Every city has something which it is renowned for. Pune is well known for some typical Puneri places, without which the Pune experience would be incomplete.
Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale
The Chitale’s started out as a dairy farm way back in 1939. Today Chitale Bandhu (Bros) is present all over Pune, with its main outlet close to Deccan Gymkhana. Chitale’s have grown leaps and bound in the past 60 years, becoming Pune’s most loved mithaiwales. Their amba barfi and their bakarwadi are incredible. The taste and the flavor is so unique to the Chitale’s that any Puneri manoos can tell the difference between Chitale’s and non Chitale’s.
Joshi Wadewale
For a piping hot wada pav served with some green chilies and red chutney, head straight to Joshi Wadewale. At Joshi Wadewale you don’t have to worry about quality or hygiene. They function like any other fast food chain, with strict quality norms. The best part is that they start at 6 am every day until midnight. Along with the wada pav they also serve a few other Maharashtrian snacks like Pohe, Bhaji and Sabu dana wada.
Ganesh Bhel
Pune’s best loved chaat destination- Ganesh Bhel has a number of outlets all over Pune. With quick, clean service and some chatpata chaat, Ganesh Bhel has won the hearts of all Puneris. Try out their S.P.D.P (Sev, Potato, Dahi, Puri), which is my personal favourite. Their outlets are a “hangout” for most college students, and the ambience is that of simple, unpretentious enjoyment.
Sujata Mastani
For those who are unaware, a mastani is a combination of a milkshake and ice cream, with a few extra toppings. Though this concept may sound familiar to you, Sujata Mastani prepares fruit flavoured pot ice creams from scratch. Sujata Mastani is also present in various parts of Pune, and is a perfect dessert post dinner. Their mastanis will definitely make you drool.
Bedekar Misal
No list of Puneri Places can be complete without the mention of Bedekar Misal, located in the heart of Old Pune. Its specialty is vegetarian- slightly sweet, and very spicy misal. Misal is generally a mixture of spicy gravy, sev and usali. Bedekar Misal has been around for as long as anyone can remember, and its taste and its dedication towards creating Pune’s best misal pav has not changed even a little bit.