Street foods to enjoy around DU campus

The University of Dhaka or as most of us lovingly call it, DU, is not just an educational institution but also a historical and cultural hub of our city.  

Whether on Pahela Falgun, or the first day of Boishakh, or casual Friday evenings, we love to roam around the DU campus.

One of the top attractions of this place is the street food that you can find all around. These are not your high-end restaurant delicacies but everyday snacks, which taste great and go easy on the wallet. 

From Curzon Hall to TSC to the Social Science Chattar, you will find numerous street food carts and stalls to buy snacks from while you wander around.

Due to the pandemic, some of the popular items like the spicy wedges near Shamsunnahar Hall or the beef chap in front of Curzon hall are currently unavailable. But you will find items such as fuchka, bhelpuri and khichuri among many other titbits to eat. 

We have made a list of the most popular snacks and also mentioned where you would find the best tasting ones.   

Fuchka

Fuchka stalls are omnipresent at the campus all the way from Curzon Hall to the Arts Building. The stuffed fuchkas are usually topped with shredded boiled eggs, onions and coriander leaves. The sweet and sour tamarind chutney gives the fuchkas a rich, tangy flavour. 

In the DUS (Dhaka University Snacks) area, you will find choto fuchka (mini fuchka), which comes with a tok pani (sour tamarind water) as well as a mishti pani (sweet tamarind water). Both are extremely popular among students.

Our favourite pick is the one from the Social Science premises, which is topped with shredded beetroot and carrot.

The extra spicy fuchka and doi fuchka here is one of the best around the campus.

Orin, an MBA student at DU, shared with us, "I usually prefer hygiene over everything, but sometimes I give into my craving for street foods and come to the social science premises to have these delicious fuchkas." 

Cha, samosa, singara

One of the most traditional snack platters available at the Ducsu cafeteria is the one containing one small cup of tea, one shingara, one samosa and a chop for only Tk10.

Apurbo, a student of the Department of Health Economics said, "It is difficult to find so many snacks and a tea altogether for Tk10, but the Ducsu cafeteria has been serving this platter to us for many years."

However, if you are not in the mood to munch and only want a cup of tea, there are numerous options. Tea stalls around the TSC area, recently adorned with rickshaw painting, are the most popular among them. 

There is a myriad of flavours like malta, maltova, aporajita, tetul (tamarind), and morich (chilli) for you to sip on.  

The aporajita cha comes in a purple colour and tastes refreshingly nice. 

You can also try the tetul and morich cha to explore different flavours. Unlike regular tea, these are not sweet and the chilli powder and green chillies make them taste unique. 

Swapan Mama, the most popular tea-seller in TSC, shared with us, "It is not tea that I am selling; I am offering a bonding of a lifetime with these cups of tea." 

You will find these teas priced from Tk6 to Tk30.

Khichuri

A popular option for lunch, khichuri is sold at Hakim Chattar, TSC canteen, IBA canteen, FBS food court and DU Coffee Hut at the Social Science Chattar.  

The Hakim Chattar khichuri comes with a chicken fry and it costs Tk35. You can add a dim chop and a murgi chop for Tk10 per piece. 

DU Coffee Hut has been a popular place for street food lovers ever since it was established a couple of years ago. Not only khichuri, but they also serve delicious fried rice with sides like vegetables and chicken fries in big thalis. 

If you are really hungry, their set menu options are the best. You can choose fried rice with chicken fry, prawn curry and vegetables and the price ranges between Tk90 and Tk180.

Momo

Momo is a recent addition to our regular street food but the steamed dumplings have won our hearts over a short time. 

You will find a momo stall amidst the tea stalls around TSC and these can be great items for a quick snack and they come with two sauces: Chilli and mint. 

The stuffing lacks variations and mostly contains chicken. A plate of momo will have five pieces and is priced at Tk75. 

However, the best momo is sold near Shaheed Minar. These are priced at Tk15 a piece and five pieces cost Tk70. But you will only find the momo stall in the evening.

Right beside the momo stall, gigantic fried prawns will draw your attention, which the sellers will fry for you instantly. However, the oil they fry it with might not be very hygienic.

Colourful drinks

After cramming down all the snacks, you will want a cool drink. The best option for you is the lemonade from Campus Shadows.

Around afternoon, one of the most famous items at the campus is available here: The luchi and daal combination at Tk20.

You can also consider the lassi from DUS, priced at Tk30. Because of its perfect consistency- not too thick or runny, this one is our favourite. There is also lassi at Hakim Chattar at Tk25.

If you are looking for fresh fruit drinks, head over to DU Coffee Hut and choose from options like watermelon, orange, papaya and pineapple, among others. 

You will also find the best milkshakes and cold coffee here, which will cost you between Tk40 and Tk80.

More options

Around the DUS area, you will find the best bhelpuri. A plate of four pieces with a bit of salad costs Tk20. 

If you are a fan of bhorta, there are carts selling these around Hakim Chattar and Arts Building. But you will find the best kind of bhorta around Mall Chattar where a spicy mixture of fruits and vegetables like chalta, amra and kachkola are sold.