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Tempting kebabs, fragrant biryani, and fluffy, ethereal desserts.

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

Worldwide Recognition

Last month, Unesco honored it as a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy – placing it on a prestigious roster of global cities and kindling hopes that it will highlight Lucknow's sublime food. With this designation, it enters a international community of more than four hundred cities across over 100 countries committed to promoting "creativity as a catalyst of development that sustains urban life".

The honor "is a testament to its centuries-old food heritage and lively gastronomic culture," according to a official from UNESCO's Regional Office for South Asia.

Lucknow is merely the second Indian city – after Hyderabad, which was chosen in 2019 – to earn a spot in this coveted list of 70 global destinations around the world.

An Urban Center with a Culinary Soul

The honor for this historic city is hardly a shock to its residents or passionate food lovers. Many echo the view that it is "an honor long overdue".

With the UNESCO designation, this adored, lively, and diverse city – the capital of India's biggest state – is finally in the global gaze for what has consistently characterized its essence: an immense passion for food.

"'What's for dinner, how should it be prepared' is a constant discussion from waking up until night in many homes," explains a local cultural expert. "And you are truly judged by the excellence of food that emerges from your kitchen."

A Royal Culinary Legacy

The Nawabi City – as it's often referred to after its 18th and 19th Century opulent Muslim rulers – is famed for its melt-in-the-mouth kebabs and a distinctive take on biryani that were conceived, evolved, and taken to extraordinary levels in their opulent kitchens.

These imperial kitchens were epicenters of gastronomic creativity, merging Persian and local Indian styles to create what became known as the food of Awadh.

It was in that period that Lucknow's renowned kebabs were created. Legend has it that the galouti kebab was created to feed an elderly nawab who had lost his teeth. His cooks ground the meat with raw papaya, kesar, and spices and made it so fine that it required no chewing.

But perhaps the greatest contribution of the chefs of Awadh was the slow-cook Dum pukht technique, where food is prepared on a low, leisurely heat, with the container's cover tightly sealed with a flour paste.

More Than Just Famous Dishes

Apart from the obvious kebabs and biryani, the cooks also created a vast array of dishes that included kormas (rich curries), sheermal (saffron-infused flatbread), and shahi tukda (a rich 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 celebrates fresh harvests but also gives the city its highly curated Indian desserts, sweets, and distinctive street food, like chaat – tangy fried snacks.

Time-Tested Food Joints

Nearly on countless corners, there are tiny kiosks and kiosks – lesser-known treasures that are wildly popular with the locals.

In the central district of Hazratganj, huge crowds start milling around from the crack of dawn at a legendary tea stall to get a steaming cup of spiced tea with milk, presented in clay glasses, along with fluffy buns lathered with freshly churned white butter.

For breakfast, one can make their way to a simple joint situated in the historic quarter of Aminabad. Almost 150 years after it was founded, the place is still highly popular for its hot kachoris (fried bread stuffed with lentils) and jalebis (crispy, syrup-soaked sweets).

Ensuring Legacy Continues

The city also boasts unique treats of the season, such as makkhan malai, a frothy dessert found in the winter. The process of making it is precise and involved. The artisan hand-churns the milk and then leaves it out at night, allowing the nighttime moisture to give it its amazing light consistency.

On cold mornings, street vendors line up in old city areas like Aminabad and Chowk. A number of however express concern that their children are reluctant to learn the craft.

A renowned chef from Lucknow has often said that the city's profound food legacy places it right on top of the Indian street food experience. The true benefit from the UNESCO recognition, however, will occur only if Lucknow can now generate interest about its under-the-radar eateries.

Every dish in Lucknow comes with a history – influenced by multi-generational food businesses, from humble street carts to bustling restaurants, and secret family recipes.

The worldwide honor, it is hoped, will inspire more people globally to explore these stories and experience the city to delight in the culinary delights of Lucknow.