Malpua to Turkish ice cream Malpua to Turkish ice cream, Chennai’s Iftar streets turn foodie hotspots

As dusk approaches during the month of Ramzan, several neighbourhoods across Chennai turn into lively food streets, with stalls in areas like Triplicane, Royapettah and Periamet serving sweets, chilled drinks and sizzling snacks prepared for Iftar. This year’s spreads are more diverse, mixing classics such as shahi tukda, malpua and mohabbat ka sharbat with newer crowd-pullers like Egyptian-style cheese bombs and Turkish ice cream. Vendors say growing curiosity for global flavours, driven by social media, travel and exposure to Middle Eastern cuisine, has encouraged them to experiment with fusion desserts and snacks.

‘Our evening sales have increased by nearly 20% compared to last year’“Every Ramzan, we see a mix of tradition and new ideas. This year, Egyptian cheese bombs and Turkish ice cream are drawing many youngsters. Our evening sales are up nearly 20% from last year, with most demand between 5.30pm and 7pm,” says Mohammed Afridi, who runs an Iftar stall in Triplicane.

‘Prices are affordable compared to cities like Delhi’Iftar time in Chennai is truly lively. Prices are affordable compared to other cities like Delhi. What I like most is how traditional snacks and international flavours exist side by side,” says Arshad Khan, an entrepreneur who visited food stalls in Periamet.

‘During Ramzan alone, our stall generates around ₹3–4 lakh in revenue’According to Fathima Begum, who prepares desserts at a stall in Royapettah, sweets remain the biggest draw. “ Shahi tukda and malpua are the most preferred. On busy days, we sell nearly 300 plates, and during Ramzan, our stall makes around ₹3–4 lakh.”