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Copyright © 2025 Foodies Only
Copyright © 2025 Foodies Only
6 Min
03/11/2025
Indian street-style sandwiches have been around for a while, which use local favourites like potatoes, paneer and eggs and turn them into delicious hand-held treats that rival the international sandwiches. If you like burgers, there’s your vada pav, love wraps, then there’s the kathi roll and so on. All of these sandwiches are perfect to celebrate Sandwich Day with local flavours and spices.
A sandwich might be a Western concept and sort of forced on many Indian specialities, but it was indeed the colonisers who introduced their bread to India. The Portuguese introduced their pão, which became pav and is quite relished along the Western side of the country, where they settled. The British, who started out from Calcutta, the eastern region, introduced sliced bread, which was picked up by the entire country alongside pav. What caused it to be popular was its affordability and the changing nature of the workforce, which saw many grab their meal, especially breakfast on the go. As much as the sandwich seems like a Western iteration, there are some local varieties perfected at street stalls that put international versions to shame.
Forget the burger and grab Mumbai’s beloved vada pav, which features the soft pav slit horizontally like a pocket, slathered with butter and chutneys like pudina (mint) and imli (tamarind). Then comes the iconic batata vada, which is just a ball of spiced mashed potato coated in besan (gram flour) and deep fried with a pickled whole green chilli in the sandwich. Originating in Mumbai around 1966, it was invented by street vendor Ashok Vaidya outside Dadar station to serve mill workers a cheap, quick meal. Now, it’s a signature street snack across the city and India.
A Bengaluru street favourite, the bun nippat masala uses a soft pav spread with green chutney and tamarind‑date chutney. The filling includes nippat (crispy fried rice crackers, locally known as thattai or chekkalu), chopped onions, grated carrots, chopped tomatoes, chopped green chillies, and fresh coriander leaves. There’s also the chat spices along with spicy roasted peanuts called Congress kadlekayi. It’s like having chaat within a bun and is prized for its crunch and sweet-spicy flavour combination, and is found near college areas and chat stalls in Bengaluru.
The Kathi roll originated in Kolkata at Nizam’s Restaurant in the 1930s and is similar to the classic Indian rolls, which are also a beloved street food. The name comes from ‘kathi,’ meaning stick – referring to bamboo skewers used to grill the meat. The typical fillings range from grilled kebab (mutton, chicken or paneer), with a thick egg layer, which is optional, with sliced onions and chillies, wrapped in a flaky and thick paratha. It became a portable meal for office-goers and commuters. Today, it’s found across India with variations including veg paneer, egg, and even fusion rolls that can rival any wraps.
Potato sandwich, masala toast sandwich, or aloo toast is a favourite across the country, which is said to have originated in Mumbai. It’s made with sliced bread, sometimes pav, that is buttered with a filling of spiced mashed potato (with spices and chaat masala), chopped onions, tomatoes, capsicum, and green chutney. It’s pressed on a griddle or a sandwich maker and toasted until golden and crisp. You will find it being made on the spot at street corners and snack stalls, served as a quick, filling tea-time snack. Sometimes there is ketchup or mayonnaise served on the side. It’s simple, cheap, and perfect for a quick bite or an evening snack that rivals your favourite burrito.
Another Mumbai street staple, anda pav is made with a buttered pav stuffed with spiced scrambled egg (egg bhurji or sliced boiled eggs), onions, tomatoes, chillies, and green chutney. It’s a quick, protein-packed breakfast or snack for office-goers and students. Sold at small stalls or pav bhaji corners, it’s inexpensive and easy to eat on the go. The combination of soft pav, spicy egg, and tangy chutney makes it a comforting, everyday street-food favourite.
This sandwich variation is inspired by the classic street snack chana chaat (or chole chaat) but stuffed between bread slices. It’s more of a recent find with the filling made with kabuli chana (chickpeas), which are boiled and mixed with onions, tomatoes, green chillies, coriander, chaat masala, and lemon juice. This is spread on bread slices with green chutney and cucumber slices. You get a good deal of fibre, fewer calories and a protein-rich option that is tasty.
Indian street sandwiches are regional expressions of local talent and flavours which are affordable and creative. Each sandwich, from the vada pav to the chickpea chaat sandwich, offers a unique balance of taste owing to the spices used and also the ingredients, texture, and freshness that international sandwiches often lack.