The Best ‘Fuchkawalas’ of Dhaka
Fuchka is arguably the most prominent and beloved street food in Bangladesh and The Business Standard team picked out the best fuchka vendors in Dhaka for you
A CNN report recently included Bangladeshi popular street food delicacy 'Fuchka' in the list of the 50 best street foods in Asia. Bangladeshi netizens went gaga over this news.
Especially Fuchka, a crispy delight filled with protein-rich chickpeas, potatoes, and multiple spices complemented with a flavourful tamarind juice, is quite an accessible food to people of all classes.
The name fuchka came from Assam but it has been a popular street food all over South Asia. To make you taste the best ones, The Business Standard identified some of the best fuchka vendors in Dhaka.
Mama Fuchka
While the name of this fuchka cart is rather commonplace, fuchka maker Md Abu Taher makes it exceptional. Starting in 1984, Abu Taher's fuchka and chotpoti are beloved by the people of Dhaka and especially popular among the residents of the Mohammadpur and Dhanmondi areas.
Abu Taher said, "I started my business back in 1984 when my brother enlightened me on how popular this snack is in Pakistan. I started to sell fuchka in the Sangsad Bhaban area but after 8 years I moved to Lalmatia. Since then many people joined the business, but I remain the oldest one to this day. Now my apprentice also owns a fuchka cart."
Mama's fuchka costs only Tk50. Apart from fuchka, chotpoti and doi fuchka, he also sells complimentary snacks, churmur, alur dom etc.
Address: Lamatia Arat, Mohammapur, Dhaka-1207
Paanipuri
'Paanipuri' near Gulshan Pink City complex is a popular fuchka place among local residents. The streetside cart owned by Md Iqbal Hossain started its journey in 2012, but his late father MD Abdul Khaleque founded the business, so it's been around for almost 40 years.
Iqbal said, "Our fuchka is special because the spices and even the crispy hollow fuchkas are made by us. We have never seen dissatisfied customers because our cost compared to our quantity and quality is justified."
A plate of fuchka costs Tk130, however, they serve a total of 14 large fuchkas along with Sweet tamarind water and Jeera pani.
10 Address: Road 103, Gate 1 of Gulshan Youth Club Ground, Dhaka
Jummon Fuchka
Established in 1960, Hazi Jummon Miya's fuchka remains one of the best fuchka places in Dhaka even after he passed away in 2020. For more than sixty years, Hazi Jummon Miya sold his iconic fuchka which was a staple snack for the students from nearby Armanitola School. After his death, his son Mohammad Babul Hasan took on his mantle as Jummon Fuchka continued to thrive.
"Jummon Fuchka became popular in the 2000s because of the students of Armanitola school. This helped spread our reputation through social media to other parts of the city," said Babul.
Jummon Fuchka uses home-made fuchka and a plate of fuchka or chotpoti costs Tk50. Jummon Fuchka usually sells three items: fuchka, chotpoti and egg chop complemented with tamarind and curd.
Address: Abul Khairat Road (adjacent to Armanitola School), Armanitola, Dhaka.
Mujibur Miar Fuchka
Mujibur Mia's cart is one of the oldest fuchka ventures in Dhaka, established near Bangshal, a crowded small business hub. His specialty is its affordability and taste, pushing customers to return for the food time and time again.
Chan mia, brother of Mujibur Mia said, "When my father Hanif mia started it in 1939, we sold fuchka only at 1 paisa per plate. The prices are still affordable to make it available for everyone. Jummon Mia was our neighbour in Kayet Tuli, but we started our business way before them. We might not be as profound as them, but we have our loyal customers."
A plate of fuchka costs only Tk40, and it is served with sweet and spicy tamarind water and borhani tok. They use chilli paste in their tok which gives it a novel aroma.
Address: Near BNP club, North South Road, Dhaka
