India rewards travellers who eat well. Every region, every city, and most street corners have their own version of something worth trying. This seven-day itinerary covers five cities, Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Jaipur, and Goa, and pulls together the dishes and the places worth knowing. Street chaat, royal Rajasthani thalis, South Indian breakfasts, Goan seafood. Come hungry.
Day 1: Mumbai - Street Food Capital of India
**Morning: breakfast at an Irani cafe (7-9 AM).** Start at an Irani cafe like Kyani & Co. or Yazdani Bakery, both near Fort/CST. Bun maska (butter-soaked bun) with Irani chai, ₹50 to ₹80. The sweet milky tea with soft bread is the Mumbai breakfast. Watch the regulars read the morning paper while you eat.
**Mid-morning: vada pav (10-11 AM).** Mumbai's signature street snack. Try Ashok Vada Pav at Kirti College in Dadar, or any corner vendor. Spicy potato fritter in a soft bun with chutneys, ₹15 to ₹30. Eat it standing on the pavement. Try the batata vada (just the fritter) too.
**Lunch: pav bhaji at Sardar (12:30-2 PM).** Sardar Pav Bhaji in Tardeo serves the city's best. Spicy mashed vegetables with buttered pav, ₹150 to ₹250 a plate. The butter quantity is part of the legend. Squeeze lemon, add raw onions, and ask for extra pav.
**Evening snack: bhel puri at Juhu Beach (5-6 PM).** Walk down to Juhu and get bhel puri from a beach vendor. ₹50 to ₹80. Watch the sunset while you eat. Sev puri and pani puri are right there too.
**Dinner: seafood at Trishna or Mahesh Lunch Home (8-10 PM).** Mumbai seafood at its best. Butter garlic crab (₹800 to ₹1,200), bombil fry (Bombay duck), prawn koliwada. Budget ₹1,500 to ₹2,500 for two. Book ahead. Alternative: Bade Miyan in Colaba for late-night kebabs and rolls (₹300 to ₹600).
Day 2: Delhi - Mughlai, Chaat, and Paranthas
**Morning: travel to Delhi.** Early flight (6 to 7 AM departure, arrive 8 to 9 AM, ₹3,000 to ₹5,000) or overnight train (depart 10 to 11 PM, arrive 6 to 7 AM). Freshen up at the hotel.
**Breakfast: Paranthe Wali Gali, Chandni Chowk (9-11 AM).** Old Delhi's famous stuffed-paratha lane. Potato, paneer, and mixed veg paranthas with aloo sabzi, pickle, and lassi. ₹100 to ₹200 a head. The ghee-heavy paranthas are the point. Walk the Chandni Chowk markets after.
**Lunch: Karim's at Jama Masjid (1-3 PM).** Mughlai restaurant running since 1913. Mutton burra (₹400), chicken jahangiri (₹350), mutton korma (₹400), roomali roti (₹20). Budget ₹800 to ₹1,200 for two. The meat falls apart. Vegetarians: try the Haldiram's nearby for chaat and Indian Chinese.
**Evening chaat at Bengali Market or Connaught Place (5-7 PM).** Delhi chaat at its best. Aloo tikki (potato patty with chutneys, ₹50 to ₹80), dahi bhalla (lentil dumplings in yoghurt, ₹60 to ₹100), papdi chaat (₹60 to ₹100). Nathu's Sweets and Bengali Market are both reliable. End with kulfi (₹40 to ₹80).
**Dinner: Indian Accent or Bukhara (8-10 PM).** Splurge night. Indian Accent at Lodhi Hotel does modern Indian cuisine (₹4,000 to ₹6,000 for two). Bukhara at ITC Maurya does Northwest Frontier (₹3,500 to ₹5,000 for two). On a tighter budget, Khan Chacha at Khan Market does excellent kebabs and rolls (₹300 to ₹500).
Day 3: Jaipur - Royal Rajasthani Flavors
**Morning: travel to Jaipur.** Early train (Shatabdi Express, 4.5 hours, ₹800 to ₹1,200) or drive (5 to 6 hours). Arrive by noon.
**Lunch: dal baati churma at Chokhi Dhani or a local restaurant (1-3 PM).** Rajasthan's signature dish. Baked wheat balls (baati) with mixed lentils (dal) and sweet crumbled wheat (churma). ₹300 to ₹500 a head at good places. Rich, filling, and as authentic as it gets. Some places do unlimited thalis.
**Evening snack: pyaaz kachori at Rawat Mishthan Bhandar (5-6 PM).** Jaipur's famous onion-stuffed kachori. ₹30 to ₹50 each. Crispy, spicy, and hard to stop eating. The mawa kachori (sweet version) is ₹40 to ₹60. Wash it down with masala chai (₹10 to ₹20). Near the railway station, always crowded, which is the right sign.
