Under ₹100: Pondicherry Snacks That Are Local Legends
If you think Pondicherry is all about croissants and café lattes, think again.
Behind the pastel doors and French breakfasts lies a true Pondy snack culture — simple, hot, flavourful street eats that locals have been devouring for decades… all under ₹100.
From crispy evening bajjis to melt-in-your-mouth idiyappam and spicy beachside bhel, these snacks are the heartbeat of Pondy’s everyday food life. Cheap? Yes.
Iconic? Absolutely.
Here are the local-legend snacks you can enjoy in Pondicherry without breaking a ₹100 note.
Beach Road Bhel Puri
Pondy’s most famous ₹40 snack with a sea view.
Walk along Rock Beach in the evening and you’ll spot a cluster of carts tossing together bhel so fast it feels like a performance.
Crunchy murmura, chopped onions, raw mango, chilli, lemon — all mixed with Pondy’s salty breeze.
Why locals love it:
- always fresh
- perfectly spicy
- pairs with the sunset
- the ₹40 price hasn’t changed in years
Location: Near Gandhi Statue, Rock Beach
Price: ₹30–₹40
Mission Street Tea & Bun Butter
The OG Pondy comfort combo — soft bun, melting butter, hot tea.
Tiny tea shops along Mission Street serve the most satisfying hot bun-butter toasted lightly on a tawa. Dip it into a glass of steaming, kadak tea… and you’ll instantly understand Pondy mornings.
Why it’s special:
- nostalgic flavour
- elders & office-goers love it
- simple but addictive
- under ₹25
Location: Tea stalls opposite Eastern Stores, Mission Street
Price: Tea ₹12–₹15, Bun Butter ₹20–₹25
Muthialpet Bajji Stall
Evening bajji that disappears faster than it fries.
By 4:30 PM, the most famous bajji kadai in Muthialpet begins frying chilly bajji, potato bajji, vazhakka bajji, and “mix bajji” that locals demolish within minutes.
The magic?
The batter.
Crispy outside, soft inside, never too oily.
Why it’s legendary:
- ₹10–₹12 per piece
- huge crowd every evening
- consistent taste for 30+ years
- best eaten hot on the spot
Location: Near Muthialpet Market Entrance
Price: ₹10–₹15
Grand Bazaar Mullu Murukku
A crunchy Pondicherry classic made fresh every morning.
Inside the narrow lanes of Grand Bazaar are tiny family-run shops frying mullu murukku from dawn. The aroma alone will pull you in.
Locals buy it by the kilo, but as a traveler you can enjoy a ₹20 packet that stays fresh for days.
Why it’s iconic:
- made using traditional brass moulds
- clean oil, home-style taste
- perfect Pondy souvenir too
Location: Grand Bazaar Street, near vegetable market
Price: ₹20–₹40 per packet
Villianur Idiyappam & Coconut Milk
A soft, soulful breakfast under ₹100.
Just outside Villianur Temple, a small stall serves freshly steamed idiyappam with sweet coconut milk — a Pondy treasure most tourists never find.
The combination is pure magic:
soft
light
fragrant
easy to digest
Perfect for a peaceful breakfast without spending much.
Location: Villianur Temple Entrance Road
Price: ₹30–₹50
Conclusion
Pondicherry’s best food isn’t always found in cafés.
It’s here — on the streets, markets, tea stalls, and roadside baskets where local legends are born.
And the best part?
You can enjoy all of them for under ₹100.
If you want to taste the real Pondy — the Pondy locals eat every day — start with these small, powerful, delicious bites.