India’s street food culture is world-renowned for its bold flavours, variety and affordability. From spicy chaats to tangy golgappas, millions relish these dishes daily. But the same streets that promise taste often raise questions about hygiene. A recent video by a travel vlogger duo in Kolkata has once again ignited this conversation after they tried the city’s famed dahi puchka.
The experience captured on camera
In the clip, the duo stopped at a stall and ordered a plate of dahi puchka, filming the preparation. Their expressions quickly shifted from excitement to concern as the vendor handled ingredients with bare hands and used containers that looked less than clean. Once served, the tourists appeared hesitant. In the end, they chose not to eat and instead threw the plate straight into a dustbin.
The traveller candidly admitted, “I can’t risk my life, unfortunately.” In his caption, he added, “$0.34 street food in Kolkata, India. I normally LOVE pani puri so I decided to try Dahi Puckha, which seemed very similar! After seeing how it was prepared, I couldn’t bring myself to try it, sorry. We did try giving it away to stop food waste, but unfortunately, no one wanted it. P.S. The man was absolutely lovely.”
Watch the clip here:
{{/usCountry}}Watch the clip here:
{{/usCountry}}Online reactions
The video drew a flood of mixed responses online. One user criticised the vloggers, saying, “Street food is meant to be enjoyed without overthinking, you can’t expect five-star hygiene.” Anothesaid, “Acting all high and mighty infront of a panipuri vendor.” A third viewer said, “This is how it has always been made, and locals eat it daily without issues.” Someone else commented, “At least they were honest about not wanting to waste food.” Another user added, “Cost $0.34 and expect hygiene of $100.” A more sympathetic voice wrote, “It’s sad they missed out on the real taste of Kolkata because of fear.”