Food at Harihareshwar: Veg Indian Thali, Kande Pohe and Vada Pav!

One of the joys of travelling is to experience the local food culture of the region. Each land borrows its flavor combinations, signature ingredients and unique spice blends from culinary traditions passed down from generations.

The flavors from the Konkan region, Harihareshwar are no different! Since the town is located in the coastal belt of Maharashtra, the region is dotted heavily with a number of restaurants serving Malvani, and seafood. Being pure vegetarians however, hubby and I decided to explore the cruelty-free, non carnivorous side of the Konkan platter that though scarce, IS available in the temple town of Harihareshwar.

Here's the lowdown!

Prachiti Bhojnalaya, Temple road, Harihareshwar.

For our first night dinner at Harihareshwar, Google threw up a couple of results for ‘pure vegetarian restaurants in Harihareshwar’. We picked up ‘Prachiti Bhojnalaya’ since it was the nearest to our place of stay - MTDC Resort Harihareshwar and had a good number of positive reviews.

Seating area

Prachiti bhojnalaya is located on the road leading to the main temple. The bhojnalaya is an extension of the house and serves home cooked food in the porch outside.

Simple home cooked vegetarian fare

The hotel is run by the lady of the house and serves simple pure vegetarian food. We ordered a thali which cost us Rs. 100. The thali had 2 vegetables, curd, chapatis, dal, rice, salad, pickle and papad. The food was hot and tasted okay.

How to reach: It took a bit of our time and energy locating the place in the dim of the night. There is a board signage on the wall outside but it is not very eye catchy. The hotel is located a few houses walking from the main temple and on the opposite side of Harihareshwar Beach resort.

GuruGeeta, Harihareshwar Temple Road.

GuruGeeta is another very good pure vegetarian alternative in the same lane on the temple road.

They serve indian thali for lunch and dinner which is fixed for Rs. 100. The thali consists of two vegetables, freshly cooked and hot, chappatis, dal, rice, salad and papad. Breakfast was kande pohe with steaming hot chai which was reasonably priced and amazing in taste. We took all our three meals in this restaurant - breakfast, lunch and dinner and loved all our meal times there.

Pohe + chai = breakfast

Flavors in the thali

The restaurant is managed by Badi Amma along with her husband, son and two lovely granddaughters who with their wonderful smile and warm hospitality added extra stars to the entire experience.

Badi Amma: Proud owner of the Guru Geeta Restaurant.

How to reach: Guru Geeta is towards the beginning of the temple road leading to the main Harihareshwar Temple. The restaurant is a 2 storied building and has Guru Geeta imprinted in big letters on the wall. It's not very difficult to locate, just keep your eyes open.

Street Chai and Vada Pav.

Any food article from Maharashtra is incomplete without a mention of the iconic  king of the state, Vada Pav!

A woman selling hot and steaming vada pav just outside the main temple.

Hole in the wall shops serving tea and vada pav!

You can find a few hole in the wall shops or thelas opposite the parking lot outside the main temple. Stuffed with a spicy potato mixture and coated with a golden batter, best is to have the vada pavs which are served piping hot, just out of the oil cauldron. Top it up with a host of green chillies and garlic chutney if you like to have it hot! Team it up with a cup of cutting chai and sip it down with your vada pav soaking in all local goodness on offer.

Boiled potatoes deep fried in gram flour batter: Vada Pav!

Chai Tea!

Lime Juice @MTDC Beach Resort Harihareshwar.

Last but not the least, here's the only thing we took at MTDC Beach Resort Harihareshwar --

Chilled lime juice to quench your thirst that comes with a view!

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Have you been to Harihareshwar?

Where did you have your food and how was it?

Do share in the comments section!