The best local spots to get your ‘farsan’ fix in Vadodara

Farsan, Gujarat’s vast repertoire of savoury snacks, appears alongside meals, between meals, and often in place of them. Even the most basic thali of dal, bhaat, rotli, and shaak feels incomplete without a crunchy, spiced accompaniment. Long-standing Marathi influences, Gaekwad patronage, and the coexistence of tradition and change have all influenced Baroda's snack culture.

Their spread was aided by history. Gujarat and Mumbai were both part of the Bombay Presidency, and migration driven by the textile trade helped Gujarati food traditions take root in Mumbai. Food writer and culinary consultant Saee Koranne-Khandekar explains, “These foods were shelf-stable, portable, and dependable, especially in regions like Kathiyawad, where fresh produce could be scarce. Over time, they evolved from functional supplements into essential snacks.”

Here’s where to get the best experience of Baroda’s snack heritage:

Raju Khaman
Baroda’s most popular khaman house has been serving its signature fluffy, golden squares since 1961. Located on the busy Rajmahal Road, the tiny shop is hard to miss. A small crowd usually gathers outside, waiting for fresh trays of steaming khaman to arrive from the kitchen: light, airy gram-flour cakes topped with mustard-seed tempering, coriander, and a sprinkle of sev. Its fan base spans college students, office-goers stopping, and even Radhikaraje Gaekwad of Baroda’s erstwhile royal family.

Jagdish Foods
What began as a small farsan shop in 1938 has grown into a citywide institution. Jagdish Foods is best known for its lilo chevdo, a moist mixture of potato flakes, dry fruits, lentils, and sesame seeds; sev mamra, where puffed rice, sev, and peanuts are sautéed in oil and spices; and bhakarwadi, a crisp pinwheel of spiced gram-flour dough filled with a sweet, spicy, and tangy mixture. Neeta Ketkar, a Barodian adds a note of caution: “Stores named Jagdish Farsan have cropped up across the city now—there are at least 15. But the one at Jubileebaug is the original.”

Sukhadia
Sukhadia’s shelves display patra (colocasia leaves that are spread with a spicy gram flour batter and then steamed/pan-fried), khandvi (savoury spiced and silky gramflour rolls), and muthiya (fist-shaped dumplings that combine varied flours, veggies, and spice and are steamed/fried) alongside syrupy jalebis, shrikhand and mattho (a sweeter, thinner version of shrikhand). Dhruveshbhai Patel, who has been selling them for nearly 30 years, says, “Sales are good throughout the year, but they peak during festivals—especially fafda-jalebi, traditionally eaten as breakfast on Dussehra.”

Satyavijay Farsan
A fixture on Rajmahal Road since 1952, locals return to Satyavijay Farsan for its familiar sights and sounds: steel trays clanging, the aroma of hot oil, and the steady hum of regular customers. Crisp jalebis, fafda, nylon khaman, and winter-special lilva kachori—stuffed with spiced pigeon peas—are perennial favourites. “The nylon khaman and flaky kachoris make the perfect mid-morning or evening snack,” Ketkar says, “especially with a strong cup of chai from the vendor across the street.”

Payal Farsan
Established in 1986, Payal Farsan is a family-run shop known for sev-khamni, dalwada, and khaman. The live counter culture sets it apart. Trays are constantly replenished, fritters pulled straight from the kadai, and chutneys spooned out on demand. “Nothing here sits on the shelf,” says shop assistant Harsh Patel. “Everything is made fresh, just as it has been for decades.”

Pyarelal Kachoriwala
Tucked into the narrow lanes of Mangal Bazaar, Pyarelal Kachoriwala rewards those willing to brave the crowds. Its thin, crisp kachoris, filled with spiced moong dal, are served with puffed rice and a tangy, spicy chutney. Third generation proprietor Vikas Pyarelal says he sells at least 1,000 kachoris a day. “Our kachori should crunch the moment you bite in,” he says.

Gazra Café
A newer entrant on Baroda’s food map, Gazra Café is a Gaekwad initiative housed within the Maharani Chimnabai Stree Udyogalay, a historic women’s cooperative. The café has gained popularity for a menu that reflects Baroda’s blended Maharashtrian–Gujarati, or Ganga-Jamuna, culture. Try the kothimbir vadi (steamed coriander–gram flour squares, lightly fried for crisp edges), Poona misal, vada pav, bhungda bateta (crispy matchstick potatoes tossed in masala), and Surti chaat tacos.

Teja Lele writes on travel and lifestyle.