In the heart of Vidarbha, the pulsating region of eastern Maharashtra, street-food culture holds a distinct place in everyday life. The humble plate of tarri poha or samosa with chole is not just a snack but a fixture of mornings, meetings and neighbourhood chatter. For many residents and visitors alike, the drive to sample a well-known vendor becomes part of the experience of the city.

This article turns the spotlight on four vendors in Nagpur and Yavatmal whose carts or small outlets have become established landmarks in the street-food geography of the region.

Each of these has a story of flavour, location, local following and long-standing practice. They serve as a kind of informal cultural asset in Vidarbha’s urban foodscape rather than high-end dining.

1. Ramji Shyamji Pohewale, Wardha Road, Nagpur

This breakfast stall, located at Shop 1, Plot 5, House 1483/5, Shiv Jyoti Complex, Sneha Nagar, near Santaji College on Wardha Road, Nagpur, is one of the most referenced tarri-poha spots in the city. The business is run by twin brothers Ramji and Shyamji and has been operating for more than three decades. Their special dish is tarri poha: flattened rice prepared simply and served with a spicy, tomato-based black chickpea curry topped with onions or sev. The shop has a very high turnover, and many regulars cite the taste and consistency as why they return. According to one source, it is open from around 6 a.m. to about 3 p.m. on most days. One noteworthy moment was when co-owner Shyamji passed away at age 45 from a heart attack, an event that struck the local food-lover community. For the people of Nagpur, this outlet has become a reference point in the morning rush and as such a part of the living street-food craft of the region.

2. New Sanjay Up­har Gruh (Samosa & Nashta), Tiranga Chowk, Nagpur

This snack outlet in Tiranga Chowk, Nagpur, near Big Cinemas on Sakkardara Road, is rated around 4.2 out of 5 from over 5,000 reviews. It specialises in tarri poha along with samosas, aloo bonda, kachori and bhaji vada, which are all morning snacks of the region. The mention of tarri samosa appears in social-media posts highlighting the spicy local curry served with deep-fried samosas. Reviewers note that the half-plate price is approximately ₹20 and the full plate ₹30, which makes it accessible for a broad clientele. Although more formal than a pure stall-thela the venue preserves the street-food ambience and caters to early-morning and snack-crowd needs. It reflects a bridging of informal street-food culture and affordable snack shop environment in Nagpur and, by extension, the wider Vidarbha region.

3. Shankar Nagar Pohe Vendor, Shankar Nagar, Nagpur

In the Shankar Nagar neighbourhood of Nagpur stands a vendor famed for starting service before dawn with tarri poha on a thela. Though the vendor may not have a high-profile brand name like larger outlets, food bloggers and city locals consistently list this place among the best for tarri poha. One account describes that even when the whole city is asleep in the early hours, this vendor opens and serves authentic poha with the tomato-black-chickpea curry flavour typical of Nagpur. The cart’s timing, simplicity and concentration on one thing give it credence as a purist form of this local breakfast staple. It underscores how the street-food network in the region is not only about fixed shops but also dawn-active thelas embedded in residential zones of Vidarbha’s cities.

4. Sairat Hot Poha And Tea Stall, Suchak Nagar, Yavatmal

Venturing beyond Nagpur, in Yavatmal city, the Sairat Hot Poha and Tea Stall at Suchak Nagar on Bus Stand Road stands out among street-food vendors. It is listed as a food-court style venue offering poha and tea with take-away available and is open regularly from 11 a.m. onwards, though street-food hours may differ. The stall is less documented than the Nagpur vendors, yet it is singled out as a popular place for poha lovers in the Yavatmal district. The term Sairat style poha also circulates locally in Yavatmal, referencing this place. In the broader Vidarbha context, this illustrates how the tarri-poha culture extends into smaller cities and towns beyond the major urban centre of Nagpur, maintaining its significance as a street-food ritual.

These four vendors capture distinct shades of the street-food culture of Vidarbha. From a twin-brother run icon in Nagpur through a more formal snack outlet with tarri and samosa to a dawn-cart vendor in a local residential area and a morning stop in Yavatmal, each highlights how local taste, timing and place weave together. They illustrate how street food is embedded in daily routines, neighbourhood economies and the informal food ecosystem of the region. Observing them provides insight not into gourmet dining but into everyday gastronomic rhythms of the region. When passers-by queue for a plate of tarri poha or a samosa with spice-rich curry, they participate in a living tradition rather than simply grab breakfast.