Create meetup in Lucknowchevron_right
Select a place on the map to change the location.
I want to meet
Verified required?
explore Lucknow Guides
Best Food in Lucknow (2026)
No trip to Lucknow is complete without Tunday Kebabs. The original Tunday Kababi at 236, Naaz Cinema Road, Aminabad, serves melt-in-the-mouth galouti kebabs for around INRβ¦ π Iconic Tunday Kebabs
No trip to Lucknow is complete without Tunday Kebabs. The original Tunday Kababi at 236, Naaz Cinema Road, Aminabad, serves melt-in-the-mouth galouti kebabs for around INR 150 for a plate of six. Arrive early evening to avoid long queues, as they open from 5 PM to 11 PM daily.
π Royal Awadhi Biryani
For authentic Awadhi biryani, head to Idris Biryani at 33, Bhootnath Market, Chowk. Their mutton biryani, slow-cooked with fragrant spices, costs about INR 200 per plate and is available from 12 PM to 10 PM. Pair it with their tangy raita for a complete meal.
π₯ Street Food in Chowk
Chowk area is a street food paradise. Try the basket chaat at Raja Ki Thandai, located at 44, Gali Kaseru, Chowk, for INR 50 per plate. Also sample the crispy kachoris at Ram Asrey, a shop that has been operating since 1805, with prices starting at INR 30 for a plate.
π¨ Traditional Sweets
Lucknow's sweet shops are legendary. Visit Prakash Kulfi at 12, Aminabad Road for their famous matka kulfi, priced at INR 60 per piece. Another must-try is the malai ki gilori from Moti Mahal Deluxe, Hazratganj, costing around INR 200 for a box of four.
β Evening Chai Spots
For a classic Lucknowi evening, sit at the iconic Sharma Tea Stall in Hazratganj, near the Mayfair Building. A cutting chai costs just INR 10, and the bustling atmosphere is perfect for people-watching. They are open from 6 AM to 10 PM.
π΄ Fine Dining Experiences
For a refined Awadhi meal, book a table at The Royal Cafe in Hazratganj, where a multi-course dinner costs around INR 1,500 per person. Alternatively, Dastarkhwan at 37, Mahatma Gandhi Marg offers a regal setting with dishes like kakori kebabs and shabnam curry, with mains averaging INR 800.
πΆ Food Walk Routes
Join a guided food walk with Lucknow Food Walks, which covers Aminabad and Chowk over three hours. The walk costs INR 1,500 per person and includes tastings at six stops, including Tunday Kababi and Raja Ki Thandai. Tours start at 5 PM daily from the Aminabad Park entrance.
solid list, covers the classics well. one thing i'd point out for the tunday kababi queue hack - if you go to the original in aminabad and the line is stupid long, walk 5 mins to the tunday kababi on the corner of naaz cinema road and lalbagh road. same family, same recipe, but most tourists dont know it exists. i've never waited more than 10 mins there
for evening chai, sharma tea stall is iconic but a bit touristy now. if you want a more local vibe, walk two blocks down to the chai tapri near the old gpo building in hazratganj. its just a plastic stool setup on the footpath but the chai is stronger and they do this thing where they pour it from cup to cup to cool it down, costs INR 8. the old men sitting there will talk your ear off about nawabi history if you let them
good list, really captures the spirit of lucknow food. one thing i'd add for the chowk area is the shahi tukda at mubeen's, its near the bada imambada and they make it with layers of fried bread soaked in reduced milk and topped with silver leaf, costs around INR 100 a plate and its only available from 6 PM to 9 PM. the texture is completely different from the usual versions you get elsewhere
also for the fine dining section, dastarkhwan is great but if you want something more intimate try the tasting menu at lebua's falaknuma in gomti nagar. they do a 7 course awadhi meal for about INR 3,000 per person and the view from the 14th floor over the river is worth the extra money. the galouti there is made with a slightly different blend of spices, more floral than tunday's
honestly great list, you covered most of the essentials. one thing i'd add is the nihari at Rahim's in Chowk, its right next to the main mosque and they serve it only from 6 AM to 10 AM, costs like INR 100 for a plate with two pieces of bread. the broth is so rich and gelatinous from slow cooking all night, beats any breakfast option in town
also if you're doing the food walk route, skip the formal tour and just walk from Aminabad to Chowk yourself, it's like 20 mins and you can stop at 4-5 places on your own for half the price. the basket chaat at Raja Ki Thandai is legit but the one at the corner of Gali Kaseru is actually better imo, the guy uses a slightly different spice mix
3 Days in Lucknow: Itinerary 2026
Start your morning at Bara Imambara (Bhool Bhulaiya), open 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM, entry βΉ50 for Indians. After exploring the labyrinth, walk to Rumi Darwaza and then to Chota Imambβ¦ πΊοΈ Day 1: Old City
Start your morning at Bara Imambara (Bhool Bhulaiya), open 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM, entry βΉ50 for Indians. After exploring the labyrinth, walk to Rumi Darwaza and then to Chota Imambara, just 10 minutes away. For lunch, head to Tunday Kababi on Naaz Cinema Road for their legendary galouti kebabs (βΉ150 for 6 pieces). Spend the afternoon at the British Residency ruins, a 15-minute auto ride (βΉ100).
