Are cafes taking over street food in Vizag? Youngsters have their say

The City of Destiny offers a lot in terms of food, whether it’s fancy café cuisine or masala-loaded street food, along with various options in beverages. A true gourmet can never say no to the mouthwatering street food delicacies of Vizag and the varieties found here. Though the café culture has been on the rise, a true local would turn to the streets on a hungry evening to refuel. Heavy on the tummy and light on the pocket, the city’s specials never failed to satiate our cravings.

But with more interest and investment going into the cafes, questions regarding the popularity of street food have sprouted. Are cafes taking over the food scene in Vizag? With items like Mirchi Bajjis, Pav Bhaji, and Samosa becoming a part of the cafes’ menus, does this indicate a possible shift in the setting? To understand the public’s perspective, Yo! Vizag conducted a survey asking people their take on these questions and their preferences.

The survey highlighted that 60% of the respondents favour street food owing to its budget-friendly nature, the short period to prepare it, and the quantity. Meanwhile, the rest preferred cafes over street food, stating hygiene issues and ambience. The work-friendly environment cafes offer was also one of the most mentioned reasons for their preference.

“Cafés are hygienic and have a good ambience. But we must agree on the fact that street vendors are changing their ways with time and are adopting a hygienic method,” says Sulochana, a 19-year-old local. Despite the cafés’ good ambience and hygiene, there are people, predominantly youngsters, who continue to prefer street food over café food.

Also read: From street food to restaurants, here are recommendations by locals

“Street vendors are updating their menus with fancy dishes served at cafes and restaurants. They give the desi touch to Indianize these dishes, which attracted crowds to their stalls,” pointed out another respondent. She remarked that peculiar fusions like Masala Dosa Waffles, Oreo Maggie, Mutton Keema Dosa, Chocolate Dosa, Cheese Chinese Chop Suey Dosa, and Chocolate Pani Puri Shots are among the disliked varieties. On the other hand, Cheese Dosa, Paneer Dosa, Chicken Maggie, and Egg Maggie enjoy the love of gourmets.

Many respondents have expressed their excitement over the prospect of seeing burgers, desserts, and sandwiches on street food menus soon. Further, they suggested pasta, tacos, and even biryanis be added to the list. Yo! Vizag asked people whether they would suggest cafes or street food to tourists. A majority expressed they would recommend street food owing to its authenticity. Also, street food is preferable to college students because of the budget-friendliness and the satisfaction it offers, they said.

While cafés are popular and have carved a niche, street food fashion is in no way losing out. It must be noted that both have their spectrum of customers and are equally enjoyable.

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