Last updated on August 27th, 2026 at 06:11 pm
In this India travel guide, we will tell you about the best places you can eat like a local in Amritsar, the most iconic city in Punjab and home of the glittering Golden Temple.
Punjabis take their food very seriously, and so do I. In fact, when I am travelling, food ranks as my number one priority (number 2 is decent travel insurance).
Luckily for us foodies, Amritsaris are famous for their incredible cuisine and warm hospitality, and Amritsar’s culinary delights are best sampled from the small local restaurants that have passed the test of time.
So here are our favourite places to eat like a local in Amritsar!
If you’d like to make your trip to Amritsar part of a wider itinerary, be sure to read my article: The Best One-Month Travel Itinerary for North India.
Where to Eat Like a Local in Amritsar
Bhai Kulwant Singh Kulchian Wale
A decades-old joint packed with locals right by the Golden Temple, it is one of the most authentic places in the city to try Amritsari Kulcha; a spicy flatbread stuffed with potatoes and cooked on the tandoor.
This is a simple outfit serving pretty much just Kulcha and Chole, and everything is made fresh-to-order and served piping hot, which is all you could ever want. Try the Alu-Wala Kulcha and thank me later!
Open Daily 8am – 4pm
Makhan Fish + Chicken Corner
This multi-cuisine restaurant is a little further out from the centre on Majitha Road; they are attached to a hotel, and have been going since 1962! Try the Fish Fry Sohal or the Chicken Methi, the latter being the nicest curry I have ever had in India (I have been 7 times!)
Most things here are cooked dhaba-style, meaning they are cooked for hours over coal-fired ovens with freshly ground spices and using lots of ghee, just like Mama used to make. So expect rich, smoky dishes that will blow your mind!
Open Daily 11am – 11:30pm.
Beera Chicken House
Just a few doors down from Makhan, Beera Chicken House is a casual spot with delicious Butter Chicken on the bone. It really doesn’t look that different from a British kebab house from the outside, but the food is DIVINE.
Be sure to add the Keema Naan to your order; if it’s good enough for the one and only Anthony Bourdain, it’s good enough!
Open Daily 12:30 – 11:00pm
Kesar Da Dhaba
This long-running, tucked-away Dhaba is found down a small lane in Chowk Passian near Town Hall. Kesar Da Dhaba is another timeless Amritsari institution known for its Punjabi Thali – which is served with a hefty portion of mouthwatering Paratha.
Open Daily 12:30 – 10:45pm
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Happy Travels
xxx
