Most Ordered Food in India: Top Dishes People Can't Get Enough Of

When you ask someone what the most ordered food in India is, there’s no single answer—but there are clear winners. biryani, a layered rice dish cooked with spices, meat, and often yogurt or milk-based sauces tops home kitchens and restaurants alike, especially on weekends and celebrations. buttermilk chicken, a creamy, tomato-based curry with tender chicken pieces isn’t just popular—it’s the dish people order when they want comfort without heat. And dosa, a fermented rice and lentil crepe served with chutney and sambar? It’s the go-to breakfast for millions, from Mumbai street corners to Delhi office canteens.

These aren’t just random dishes. They’re the result of decades of taste, tradition, and practicality. Biryani works because it feeds a crowd, keeps warm, and tastes better the next day. Butter chicken is mild enough for kids and rich enough for foodies, making it the universal bridge between cultures. Dosa? It’s cheap, quick, digestible, and endlessly customizable—whether you want it plain, stuffed with potato, or topped with cheese. Street food adds another layer: Indian street food, including vada pav, pani puri, and chaat is ordered by the millions daily, not because it’s fancy, but because it’s fast, flavorful, and deeply tied to local identity. You won’t find these dishes on a menu because they’re trendy. You find them because they’ve earned their place through repetition, trust, and taste.

What ties them all together? Milk. Not just in desserts like kheer or rasgulla, but in the yogurt used to marinate chicken, the paneer stuffed inside dosas, the cream stirred into curries, and the raita served on the side to cool down the spice. These foods aren’t just eaten—they’re experienced. They’re what families argue over recipes for, what travelers remember long after leaving, and what vendors make by hand every morning before sunrise. The most ordered food in India isn’t about luxury. It’s about reliability, flavor, and the quiet joy of something familiar that never lets you down.

Below, you’ll find real guides on how to fix common mistakes with these dishes, why they taste the way they do, and what makes them stick around year after year. No fluff. Just what works.