Ganesh Chaturthi Sweets Special: 8 Places In Pune That Have Perfected The

Puran Poli

Recipe

Quick Summary

Typing puran poli recipe into a search bar right before Ganesh Chaturthi is a very Puneri instinct, but this Bhadrapada, why not try out the city's small sweet shops and home-style kitchens instead? Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 falls on Monday, September 14, kicking off ten days of bhog offerings. Puran poli is one of Pune's most enduring Ganesh Chaturthi sweets, alongside the beloved modak. Skipping the mega-famous mithai chains, this article takes you through some places across the old peths, Deccan Gymkhana, Kothrud and Hadapsar that Punekars seek out for their puran poli.

Deep Dive

Several Maharashtrian homes place puran poli before Ganpati as bhog on at least one of the festival's ten days, running alongside modak, rather than replacing it. The sweet itself is fairly simple, made with wheat dough stuffed with jaggery-sweetened chana dal and roasted on a tawa with ghee, a process that takes hours to get right. This is exactly why so many Puneri households outsource it during festival week. If you're hunting for the best food in Pune this Ganeshotsav and would rather not spend a morning kneading dough, these spots below are known specifically for their puran poli, not just their thalis. Scroll for what to order at each, along with the cost for two, addresses and timings.

1. Puranpoli Ghar

If puran poli is the whole point of your visit, during Ganesh Chaturthi, skip the thali restaurants and head straight to a shop built around it. Puranpoli Ghar's Narayan Peth outlet makes every poli to order, and the menu has more than just the classic dal-jaggery version, with the likes of khoya puranpoli, gulkand poli, badam dal kahwa poli and even a carrot poli, alongside dahi dhapate and bakarwadi on the side. Reviewers specifically mention the coconut and chocolate versions for anyone trying the sweet dish beyond the traditional one.

Must try: Khoya puranpoli, gulkand poli, badam dal kahwa poli
Cost for two: ₹150-250
Address: 501, Shop no 3, Ganesh Prasad Building, Patrya Maruti Chowk, 4, Narayan Peth, Pune, Maharashtra 411030
Timings: 9:30 am-10:00 pm (festival-week hours can shift, so call ahead)

2. Joshi Sweets

Tucked near the Vitthalwadi bus stand on Sinhgad Road, this is the kind of neighbourhood sweet shop Punekars grew up on. One reviewer calls their puran poli ‘the speciality of Pune’, something that many might agree with. The puran poli shares counter space with bakarwadi, kothimbir wadi, and sweet puri, which regulars rate above the city's more famous names. It's an unglamorous shop, but that's part of the appeal during a festival week when everyone else is queuing at the big chains. There are more branches of this shop on Paud Road, opposite Kamla Nehru Park and Erandawane, if one of the branches is too crowded for your liking during the Ganesh Chaturthi festive period.

Must try: Puran poli, bakarwadi, sweet puri
Cost for two: ₹200-300
Address: 21, Sinhgad Rd, near Bus Stand, Vittalvadi, Hingne Khurd, Pune, Maharashtra 411051
Timings: 9:00 am-9:00 pm daily

3. Durvankur Dining Hall

This Sadashiv Peth institution runs three separate thali menus: one for weekdays, one for Sundays, and a dedicated Ganesh Chaturthi spread that trades its usual sweets for special puran poli and basundi, served alongside aamti, masala rice and bhajji. It's been running for over two decades and stays genuinely packed through festival season, so arrive before 7:30 pm if you want a table without a wait.

Must try: Ganesh Chaturthi special thali with puran poli and basundi
Cost for two: ₹400-600
Address: Tilak Road, Hatti Ganapati Chowk, Shop No. 1166, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Rd, near Sahitya Parishad, Sadashiv Peth, Pune, Maharashtra 411030
Timings: 12:00 pm-3:30 pm; 7:00 pm-11:00 pm daily

4. Mumma's Kitchen

A small, homely joint on Paud Road that trades on exactly the comfort its name promises. The menu blends North Indian and Maharashtrian staples, but the puran poli, priced under ₹150, is what regulars specifically return for, alongside kadhi chawal and misal pav. It's a low-key pick if you want festival food without the crowds of the bigger thali halls.

