One of the things that every Kolkatan will tell you, is that ‘phuchka’ is not the same thing as golgappas or pani puri. It’s the unanimous choice when it comes to Kolkata’s favourite binging snack, the thin, fried balls filled with a spicy mash of potatoes, and ducked in tamarind water. Put it in your mouth whole, and it crumbles, throwing up the most divine sensations on your palate. The trick is to put the entire phuchka in your mouth, without it bursting, and only the most seasoned of phuchka lovers can do that perfectly! Phuchka throws up cravings and nostalgia, the happiness of crowding around the phuchkawala in the evening, and gulping down as many as you can, and beating your friends at it, is one of the favourite competitions every Bengali would remember with a smile. And of course, there’s also the churmur, a treat of crushed phuchkas, mashed potatoes and dried spices. If you are in Kolkata, this is one treat you must sample. While there’s a fiery debate about which shop does the best phuchkas in town, we give you a definitive list of the top 8 phuchka joints in Kolkata, which are the best in the competition!

The phuchkas at Vivekananda Park, on Southern Avenue more famous asDilip da’s phuchkas, are famous in Kolkata. The stall is always crowded with people gulping down phuchkas, or waiting for their turn. The phuchkas here are special because of the tamarind water that has raw mango slices, and a generous dash of gondhoraj lebu (Kolkata’s own kaffir lime) in it, which gives it the signature tanginess. Apart from the regular phuchkas and churmur, Dilip da’s most famous phuchka dish is the dahi phuchka, a plate of phuchkas garnished with a chutney made with curd, dates, mango pulp and mint. The normal phuchkas cost Rs 20 for six, while a plate of churmur is Rs 40. While urban legends say that phuchka is made tastier by the ‘dirty’ water that’s added to the tamarind, Dilip da would have nothing of it, the water here is from a water purifier, so the hygiene Nazis can relax as they have their phuchka treat! Just, don’t fall for the sampling offers later! Everything is charged!

2. Vardaan Market

Ask a Kolkata girl, and she’d tell you that there’s no shopping trip is complete without a phuchka session! The phuchka joint in front of Vardaan Market stands testimony to that logic! The filling is made with freshly ground spices, the heady aroma of jeera, methi, dhania and ajwain set the tastebuds ticking as the masala is being mixed to be stuffed inside the phuchkas. The minty tamarind chutney perfectly sets off the spicy masala when it bursts in your mouth. The cost is Rs 20 for six phuchkas.

Every phuchka joint in Kolkata have their secret recipe that goes into the stuffed mash. Needless to say, the phuchka makers are tight-mouthed about the recipes. The phuchka joint on Russel Street is one such place, that’s extremely possessive about its spice mix. Whatever the secret is, the never-ending flow of phuchka lovers at this joint proves that the recipe is a hit! Taste their phuchkas, for Rs 20 for six, and enjoy the treat as you keep wondering, is it lime, or hing, or the jeera powder that gives it its distinctive taste!

4. Victoria Memorial

Only a true Kolkatan would tell you, that there’s nothing more romantic than a date at Victoria Memorial, and a plate of the tempting phuchkas at the stall outside, between you. Set up in the 1970’s, this phuchka stall and the numerous stories about it are stuff that have become as popular as the phuchkas! The signature taste of the phuchkas come from the tamarind paste, which is mixed with the potato and spices, before they are filled into the phuchkas. That, with the sweet tamarind water, gives it a lingering taste that stays in the mouth. The phuchkas cost Rs 10 for four.

5. Chakraberia

The phuchka joint near Triangular Park in Chakraberia is one that caters to every taste bud. Apart from the normal potato mash phuchkas, it’s famous for its Jain phuchkas, where the filling is made with boiled, mashed green bananas, and is just as delicious! The filling is delicious, because a lot goes into it, shredded chillies, boiled gram and a jeera powder. The tamarind water is minty and fresh.

6. New Alipore

There are two famous phuchka shops in New Alipore that jostle for customers and attention, for their heavenly phuchkas. One of them, popularly known as the Bada Phuchkawalla, is famous for its extra-large phuchkas. The other, in front of Nandan market, is famous for its variety of tamarind waters, each with a different ingredient. There’s one with raw mango pulp, another with jal jeera, with ice, and the regular tamarind water. Each gives the phuchka a different twist of taste! The cost is Rs 10 for five,and it’s perfect to cool off with these phuchkas in the sweltering heat.

7. Jadavpur University, Gate 4

There’s a reason why every college campus in the city has a friendly phuchkawalla stationed outside its gates. The fun of gathering around the loaded basket of phuchkas with friends, and having phuchkas before classes, after classes, in between classes….there’s no specific time for this indulgence! The phuchkawalla outside the Jadavpur University gate is famous for its delectable phuchkas, and the spicy churmur served in a leaf cone. The USP of this phuchka joint is the freshly ground spice mix that pervades the phuchkas and the tamarind water. All in all, this is one nostalgia trip we love. The phuchkas cost Rs 10 for six, while the churmur is Rs 5 or Rs 10, depending on the size.

8. Salt Lake AE Block

While every Kolkatan would argue that their neighbourhood phuchka is the best, most Salt Lake residents would vouch for the phuchkawalla at AE Park, near the water tank no.4. The stall has a steady queue of people waiting (im)patiently for their turn at the having the phuchkas! The regular phuchkas can be had in three ways, with the tamarind water, a sweet water and the sukha version, sans water, with a dash of lime squeezed on it. There’s also aspecial phuchka, a large phuchka with stuffed with a sweet vada, chillies, dried spices and tamarind water. It’s difficult to squeeze that into your mouth, but once you do, it’s an unforgettable taste. The phuchkas cost Rs 10 for five, while the special phuchka is Rs 20 a piece.

9.  Phuchka at Dakshinapan

Dakshinapan, in Dhakuria, is one of the most popular shopping destinations in the city. Like we said, a shopping outing is incomplete without the right bites. The phuchka stall at the entrance of Dakshinapan shopping complex does a fabulous phuchka, which draws so many customers, that often, there are multiple rings of customers around the husband-wife duo. Their phuchkas have a unique taste, perhaps because of the fresh masala they add to the potato mash. If you want to test your limit of taking ‘jhaal’, this is the place! Have the extra jhaal phuchka with sliced green chillies and lemon, and if you can take it, you’ve passed the test for a true Kolkatan! The phuchkas cost Rs 10 for six pieces. The alur dum phuchka, their specialty has a whole potato in gravy stuffed in the phuchka…a treat you get only here!

The list of ‘famous’ phuchkawallas in Kolkata can go on and on. There’s thephuchkawalla near Kalighat Metro Station, the alu-dum phuchka at Dakshinapan in Dhakuria, the phuchka near New Market and the phuchka shots at Jhaal Farezi in Park Circus. Phuchkas are Kolkata’s favourite street food, and there’s one at every street corner, with his basket of phuchkas propped on a wicker stand, and an assortment of containers with spices and tamarind water. It is the evening snack, the date food, the staple for pandal hopping during Durga puja, the post-shopping succor, and the snack-that-must-be-had-the-moment-you-spot-it! For those who love your chillies, go the true Bengali way, and ask for more ‘jhaal’ in your phuchka mash, enough to make you a fire-breathing dragon, but totally worth it! If you have mastered the art of eating the phuchka whole, here’s another tip, don’t forget to ask for ‘fau’, or the last, free phuchka from the phuchkawalla after you’ve finished gobbling your share, without the ‘fau’, no phuchka treat is complete! So save some space for the last one.