**Dinner: Laxmi Mishthan Bhandar (LMB) or a Rajasthani thali (8-10 PM).** LMB in Johari Bazaar does a traditional Rajasthani thali (₹400 to ₹700) with 15 or more items. Ker sangri (desert beans), gatte ki sabzi (gram flour dumplings), bajre ki roti (millet bread). Unlimited servings. Vegetarian paradise.
Day 4: Jaipur to Bangalore - South Indian Awakening
**Morning: Jaipur breakfast.** Quick breakfast of poha (flattened rice, ₹40 to ₹60) or samosa with chai (₹30 to ₹50) at a local stall before you leave.
**Afternoon: travel to Bangalore.** Flight (2.5 hours, ₹3,500 to ₹6,000). Arrive by evening. Check in.
**Dinner: MTR or Vidyarthi Bhavan (7-9 PM).** Welcome to South India. MTR on Lalbagh Road serves masala dosa (₹80 to ₹120), rava idli (₹60 to ₹100), filter coffee (₹30 to ₹60). Vidyarthi Bhavan in Basavanagudi has the crispiest dosa in the city. Expect queues. Vegetarian heaven. Budget ₹200 to ₹400 a head.
Day 5: Bangalore - Filter Coffee and Dosa Heaven
**Breakfast: Brahmin's Coffee Bar (7-9 AM).** Hole-in-the-wall serving excellent idli-vada-coffee (₹80 to ₹120 total). Stand and eat at the high tables, very local. Order the set dosa (three or four thin crispy dosas) or khara bath (spicy semolina). The filter coffee here is the right way to make it.
**Mid-morning snack: benne dosa at CTR or Veena Stores (9:30-11 AM).** CTR in Malleshwaram and Veena Stores both serve a legendary butter dosa, crisp, buttery, with potato palya and chutneys. ₹100 to ₹150. The amount of butter is borderline indecent.
**Lunch: banana leaf meal (12:30-2 PM).** Traditional South Indian thali on a banana leaf. MTR or Kamat Bugle Rock serve unlimited rice, sambar, rasam, curds, multiple vegetables, pickles, papad, and payasam (₹250 to ₹400). Keep asking for refills.
**Evening: pub culture and snacks (6-8 PM).** Bangalore's microbrewery scene. Toit, Arbor Brewing Company, or Windmills Craftworks. Craft beer (₹250 to ₹400 a pint) with nachos, pizza, wings (₹300 to ₹600). The cosmopolitan side of the city.
**Dinner: biryani at Meghana Foods or Empire (9-11 PM).** Bangalore biryani is lighter than Hyderabadi. Mutton biryani ₹300 to ₹400, chicken biryani ₹250 to ₹350. Empire is everywhere and reliable. Meghana Foods does bigger portions. Pair with raita and salan.
Day 6-7: Goa - Seafood, Beaches, and Portuguese Flavors
**Morning: travel to Goa.** Flight from Bangalore (1 hour, ₹2,500 to ₹4,500) or overnight bus (depart the previous evening, 12 to 14 hours, ₹1,000 to ₹1,800). Arrive in the morning, head to a beach in North or South Goa.
**Day 6 breakfast: a Goan cafe (8-10 AM).** Beach shack or a bakery in Panjim. Poi (Goan bread, ₹20 to ₹40), Goan chorizo (₹150 to ₹250), chai in a terracotta cup (₹30 to ₹50). Or bebinca, the layered Goan dessert (₹80 to ₹150). The slow beach breakfast.
**Day 6 lunch: fish curry rice (1-3 PM).** Goa's soul food. A simple beach shack or somewhere like Martin's Corner or Souza Lobo. Fresh catch of the day in coconut curry with steamed rice. ₹300 to ₹600. Add fried fish, prawn balchão, and a Goan sausage pulao on the side. Pair with Kings beer or Sol.
**Day 6 sunset: beach shack snacks (6-8 PM).** Watch sunset from Anjuna, Vagator, or Palolem. Calamari fry (₹400 to ₹600), fish fingers (₹350 to ₹500), chicken cafreal (₹300 to ₹500). Cocktails (₹250 to ₹400). Goa's slow magic.
**Day 6 dinner: seafood feast at a beach restaurant (9-11 PM).** Pick your fresh seafood from the ice display (crabs, lobster, prawns, fish) and tell them how you want it cooked (grilled, tandoori, butter garlic, recheado masala). ₹1,500 to ₹3,000 for two depending on what you order. Brittos, Fisherman's Wharf, and Pousada by the Beach are all excellent.
**Day 7 late morning: Goan xacuti and vindaloo (11 AM-1 PM).** A proper Goan restaurant. Chicken xacuti (complex spice curry, ₹300 to ₹400), pork vindaloo (spicy-sour curry, ₹350 to ₹450), Goan fish curry (₹300 to ₹400), sannas (rice cakes, ₹50 to ₹80). Family-run places like Mum's Kitchen or Fernando's Nostalgia serve genuine home-style Goan food.
