The Sweet & Savoury Soul of Indore: 6 Legendary Sweet Shops and 6 Namkeen Institutions

Indore isn’t just India’s cleanest city — it’s arguably its most food-obsessed one. Ask any Indori and they’ll tell you the city runs on two things: mithai and namkeen. At Maahishmati, our looms and our love for Indore come from the same place, so we thought it was time to celebrate the other craft this city has perfected over generations — the art of sweet and savoury.

Must Try:

1. Khopra (coconut) patties at Vijay Chaat House in 56 Dukkan or Sarafa.
2. Poha Jalebi Chai combo at any local shop.
3. Dal Baati at Rajhans Dal Bafle in Bada Sarafa / Dal Baati Surna at New Palasia.

Here’s our pick of Indore’s most storied names — six sweet shops and six namkeen institutions — each with a story worth knowing before your next visit (or your next order).

The Sweet Shops

1. Agrawal Sweets — Since 1950

One of Indore’s oldest mithai houses, Agrawal Sweets has been a longstanding, family-run name in the city since 1950, passed down through generations while preserving its legacy of quality and taste. Specialty: Their Soan Papdi is the stuff of legend — flaky, ghee-rich, and made to a recipe that hasn’t changed in decades. Kaju Katli and Besan Laddu round out the must-try list.

2. Apna Sweets — Since 1987

What started as a modest shop in Malganj has grown into one of Indore’s most recognisable mithai chains, now with outlets and restaurants across the city, known for consistency and hygiene as much as taste. Specialty: Their Ras Malai, made with pure ghee and fresh milk, is the shop’s calling card, alongside classic Gulab Jamun and Jalebi.

3. Madhuram Sweets — Since 1995

A slightly newer entrant that earned its place fast by blending tradition with a bit of innovation — think fruit-and-nut Kulfi alongside classic mithai. Specialty: Their Ras Malai and Besan Chakki are standouts, and their Poha-Jalebi breakfast combo is a genuine Indori morning ritual.

4. Bhanwarilal Mithaiwala — Since 1965

Six decades deep, this is one of the city’s most trusted names for pure-ghee, traditional sweet-making. Specialty: Their Kaju Katli is prized for the delicate balance between sweetness and cashew richness, and their Motichoor Laddu is a festival favourite.

5. JMB (Jain Mishthan Bhandar) — Since 1990

JMB has expanded across the city while keeping its standards intact, and is one of the go-to names for corporate and festival gifting. Specialty: Milk Cake — soft, spongy, and unmistakably JMB — along with their Motichoor Laddu.

6. Shree Gangour Sweets — Since 1985

Practically synonymous with festival season in Indore. Specialty: Moong Dal Halwa, made rich with ghee and dry fruits — the shop’s Diwali and winter specials sell out fast, and their savoury snack counter is worth a visit too.

Honourable mention: no list of Indore sweets is complete without a night at Sarafa Bazaar — the city’s famous jewellery market that transforms after dark into a legendary food street. This is where you’ll find the giant single-piece Jaleba, Mawa Bati soaked in rabdi, and the iconic malpua-with-rabdi combination that’s kept Indoris coming back for generations. Sarafa’s oldest food stall is believed to date back to 1977.

The Namkeen Institutions

1. Prakash Namkeen — Since 1940

Indore’s namkeen royalty. What began in 1940 as a small-scale namkeen operation has grown over seven decades into a name inseparable from the identity of Indori namkeen itself. Their biggest claim to fame: the invention of the Khatta Meetha mixture, which became an identity not just for the brand but for the city of Indore as a whole. Today the brand makes over 100 namkeen varieties, from mini namkeen to bhakarwadi, and has expanded into sweets and a bakery line.

2. Om Namkeen — A Local Powerhouse

With multiple outlets across the city (including one near the famous 56 Dukaan), Om Namkeen has become a byword for variety — hundreds of options across sev, mixtures, chivda, and roasted snacks, catering to everyone from kids to health-conscious shoppers. Specialty: Ratlami Sev and Double Laung Sev are the ones locals swear by, and no visit to Indore is considered complete without a stop here before catching a flight home.

3. Sarafa Bazaar’s Savoury Stalls

By day, this is a gold and jewellery market with roots going back to the Holkar era; by night, it becomes the city’s most beloved food street. On the savoury side, this is where you’ll find Bhutte Ka Kees (grated corn cooked with milk and spices), Garadu (spiced yam root chaat), and the legendary Joshi Ji ka Dahi Bada — famous for the theatrical toss-and-catch serving style that’s become part of the Sarafa experience itself.

4. Chappan Dukan (56 Dukan) — Since 1974

Originally a cluster of 56 small vendor stalls set up by the local administration in what was then called Udasin Ashram Market, this Palasia street grew into the moniker “56 Dukan” through the 1980s and ’90s, and was redeveloped into a modern open-air food street in 2020. Specialty: Ghee-fried kachoris and samosas, the iconic Poha-Jalebi breakfast, and Khopra Patties that you genuinely can’t find with the same taste anywhere else.

5. Suresh Namkeen — HIG-LIG Area

A neighbourhood institution known specifically for its Indori-style samosas with spicy potato filling — crisp crust, well-balanced spice, and a loyal local following that’s kept it going strong for years.

6. The Ratlami Sev Tradition

Not a single shop but a citywide specialty worth calling out on its own — Ratlami Sev (named for nearby Ratlam but sold and perfected across Indore) is the tangy, thicker-cut sev that distinguishes Indori namkeen from every other region’s. Nearly every serious namkeen shop in the city, from Prakash to Om to the smaller Sarafa-adjacent stalls, has its own version, and comparing them is practically an Indori pastime.

Whether it’s a saree woven by hand over weeks or a batch of Soan Papdi perfected over decades, Indore and the Malwa region have always believed in doing things the slow, careful way. That’s the same philosophy we bring to every Maahishmati saree — heritage, craft, and a refusal to cut corners.