fun competitions – from speed eating to trivia questions. I’ve never managed to eat more than 9 small mangoes, but you are welcomed to try.
- When: Last weekend of June – or the first weekend of July.
- Where: Dili Haat (north), Delhi
- Follow next edition: Mango Festival
Food truck Festivals in India
In the past few years, a concept of food trucks started picking up in India. You can find such themed events happening in major cities of the country. You can expect over 20 food trucks with various dishes, though mainly snacks, sweets, quick bakes, and fast food. The food is prepared just “inside the truck” – but there is a proper kitchen.
Beyond food, you can find nice road-trip style ambiance and music. In Delhi, this event is known under a food festival name “Horn OK”, in cities like Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Ahmedabad you can find this festival under different names. There is a gossip that food trucks are coming to Kolkata too.
- When: Around the year
- Where: Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad
Beyond the seven famous food festivals above, there are many regional or local city events which are worth going to. If you have been to any festival mentioned here or you feel some other important event is missing, drop a comment – I will be happy to hear from you!
We have lovely food festivals in Amsterdam but they are soooo expensive! Thank you so much for sharing those! 🙂 A bit far from my country but definitely worth it!!
Glad you liked it Ardjette! Food festivals are not expensive in India, and they are full of spices and fun. Definitely it’s worth having an Indian trip 🙂
I would love to also try some food festivals in Amsterdam, whenever I am there. If you have any information about them, please do share.
Love your blog. Well organised and insightful. Have shared it on the TripAdvisor Food and Travel forum (see link). Great job, Taya.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g1-i32200-k7996848-o50-Indian_cuisine-Food_and_Travel.html#71421711
Thank you, Brad, for your feedback and for spreading a word on tripadvisor!
I’m happy you found information on blog useful 🙂