**Day 7 afternoon: feni tasting and Goan snacks (3-5 PM).** Visit a feni distillery or bar. Feni is the local spirit, made from cashew or coconut (₹100 to ₹300 per drink). Try it with lime soda. Pair with Goan sausages, chorizo pao, and ros omelette (Goan coconut curry with eggs). It's an acquired taste, but a unique one.
**Day 7 farewell dinner: sunset beach BBQ (7-9 PM).** A lot of beach shacks run BBQ nights. Pick your seafood and meats, watch them go on the grill. Live music, bonfire, the beach behind you. ₹1,000 to ₹2,000 per person. Good way to close out the trip. Or fine-dining at A Reverie or Sublime for upscale Goan-Portuguese fusion (₹2,500 to ₹4,000 for two).
Budget Breakdown for 7-Day Food Journey
**Daily food budget.** Budget: ₹800 to ₹1,200 a day (street food, local restaurants, one nicer meal). Mid-range: ₹1,500 to ₹2,500 a day (mix of street food and good restaurants). Foodie splurge: ₹3,000 to ₹5,000 a day (fine dining, no compromises). Seven-day totals: budget ₹5,600 to ₹8,400, mid-range ₹10,500 to ₹17,500, splurge ₹21,000 to ₹35,000.
**Intercity travel.** Mumbai to Delhi by flight ₹3,500, Delhi to Jaipur by train ₹1,000, Jaipur to Bangalore by flight ₹5,000, Bangalore to Goa by flight ₹3,000. Total transport: ₹12,500 to ₹15,000. Booking ahead saves 20 to 40 percent.
**Accommodation.** Budget (hostels, budget hotels): ₹800 to ₹1,500 a night. Mid-range: ₹2,500 to ₹4,000 a night. Premium: ₹5,000 to ₹10,000 a night. Six-night totals: budget ₹4,800 to ₹9,000, mid-range ₹15,000 to ₹24,000, premium ₹30,000 to ₹60,000.
**Seven-day total (food, transport, accommodation).** Budget: ₹23,000 to ₹32,500. Mid-range: ₹38,000 to ₹56,500. Luxury: ₹63,500 to ₹110,000. Solo travellers pay full accommodation. Couples and groups split it, which drops the per-person cost significantly.
Essential Food Traveler Tips
**Prepare your stomach.** Start with cooked street food and skip raw vegetables for the first few days. Carry digestive tablets (Gelusil, Pudin Hara) and anti-diarrheal medication (Imodium). Probiotics before the trip help. Don't drink tap water, only bottled. Most travellers go through a minor adjustment, it's normal and passes.
**Manage the spice.** Indian food runs hot. Tell the server your tolerance, ask for 'medium' or 'mild' if you're sensitive. Keep curd or yoghurt handy, it kills the heat better than water. Lime soda helps too. Don't try to be a hero, you can enjoy the flavours without suffering.
**Pick the right restaurant.** Crowded is good, it means turnover and fresh food. An empty fancy place might be serving old stock. Ask locals where they eat. Google reviews help, but local word is better. The street vendor with the longest queue usually has the best food.
**Vegetarian options.** India is a vegetarian paradise. Every city has excellent vegetarian restaurants, often better than the non-veg ones. South India especially. Clarify 'pure veg' if you have strict requirements. Jain food (no onion or garlic) is available in Jaipur and Mumbai.
**Timing.** Breakfast: 8 to 10 AM, earlier in South India, from 7 AM. Lunch: 12:30 to 2:30 PM, some places close 3 to 4 PM. Dinner: 8 to 11 PM, the cities stay up but small towns close by 10. Street food peaks and is freshest in the evening, 5 to 9 PM.
**Food photography.** Ask before photographing people (vendors, chefs). Photos of the food itself are usually fine. Send photos to your subjects via WhatsApp, it builds goodwill. Best light is natural daylight or golden hour. Avoid flash.
Must-Try Dishes Summary by City
**Mumbai:** vada pav, pav bhaji, bhel puri, sev puri, pani puri, misal pav, bombil fry, butter garlic crab, Irani chai with bun maska.
**Delhi:** paranthas (Chandni Chowk), chole bhature, aloo tikki chaat, kebabs (Karim's), butter chicken, tandoori dishes, kulfi faluda.
**Jaipur:** dal baati churma, pyaaz kachori, mawa kachori, laal maas (meat curry), ker sangri, gatte ki sabzi, mirchi vada.
**Bangalore:** masala dosa, idli-vada-sambar, benne dosa, ragi mudde, Mangalorean fish curry, filter coffee, bisi bele bath, Mysore pak.
**Goa:** fish curry rice, prawn balchão, chicken cafreal, pork vindaloo, bebinca, poi, chorizo, Goan sausage, xacuti, recheado fish.
Seven days of eating across five cities is its own kind of cultural immersion. Each dish carries the region and the tradition behind it. Mumbai's street corners, Goa's beaches, Delhi's Mughal kitchens, South India's vegetarian range. You'll go home with a wider palate, a lot of food photos, and a list of things to come back for. As the saying goes here: khao, piyo, mast raho. Eat, drink, stay happy.