If there’s one place that defines street food in Ahmedabad, it’s Manek Chowk. A jewellery market by day turns into a full-blown food frenzy by night. This isn’t where calories matter. Butter shows up in everything and makes its presence known. This list of 7 unique dishes to try at Manek Chowk dives straight into the boldest picks. Unexpected flavour pairings, cheese in places you didn’t see coming, and recipes that challenge what normal even means.
Ghotala dosa
Start with the Ghotala Dosa at Manek Chowk, preferably from Balan Dosa. It’s indulgent and completely over the top. A crisp dosa packed with a spicy potato mix, heaps and heaps of melted butler, and vegetables, then finished with more butter than anyone really needs. It’s messy, rich, and exactly what late-night food cravings look like here. If that feels like too much, there’s always a Jini Dosa or a Gwalior Masala Dosa on standby but this is the one people actually come for.
Where: Balan Dosa Stall
Ghughra Sandwich
Order a Ghughra Sandwich at Manek Chowk and don’t overthink it. It’s a triple-layered toast stuffed with a spiced potato filling (very samosa-like), onions, capsicum, and slathered with green chutney, finished with a generous hit of cheese and butter. Grilled till properly crisp and cut into bite-sized pieces, it’s built for late-night hunger. This is exactly the kind of over-the-top, butter-heavy bite that defines Ahmedabad’s midnight food scene.
Where: Bahuchar Stall
Jamun & Gauva Shots
Take a break from all the butter and go straight for Jamun Shots at Manek Chowk. These tiny glasses pack a proper punch, tangy jamun pulp blended with ice, black salt, and spice, finished with that signature salty rim. Vendors like 9898 Fruit Shots keep them coming in quick rounds, alongside guava and other fruit variations.
Where: 9898 Fruit Shots Stall, Dhruv Shots
Bhaji Pav
Order a Bhaji Pav at Manek Chowk and yes, here it’s bhaji first, not pav. The bhaji is thick, properly spiced, and cooked on a massive tawa with an unapologetic amount of butter, served with soft pav toasted till golden. Stalls like Mahalaxmi Bhaji Pav do it best, often adding extra butter or cheese if that’s the direction you’re heading in. It’s hot, messy, and full of flavour.
Where: Mahalakshmi
Cheese Pulav
Go for the Cheese Pulav when something substantial is in order. The rice is tossed on a large tawa with a spiced masala base, picking up heat and a slight char before being finished with a layer of grated cheese. Each spoonful carries warmth from the spices and richness from the butter. It’s makes for a solid pause between all the smaller, snack-style plates around you.
Where: Bahuchar Bhajipav & Pulav
Pineapple Ice Cream Sandwich
Try one of the wildly inventive sandwiches at Manek Chowk. These aren’t your standard toasties, each one stacks three thick slices of soft white bread, generously buttered and layered with everything from ice-cream and jams to unexpected fillings like pineapple, chocolate chips, or even rabri. There’s cheese grated between the layers, binding the whole thing into a slightly chaotic bite.
Where: Bahuchar Pav Bhaji, Sandwich Stall
Rabdi Kulfi
Finish with a Rabdi Kulfi at Manek Chowk. After all the savoury excess, this is the pause you need. Dense, slow-churned kulfi in flavours like kesar and pista, paired with chilled, thick rabdi that coats every bite. Served in slices or indulgent combinations, it’s creamy, rich, and just sweet enough.
Where: Bastiram’s Rabri Kulfi
