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You might think the people of Indore, Madhya Pradesh love their Poha best, but the proud foodies of Nagpur, Maharashtra can easily make you change your mind with their delectable plates of Tarri Poha. Poha is a very simple flattened rice dish, you might argue, so what could possibly make a dish called Tarri Poha a signature street food from Nagpur? Well, the answer lies in the flavours Nagpur is famous for.
Nagpur has always been known for some of the spiciest dishes in the country, including Saoji cuisine. Even the Misal Pav prepared in this city is extra spicy and can (and does indeed) compete with those served in Pune and Kolhapur. Naturally then, when it comes to making Poha, Nagpur’s foodies add a lot of spice and flavour to it, remaining true to the authenticity of their local food. And Tarri Poha is the one dish that epitomizes this.
To break it down, Tarri Poha has two essential components: the spicy black chickpea or kala chana Tarri which is loaded with tomatoes that are cut in half or quartered, and the Poha which is simply prepared and soaks up the flavours of the spicy Tarri. There are a few sides that Nagpur’s foodies and vendors add to their Tarri Poha, and chopped onions as well as mixture or farsaan tops the list. Many also add Aloo Bonda to the Tarri Poha or have Samosa on the side to make it all more filling.
Clearly, for the people of Nagpur, Tarri Poha is not just a street food but an emotion. So, we asked the true-blue foodies from Nagpur to recommend the best Tarri Poha places every visitor must check out. Here is what they had to say.
1. Ramji Shyamji Pohe, Chatrapati Nagar; Recommended by Dr Sanskruti Gujar @junky_rover
One of the most popular places for Tarri Poha in Nagpur, Ramji Shyamji Pohe is always crowded and yet manages to maintain high standards of service. “This place provides the perfect blend of spice topped with a tomato piece,” Sanskruti says. “Their Tarri Poha flavours are apt and authentic! I also love that their place is really hygienic even with very basic open-air sitting arrangements. Their prices are also quite pocket-friendly.”
Must Try: Tarri Poha, Tarri Bonda, Tarri Samosa
Price For Two: Rs 100 (approximately)
Address: Beside Santaji Mahavidyalaya,Sneh Nagar, Square, Chatrapati Nagar
2. Shankar Nagar Pohe, Shankar Nagar; Recommended by Dr Sanskruti Gujar @junky_rover
As mentioned before, some of the most famous Tarri Poha joints in Nagpur are not big eateries placed within four walls but run by vendors on the streets—and Shankar Nagar Ke Pohe is definitely one of the best the city has to offer. “The famous vendor at Shankar Nagar starts selling his Tarri Poha at around 3-4 am, and when the whole Nagpur is sleeping, you'll get authentic poha only there,” Sanskruti says. “I have taken my non-Nagpuri friends here and they liked it too! This one is basically a thela, and you take the plates to your two wheelers or car or just gather around with friends and enjoy!”
Must Try: Tarri Poha, Jalebi
Price For Two: Rs 100 (approximately)
Address: Near Shankar Nagar Bus Stop, Shankar Nagar
3. Vicky Chana Poha, Mohan Nagar; Recommended by Sheikh Sahil Chhaware @nagpurfoodpedia
This one is another little thela that sells not only delicious Tarri Poha but is also famous—in fact, viral—for serving up the fastest plates of Tarri Poha in Nagpur. Sahil explains that though a small joint, Vicky has apparently been selling spicy Tarri Poha since the early 1980s! “He has huge kadhai full of fresh poha, hot tomato-laden tarri on a dekchi and trays of mixture and samosas on one thela,” he says. Apparently Vicky serves the crowds with this simple yet quick assembly system, customizing each Tarri Poha plate as per the customer’s demands.
Must Try: Tarri Poha, Tarri Samosa
Price For Two: Rs 80 (approximately)
Address: AH46, Near LIC Square, Mohan Nagar
4. Ganesh Nashta, Laxmi Nagar; Recommended by Pratiksha Jaiswal @bingelife
Nagpur’s Laxmi Nagar area houses another popular thela loaded with some of the most delicious Tarri Poha in the city. While most Nagpur Tarri Poha joints serve the dish with tarri and a piece of tomato, this stall offers up fresh and hot Bondas too. “I love this place because of its unique style of serving Poha with aloo bonda and tarri,” Pratiksha says. “Most people don’t even know the name of the place as there is no big signboard or anything, but the place is always crowded.