Must try: Puran poli
Cost for two: ₹200-400
Address: Shop No. E-26, Kumar Parisar, Near Gandhi Bhavan Rd, Chaitanya Nagar, Kothrud, Pune, Maharashtra 411038
Timings: 11 am-3:30 pm; 6 pm-11:30 pm daily

5. Poona Guest House

Near the Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Mandir, in Budhwar Peth, this nearly century-old guest house is better known citywide for its ukadiche modak and thalipeeth, but its puran poli has its own following; it just isn't on the menu year-round. It's made specifically around festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi, Holi and Gudi Padwa, so calling ahead to confirm it's being served that week is worth the two minutes.

Must try: Puran poli (festive occasions only), thalipeeth with dahi vada, Poona Guest House special thali, Mastani misal pav, shrikhand puri
Cost for two: ₹300-600
Address: Ganpati Chowk, 100, Laxmi Rd, Budhwar Peth, Pune, Maharashtra 411002
Timings: 11:00 am-3:30 pm; 7:00 pm-9:30 pm

6. Hotel Shreyas

Established in 1966 in Deccan Gymkhana, Hotel Shreyas has been serving an unlimited vegetarian Maharashtrian thali for so long that it shows up on nearly every ‘old Pune institution’ list. The puran poli here is part of their special ‘pure veg’ thali experience, alongside ghee and katachi aamti. You can also choose to sample other Maharashtrian dishes at their restaurant, like the many rice items, bhajis, koshimbir, usal, in combinations of your choice or choose some of their special tiffin items.

Must try: Unlimited Maharashtrian thali with puran poli and amrakhand
Cost for two: ₹700-1,000
Address: 1242 B, Apte Rd, Deccan Gymkhana, Pune, Maharashtra 411004
Timings: 11:30 am-3:00 pm; 7:30 pm-10:30 pm

7. Sugran Swayampakghar

Running since 1998, this Karve Nagar ‘swayampakghar’ has built its name on gharcha jevan, literally meaning home-style cooking, and its menu changes three times a day rather than staying fixed. Puran poli shares the counter with khava poli (a khoya-stuffed version) and gul poli, alongside a rotating home-thali spread of aluchi bhaji, masale bhaat and kadhi-khichadi. It now has several outlets across Pune (Kothrud, Dahanukar Colony, Bibvewadi, Wakad), but the original Karve Nagar location is the one to go by if you want to see where it all started this Ganesh Chaturthi.

Must try: Puran poli, khava poli, gul poli
Cost for two: ₹200
Address: Shop No. 01, Ganga Nagari Society, near Pratidnya Mangal Kendra, Karvenagar, Pune, Maharashtra 411052
Timings: 8 am-10 pm daily

8. Shabree Restaurant

On FC Road, Shabree has been a college-crowd favourite for years, with a queue that forms daily outside for its pure-vegetarian thalis. Puran poli, pithala zunka and tupacha varan are the dishes regulars name first, and the restaurant also runs upwas thalis on fasting days if your festival calendar overlaps with a vrat.

Must try: Puran poli, pithala zunka, tupacha varan
Cost for two: ₹400-600
Address: 1199, 1A, behind Tukaram Paduka Temple, Shivajinagar, Pune, Maharashtra 411004

Timings: 11:30 am-3:30 pm; 7:30-11:00 pm daily

An Overview of Pune's Best Puran Poli Spots

Note: Prices and timings can shift during Ganesh Chaturthi week, so make sure to call ahead before visiting.

A Few Things To Know Before You Visit

• Puran poli sells out fast during peak festival days, especially at dedicated shops like Puranpoli Ghar and Joshi Sweets. Visiting before noon improves your odds of catching it fresh off the tawa.

• Places like Poona Guest House don't serve puran poli year-round, so confirm by phone that it's on the menu for the specific day you're visiting.

• If you want the sweet without a full thali commitment, dedicated puran poli shops and small joints like Mumma's Kitchen let you order it standalone; thali halls like Durvankur and Hotel Shreyas serve it only as part of the set spread.

• Most of these places are pure vegetarian, and smaller, older establishments don't accept online payments. Carrying cash is a safe bet for the older places.