Food & Shopping

Food & Shopping

Puri offers delicious traditional Odia cuisine and authentic handicrafts that reflect Odisha's rich cultural heritage. Here’s a complete guide to what to eat and where to shop in Puri.

 Must-Try Foods in Puri

 1. Mahaprasad (Temple Food of Jagannath Temple)

• 56 varieties of food (Chhappan Bhog) prepared in earthen pots.
• Cooked in the largest open-air kitchen inside the temple.
• A mix of rice, dal, vegetables, sweets, and khichdi.

 Where to Try: Ananda Bazaar (Inside Jagannath Temple Complex)
 Tip: Buy from official temple stalls to get fresh Mahaprasad.

 2. Dalma (Traditional Odia Dish)

• A healthy mix of lentils, pumpkin, raw banana, and coconut, cooked without onion & garlic.
• A staple temple food & Odia household dish.

 Best Places to Try:
✅ Wildgrass Restaurant (Near Puri Beach)
✅ Rasoi Restaurant (Grand Road)

 3. Pakhala Bhata (Fermented Rice Dish)

• A cooling summer dish made of soaked rice with curd, green chilies, and mustard seeds.
• Served with fried vegetables & badi chura (crushed lentil dumplings).

 Best Places to Try:
✅ Dalma Restaurant (CT Road, Puri)
✅ Hotel Santana (Near Swargadwar Beach)

 4. Fresh Seafood (Puri Beach Special)

• Try prawns, crabs, pomfret fish, and grilled lobsters.
• Cooked with traditional mustard-based masala.

 Best Places to Try:
✅ Bhojohori Manna (Near Puri Beach)
✅ Seafood Stalls at Puri Beach

 5. Chhena Poda (Odisha’s Signature Dessert)

• A baked cottage cheese cake with a smoky caramelized flavor.

 Best Places to Try:
✅ Pahala Sweet Shops (Puri Main Market)
✅ Ganguram Sweets (Grand Road, Puri)

 6. Khaja (Temple Sweet)

• A crispy layered sweet dipped in sugar syrup, offered at Jagannath Temple.

 Where to Buy:
✅ Ananda Bazaar (Jagannath Temple Complex)
✅ Laxmi Sweets (Grand Road)

 7. Mudhi Mansa (Spicy Mutton with Puffed Rice)

• A unique dish from Odisha, spicy mutton curry served with crunchy puffed rice.

 Best Places to Try:
✅ Chung Wah Restaurant (Puri Beach Road)
✅ Rupashi Bangla Restaurant (Grand Road)

 Shopping in Puri – What to Buy & Where to Shop

Puri is a paradise for handicrafts, textiles, and souvenirs. Here’s what you should buy:

 1. Pattachitra Paintings (Ancient Scroll Paintings)

• Traditional handmade paintings with mythological & folk themes.
• Painted on cloth, palm leaves, and wooden panels.

 Best Places to Buy:
✅ Raghurajpur Heritage Village (15 km from Puri)
✅ Handicraft Stores at Grand Road & Puri Beach Market

 Tip: Visit Raghurajpur Village to see artists making Pattachitra live.

 2. Sambalpuri & Bomkai Sarees (Handloom Textiles)

• Famous tie-and-dye sarees with intricate designs.
• Available in cotton & silk fabrics.

 Best Places to Buy:
✅ Utkalika Handloom Emporium (Grand Road, Puri)
✅ Boyanika (Govt. Handloom Store, Beach Road)

 Tip: Authentic handloom sarees have unique thread patterns – beware of fake machine-made versions.

 3. Seashell & Sand Art Souvenirs

• Handmade seashell jewelry, home decor items, and miniature sand sculptures.

 Where to Buy:
✅ Puri Beach Market
✅ Sudharshan Craft Museum (Near Puri Railway Station)

 Tip: Bargain for the best prices at beachside stalls.

 4. Silver Filigree Jewelry (Tarakasi Work)

• Intricate handcrafted silver ornaments & idols.

 Best Place to Buy:
✅ Tarakasi Handicraft Stores (Grand Road, Puri)

 Tip: Genuine silver filigree items are lightweight and detailed.

 5. Stone & Wood Carvings (Temple Miniatures & Sculptures)

• Miniature versions of Jagannath Temple, Sun Temple, and Hindu deities.

 Best Places to Buy:
✅ Sudharshan Craft Museum
✅ Handicraft Stores at Swargadwar Market

 Tip: Visit Sudharshan Museum to watch stone sculptors at work.

 6. Herbal Products & Spices (Chilika Specialties)

• Natural herbal oils, sandalwood, turmeric, and ayurvedic products.
• Spices like sun-dried red chilies and mustard seeds from local markets.

 Best Places to Buy:
✅ Chilika Eco Village Shops (Satapada, near Chilika Lake)
✅ Puri Local Market (Grand Road)

 Best Shopping Markets in Puri

 1. Grand Road Market (Main City Market)

✅ Best for: Handlooms, sweets, religious souvenirs, and handicrafts.
✅ Location: Near Jagannath Temple

 2. Puri Beach Market

✅ Best for: Seashell jewelry, sand art, decorative items, and conch shells.
✅ Location: Along Puri Beach

 3. Swargadwar Market

✅ Best for: Handicrafts, silver jewelry, sarees, and Odia artwork.
✅ Location: Near Swargadwar Beach

 Travel & Shopping Tips:

✔️ Bargain in local markets for handicrafts and textiles.
✔️ Buy Mahaprasad from official temple counters only.
✔️ Carry cash for small stalls (some places don’t accept digital payments).
✔️ Try local seafood stalls but ensure they follow hygiene practices.
✔️ Visit Raghurajpur Village for authentic handmade souvenirs.

Puri is a heaven for food lovers & shopping enthusiasts! Whether you want to taste authentic temple food, buy traditional handlooms, or collect beach souvenirs, Puri has something special for everyone.