Must Try: Aloo Bonda, Tarri Poha
Price For Two: Rs 50-60 (approximately)
Address: Laxmi Nagar Square, Laxmi Nagar
5. Nandu Poha, Baidyanath Square; Recommended by Neha Rahate @thetongueandscissors
Yes, this one may be another thela that serves Tarri Poha in Nagpur, but our city foodie recommends this place for all those who want to savour the Nagpur speciality while also ensuring their health. “This poha is like a homemade one, with less oil and more flavours,” says Neha. “The ambience is very basic, but the place is flocked by people from all strata of society from the moment the thela opens.”
Must Try: Tarri Poha
Price For Two: Rs 60-80 (approximately)
Address: Besides Swastik Marbles, Baidyanath Square/Chowk
6. Poha Project, Ramdas Peth; Recommended by Neha Rahate @thetongueandscissors
While Tarri Poha at the many popular thelas of Nagpur taste amazing, Neha recommends that women who might be worried about safety should try the one served at Poha Project. “This is one place where girls can visit and dine properly to enjoy food,” she says. "The quality is really good, the ingredients are cleaned and sorted properly.” Though a bit pricier than other Tarri Poha plates in the city, Neha says the hygiene, safety and flavours are never compromised with here.
Must Try: Tarri Poha, Aloo Bonda
Price For Two: Rs 200 (approximately)
Address: Shop 255/4, Shree Ganesh Chambers, WHC Road, Ramdas Peth
7. Shraddha Farsan Pohewala, Badkas Chowk Mahal; Recommended by Abhinav Jeswani @abhinavjeswani
Local foodie and true-blue Nagpur boy Abhinav highly recommends this place and calls the Tarri Poha here legendary and heavenly. "This place in East Nagpur serves one of the best and my favourite Poha in the city,” he says. “The Poha is truly desi and that's make it favourite for the locals of Nagpur, especially on a Sunday morning. You might have to wait in line for that though, since the place is always crowded. The owners here are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met and they have also renovated recently.”
Must Try: Tarri Poha, Samosa
Price For Two: Rs 60 (approximately)
Address: Opposite Ram Cooler, Badkas Chowk Mahal
8. Keshav Pohewala, Deo Nagar Square; Recommended by Abhinav Jeswani @abhinavjeswani
For the night owls of Nagpur who get cravings very early at dawn, this is the place Abhinav recommends. “This is one of the few Tarri Poha places which open early in the morning around 5:30 am,” he says. “This place runs only for two hours, so you need to be there in time to get the hot plates of Tarri Pohaor you might miss it. The taste is one of the best in Nagpur with a not-so-spicy Tarri.”
Must Try: Tarri Poha
Price For Two: Rs 80 (approximately)
Address: Khamla Road, Deo Nagar Square
9. Kishor Bhau Poha, Lakadganj; Recommended by Ruchika Asatkar @ruchika_asatkar
This famous poha thela in Nagpur is named after Kishor, the man who sells delectable plates of Tarri Poha and is endearingly called Bhau or big brother. “After the Tarri Poha my mother makes, this one served by Kishor Bhau is my second personal favourite,” Ruchika says. "The taste here is absolutely amazing.” She also explains that though he opens the stall at 7am, the Tarri Poha here is so famous that it runs out by 7.30-8am.
Must Try: Tarri Poha
Price For Two: Rs 60-80 (approximately)
Address: Barbate Square, Lakadganj
10. Sachin Poha, Mahal; Recommended by Abhinav Jeswani @abhinavjeswani
You might not believe a city like Nagpur has a vibrant night life, especially around street food, but Abhinav says that Sachin Poha proves this assumption wrong. “This is one of the very few places which serves Tarri Poha at around 2-3 am in the night, with a huge crowd wrestling to get plates of the yummy dish,” he says. "Sachin Poha has to be your go-to place if you are a night owl.”
Must Try: Tarri Poha
Price For Two: Rs 60-80 (approximately)
Address: 44R3+MHP, New Shukrawari Rd, Ramwadi, Mahal
