How to Eat Like a Local in Dhaka - How to Experience Dhaka's Food Culture During a Trip to Bangladesh

As the capital of Bangladesh, Dhaka offers food lovers a wealth of new culinary experiences. Regardless of whether you are a vegetarian or a carnivore, there are plenty of local dishes to tickle your taste buds and transport them to a new realm. From exploring the city's dynamic street food scene to discovering lesser-known delicacies that are part of the local food culture, here are some tips on wining and dining like a local the next time you're in Dhaka.

1. Secure a Strategic Base

Travellers who wish to wine and dine their way through the capital of Bangladesh must first secure a hotel or resort close to some of the key culinary hotspots in the city. Whether you select the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka or any other base near a popular Dhaka restaurant hub, make sure the eateries in your vicinity are not global food chains but authentic local venues. Do some homework and find out which areas of the city are ideal for food lovers and have the most number of street food vendors and restaurants before making your reservations.

2. Dig into Fuchka

Commonly referred to as Fuchka, this is Bangladesh's own variation on Panipuri. Sold on nearly every street corner in the city, local residents all have their favourite food carts for this anytime snack that's savoury and simply delicious. Although the fillings vary, the crispy shell that covers the exterior of the Fuchka remains the same. Some of the more popular fillings found in the streets of Dhaka include chickpeas, mashed potatoes, tamarind syrup and even yoghurt. Not for the faint of heart, Panipuri is a spicy snack that's as delectable as it is hot.

3. Sample Street Food Faves

Traditional Bangladeshi food has been converted to become staple street food items including Peyaju, Chop and Beguni. All of these dishes are conventional dishes with winning ingredient combinations that have been bite-sized and deep-fried to create irresistible street food varieties. Pejaju, for example, is made from mashed lentils while Beguni is composed of eggplants and flour. Chop, on the other hand, is made from mashed potatoes and eggs.

4. Snack on Pitha

Those who love pancakes and crepes should give Pitha a try as these fritters resemble these two global favourites in terms of texture. A big hit with local diners during the cold months of winter, there is a wide variety of Pitha sold in restaurants and food carts in Dhaka. Some of the more popular varieties are called Paatishapta, Chitoi, Bhapa and Aamdosha. Round in shape and sweet, Bhapa Pitha is a combination of coconut milk, rice flour, molasses and salt.

5. Roasted Treats

Tourists sightseeing around Dhaka and elsewhere across Bangladesh will see locals snacking on various roasted snacks. Called Badam and Boot, these tasty treats are fried peanuts, beans and chickpeas that are often tossed in a spice mixture before being handed over to customers wrapped in cone-shaped newspaper wrappings. Piping hot and crunchy, the peanuts, chickpeas and other nuts that are roasted on the roadside are fresh out of a portable stove that vendors carry with them all around the city.

6. Dessert Options

When it comes to desserts and sweet-tasting food varieties one will come across in Dhaka, Amsotto is perhaps the most original. This dried mango snack is a refreshing way to beat the heat when exploring Dhaka on foot while Hawai Mithai is a colourful cotton candy treat that's a childhood favourite of most local residents.

7. Must-Try Beverages

No food tour of the city would be complete without a cup of Malai Chai from a tea stall. This thick milk tea made from cow's milk is a sweet beverage that's not for the lactose intolerant. Fresh fruit juices are also widely available with pineapple juice, papaya juice, and watermelon juice reigning supreme.