π Evening Food Walk
As dusk falls, explore the narrow lanes of Chowk for street food. Try basket chaat at the iconic Lala Kashiram's (βΉ50) and malai ki gilori at Raja Thandai (βΉ30). End your evening at the Royal Cafe on Hazratganj for a Mughlai dinner, where a full meal costs around βΉ600 per person.
ποΈ Day 2: Hazratganj
Begin at the State Museum (10:00 AM to 4:30 PM, closed Monday, entry βΉ20) to see rare artifacts. Then stroll down Hazratganj's main street, stopping at the historic Mayfair Building and the Clock Tower. For brunch, visit Dastarkhwan on Park Road for their famous biryani (βΉ250). Afternoon: shop at Janpath Market for chikankari embroidery, with prices starting at βΉ300 for a kurta.
π³ Afternoon Parks
Take a 10-minute auto (βΉ80) to the sprawling Ambedkar Memorial Park, open until 8:00 PM, free entry. Walk through the red sandstone structures and relax by the fountains. Nearby, visit the Indira Gandhi Planetarium (shows at 12:00, 2:00, 4:00 PM, βΉ50). Return to Hazratganj for evening chai at the iconic Indian Coffee House, a 5-minute walk.
π Day 3: Outskirts
Drive 30 minutes to the Lucknow Zoo (open 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, βΉ80). Afterward, visit the nearby La Martiniere College, a stunning Gothic building (permission needed for entry, but you can view from outside). For lunch, head to the Moti Mahal Deluxe on Faizabad Road for their mutton korma (βΉ350).
ποΈ Shopping & Departure
Spend your final afternoon at the Chowk area for authentic chikankari and attar (perfume). Bargain respectfully; a good quality chikan kurta costs βΉ800-1500. If time permits, visit the Bara Imambara again for a different light. From Chowk, an auto to the airport takes 45 minutes (βΉ400).
π Getting Around
Lucknow Metro runs from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM, with fares from βΉ10 to βΉ50. It connects major areas like Hazratganj, Charbagh, and Alambagh. For Old City, autos are best; agree on a fare before starting (typically βΉ50-100 for short trips). Uber and Ola are widely available, with airport transfers costing around βΉ500.
π‘ Local Tips
Carry cash as many smaller shops and street vendors don't accept cards. The best time to visit is October to March when the weather is pleasant. Avoid eating raw salads or tap water; stick to bottled water. Learn a few Hindi phrases like 'Kitna hai?' (How much?) to help with bargaining.
honestly this is a solid itinerary, captures the essentials well. one thing i'd add is that if you're doing chowk in the evening for food, try to hit the chowk ki chaat before 8pm - some of the best stalls like the one near the akbari gate close up pretty early. also, the british residency is worth a longer look than most guides suggest, the cemetery there has some hauntingly beautiful graves from the 1857 siege, very quiet and peaceful compared to the rest of the city
for the chikankari shopping bit, i'd skip janpath if you want real hand embroidery. head to the narrow lanes behind chowk or even aminabad market instead, you'll find actual artisans working there and a good kurta starts around βΉ600-800 if you bargain right. the stuff at janpath is mostly machine made these days
also the weather tip is spot on but even in october it can be humid, so carry a light cotton scarf for the old city walks. tunday's is amazing but be ready for a wait, sometimes 20-30 mins at peak lunch time
This is a really well put together plan, captures the rhythm of the city nicely. One thing I'd add is that the Bara Imambara is worth visiting early, like right at 6 AM, not just for the crowd but because the morning light through the arched windows in the main hall is something else. I went at 7 AM once and had the whole courtyard nearly to myself, it felt completely different from the packed midday experience.
For the food walk, you mentioned Royal Cafe in Hazratganj which is a classic, but if you want a truly old-school Lucknowi dinner, try Idris Ki Biryani on the same Naaz Cinema Road as Tunday's. It's a tiny hole in the wall, no seating, just a counter, but the mutton biryani there at βΉ200 is what locals queue for. They usually run out by 8 PM so go early.
The metro tip is solid, just know that the Hazratganj station exit drops you right at the beginning of the main shopping stretch, which is convenient. For the airport auto fare, βΉ400 is about right from Chowk but from Hazratganj it's usually closer to βΉ350 if you use an app cab.
The guide is well thought out, but I would swap the Day 2 afternoon plan for a visit to the Gomti Riverfront. It's a 10 minute auto from Hazratganj, and you can walk along the ghats or just sit and watch the sunset over the river. There's a small food truck area near the Indira Gandhi Bridge that does decent chai and samosas for around βΉ30 total. It gives you a break from the monuments and lets you see how locals actually spend their evenings.
For the chikankari shopping, the guide mentions Chowk which is good, but Aminabad is more organized and you can see the stitching happening in the shops themselves. I picked up a kurta there last winter for βΉ700 and the thread work is still holding up after multiple washes. The shopkeepers are less aggressive than in Chowk too, so you can browse without feeling pressured.