Hyderabad street food vendors offer ‘authentic food’ despite challenges

Affordable and tasty, stalls dotting Hyderabad cater to thousands and are an integral part of the thriving metropolis

Hyderabad: Tucked away on the sides of main roads, at the end of the streets or established at major tourist destinations, lining both-sides of the road, the street food vendors of Hyderabad not just represent the essence of Hyderabadi food palate but they also offer real, authentic food to people from low-income backgrounds, who often are away from their homes and look for ‘Ghar Ka Khaana’.

Unfortunately, they often bear the brunt of law enforcement with the recent example being the attempt to shut down the famous Kumari Aunty’s stall in Hitech City for causing a traffic jam. Although it is uncommon for a street food vendor to be the only cause of traffic congestion, the incident prompted many to say that such stalls must cease to exist as they are unorganized and not established like a hotel.

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But the fact of the matter is that, whether it’s the tea stalls in city, the pani puri sellers at every street corner, breakfast bandis near Uppal and Habsiguda, or the famous street food lanes at DLF or others, street food is now an integral part of this thriving metropolis. Although their operations are small in scale, street food vendors are paramount for the survival of those looking for pocket-friendly meals.

“I live in a hostel, so street food is like my go-to option. It is cheap and the place is nearby. Those saying that street food stalls must be removed, I guess come from very elite households,” says Teja, a student preparing for a medical entrance exam.

Apart from being the primary choice for students, cab drivers, daily wage earners, and others, these stalls are nothing short of smart entrepreneurship running on the simple principle of supply and demand. These small-scale businesses are also often the only source of income for those running them.

However, quite often their brush with authorities tends to leave a sour taste. Jawalkar, a 39-year-old native of Bihar, who sells deep-fried fish and chicken on a food truck, says that although everyone eats street food, their establishments are always seen as inferior to upscale cafes and hotels.

“We have to keep changing locations every now and then because we cater where there are crowds. But people see it as a problem and say we will throw garbage or there will be a rush of people. I wish we were also treated like established hotels because we are also serving food to customers like them,” he adds.