The food to eat in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, known earlier as Aurangabad, starts with naan qalia, the city's signature dish of meat in a spiced gravy eaten with naan, and a proper Deccan biryani. The cuisine blends Mughlai and Marathwada influences, with tahari, kebabs and rich sweets, best tried at the old-city eateries with a reliable meal at your hotel.
Aurangabad's food is one of the underrated pleasures of a caves trip, a Deccan kitchen shaped by its Mughal past and its Marathwada roots, distinct from both Hyderabadi and Maharashtrian cooking. Visitors who only chase Ajanta and Ellora miss it. This guide runs through the signature dishes, the biryani, the sweets, and where to eat them in the city.
Aurangabad food is known for naan qalia, the city's signature dish of mutton cooked in a spiced, slightly tangy gravy and eaten with naan, and for its Deccan-style biryani. The cuisine carries a strong Mughlai influence from the city's history, with kebabs, tahari and rich gravies, alongside everyday Marathwada and Maharashtrian dishes.
The dish that defines the city is naan qalia. Qalia is a preparation of mutton cooked in a spiced gravy with a characteristic tang and depth, traditionally eaten with naan, and it is to Aurangabad what biryani is to Hyderabad, the local hero you should try at least once. The other essential is a proper Deccan biryani, fragrant, meaty and distinct from its Hyderabadi cousin, reflecting the city's Mughal heritage as a former seat of power. Around these sit the wider Mughlai-influenced repertoire of kebabs, rich gravies and tahari, a spiced rice dish, while the everyday food of the region draws on Marathwada and wider Maharashtrian cooking, simpler vegetarian thalis, bhakri and pithla among them. So the city offers both a courtly meat tradition and honest regional home cooking. Trying naan qalia and a Deccan biryani is the way to taste the old Aurangabad. To base yourself for a food trip, you can check rooms at IRA by Orchid Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
Aurangabad's sweets reflect its Mughlai heritage, with rich milk-based desserts and the dry-fruit and khoya sweets typical of the Deccan court tradition. Look for shahi tukda, a rich bread-and-milk dessert, and the seasonal sweets at the old-city sweet shops, a fitting end to a meal of naan qalia or biryani.
The sweet course carries the same courtly history as the savoury. Aurangabad's desserts lean on the rich, milk-and-dry-fruit traditions of Mughlai cooking, the kind of rich sweets that suited a former seat of power in the Deccan. Shahi tukda, a dessert of fried bread soaked in sweetened, thickened milk and topped with nuts, is a classic of this style and a good one to seek out. The old-city sweet shops also turn out seasonal milk sweets, halwas and the dry-fruit-laden preparations typical of the region, often best in the cooler months and around festivals. Pairing one of these with an Irani-style chai makes a relaxed end to a day of sightseeing or a heavy meat meal. As with the savoury food, the most authentic versions are in the older parts of the city rather than the tourist strips, so a little wandering rewards you.
Eat naan qalia and Deccan biryani at the old-city eateries and family-run restaurants where they are made properly, rather than the tourist spots. For a reliable, comfortable meal, the rooftop Upper Deck restaurant at your hotel covers Indian and wider dishes, useful after long cave days when you do not want to head out.
Where you eat shapes how well you eat here. The most authentic naan qalia, Deccan biryani and Mughlai dishes are found in the old-city eateries and long-running family restaurants, where the recipes are traditional and the prices honest, well away from the generic tourist options, so ask locally or at your hotel for current recommendations rather than relying on a guidebook listing. The everyday Marathwada thali places are the spot for simple, satisfying vegetarian meals. And for the days when you have spent hours driving to and climbing around Ajanta or Ellora and simply want a good meal without going out, the rooftop Upper Deck restaurant at the hotel is a comfortable, reliable option with Indian and wider dishes and a pleasant evening setting. Mixing a proper old-city naan qalia, a Deccan biryani, and a relaxed hotel dinner covers the city's food well across a trip. To set up your base, you can book your Sambhajinagar stay directly.
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, formerly Aurangabad, has its own airport with metro connections and a railway station, so reaching the city and its food is easy by air, rail or road. A central base near the city keeps the old-city eateries close, with the rooftop Upper Deck restaurant on hand at the hotel.
Getting to the food means getting to the city, which is straightforward. Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, still widely called Aurangabad, has its own airport with connections to the major metros and a railway station, so arrivals are easy by air, rail or road, and it is the natural base for the whole Ajanta and Ellora region. Within the city, app cabs and autos reach the old-city eateries and sweet shops easily, so a food crawl is simple to arrange. A central hotel base keeps the city's restaurants close and the rooftop Upper Deck restaurant available for relaxed meals on site, especially welcome after the long cave days. From here, you can balance authentic local eating out with comfortable meals in, which is the practical way to enjoy the food across a multi-day trip. The Melting Pot handles the in-house side well enough that you are never forced out after a long day at the caves. To make that balance work, choose your room at IRA by Orchid Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
For a Sambhajinagar trip, book an IRA by Orchid Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar directly for the best rate. As part of the Orchid Hotels group, it is covered by Orchid Rewards, giving members up to 30 percent off direct bookings and dining benefits, applied automatically with no promo code. Booking direct also avoids travel-site commissions.
The value advice is to book direct. IRA by Orchid Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar is part of the Orchid Hotels group, so Orchid Rewards applies, giving members up to 30 percent off direct bookings, applied automatically with no coupon to enter, and joining is free, with dining benefits for members on top. Booking direct also keeps you clear of travel-site commissions. The rooftop Upper Deck restaurant gives you a comfortable base for meals, a good complement to a day of old-city naan qalia and biryani. The pleasant winter from October to March is the best time to be in the city and is busy with cave-trip visitors, so book your stay ahead of time. To get the member rate, you can book your stay at IRA by Orchid Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
What is the most famous Aurangabad dish?
Naan qalia, the city's signature dish of mutton cooked in a spiced, slightly tangy gravy and eaten with naan, is the local hero, much as biryani is to Hyderabad. A proper Deccan biryani is the other essential, reflecting the city's Mughlai heritage.
What is naan qalia?
Naan qalia is Aurangabad's signature dish, a preparation of mutton cooked in a spiced gravy with a characteristic tang and depth, traditionally eaten with naan. It is the dish to try at least once in the city, best at the old-city eateries that make it traditionally.
What sweets is Aurangabad known for?
Aurangabad's sweets reflect its Mughlai heritage, with rich milk-and-dry-fruit desserts such as shahi tukda, fried bread soaked in sweetened thickened milk and topped with nuts, alongside seasonal milk sweets and halwas at the old-city sweet shops.
Where can I eat authentic food in Aurangabad?
At the old-city eateries and long-running family restaurants, where naan qalia, Deccan biryani and Mughlai dishes are made traditionally and priced honestly, rather than the tourist spots. Your hotel's rooftop Upper Deck restaurant is a reliable option for a comfortable meal in.
Where should I stay to enjoy the city's food?
A central base works best. IRA by Orchid Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar keeps the old-city eateries within easy reach and offers the rooftop Upper Deck restaurant on site, useful after long cave days, with comfortable rooms and an easy run to the airport and station.
Aurangabad's naan qalia and Deccan biryani are a real reason to look up from the caves, best eaten where the locals do. Read our complete guide to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Aurangabad, and when you are ready, book your stay at IRA by Orchid Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
Beed Bypass Rd,
PWD Colony, Aurangabad,
Maharashtra 431005
Email: reservations@orchidhotel.com
Call: +91 8652 636363
