Bangladesh offers an incredible mix of natural wonders, from the world's longest beach at Cox's Bazar to the mangrove forests of the Sundarbans. Experience vibrant culture, ancient heritage sites, and warm hospitality in this South Asian gem.
Top food tours
Guided experiences that show you Bangladesh through its food.
Old Dhaka Street Food Walk
An immersive walking tour through the historic streets of Old Dhaka, stopping at legendary food institutions including Haji Biryani near Nazira Bazaar, the Chawk Bazaar spice market, Star Kabab on Bangsal Road, and traditional mishti doi (sweet yoghurt) shops in Lakshmibazar. One of the most authentic culinary experiences in South Asia.
Buriganga River Floating Food Tour
A unique culinary boat journey on the Buriganga River from Sadarghat terminal, sampling fresh fried fish from river vendors, ilish (hilsa) preparations, and river prawns cooked on traditional boat stoves by local fishermen. Combines spectacular views of Old Dhaka's riverside with authentic riverine cuisine.
Ramadan Iftar Food Tour
A seasonal evening tour during Ramadan exploring Dhaka's extraordinary iftar food markets in Chawk Bazaar, Nazira Bazaar, and Bangshal, sampling halim (slow-cooked meat stew), dates, sharbat (sweet drinks), and dozens of traditional Ramadan foods from stalls that appear only at this time of year.
Sylhet Tea and Spice Tour
A guided food journey through Sylhet's markets and tea culture, visiting the Bandar Bazaar spice wholesale market, tasting the legendary seven-layer tea at Nilkantha Tea Cabin in Srimangal, visiting a working tea factory, and sampling Sylheti specialities including shutki (dried fish) preparations.
Tour formats
Different ways to experience Bangladesh's food scene.
Street food tours
Old Dhaka street food crawls are the most popular food tour format, exploring the ancient city's specialist food streets where single families have cooked the same dishes for three or four generations
Market tours
Karwan Bazaar wholesale produce market tours (best from 5-8 AM) and Chawk Bazaar spice market tours offer insight into how Bangladeshi food supply chains work and the extraordinary variety of local ingredients
Restaurant tours
Restaurant-focused food tours in Gulshan and Banani explore contemporary Bangladeshi fine dining alongside traditional family-run biryani houses and legendary sweet shops
Specialty tours
Tea-focused tours in Srimangal, seafood tours in Cox's Bazar, and Ramadan iftar market tours are seasonal specialty experiences available at specific times of year
Cooking classes
Take a piece of Bangladesh home with you.
Bengali Home Cooking Class
Learn to cook authentic Bengali dishes including ilish macher jhol (hilsa fish curry), dal bhat (lentils and rice), and aloo posto (potato with poppy seeds) in a Dhaka home kitchen with a local Bengali family. Classes begin with a morning market visit to buy fresh ingredients.
Biryani and Kebab Masterclass
A hands-on cooking session with an Old Dhaka biryani master, learning the secrets of authentic Kacchi Biryani (sealed-pot slow-cook method with raw meat and aromatic rice) and Shami Kebab, the two defining dishes of Old Dhaka's centuries-old culinary tradition.
Pitha and Sweets Workshop
Learn the art of making traditional Bangladeshi pitha (rice cakes) and mishti (sweets) including bhapa pitha (steamed coconut rice cake), chitoi pitha, and the famous mishti doi (sweet yoghurt). Classes run during winter (December-February) when pitha season is at its peak.
DIY self-guided food tour
Self-guided food trail through Old Dhaka's legendary food streets, exploring on foot with this route. Best done from 10 AM to 2 PM when all stalls are operating at full capacity.
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Stop 1: Nazira Bazaar — Haji Biryani (est. 1939) for Dhaka's most celebrated Kacchi Biryani (BDT 150-200)
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Stop 2: Bangsal Road — Al-Razzaque's Restaurant for beef bhuna (spiced beef) and paratha (BDT 80-100)
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3
Stop 3: Chawk Bazaar — spice market walkthrough, sample fresh coconut water and green mangoes from vendors
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Stop 4: Shankharibazar — Alauddin Sweets for mishti doi (sweet yoghurt) and rasgolla in a centuries-old sweet shop (BDT 30-50)
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Stop 5: Sadarghat — fresh fried fish and jhal muri (spicy puffed rice snack) from riverside vendors while watching river traffic (BDT 20-40)
Foodie tips
Get more out of every meal.
Old Dhaka's food institutions often run out of signature dishes by early afternoon — arrive by 11:30 AM for biryani and 12:30 PM at the latest for kebabs
Bangladeshi cuisine is more subtle in spice than Indian food, but dishes can be made hotter on request — say 'jhaal deben' (make it spicy)
Street food hygiene has improved dramatically in Dhaka's popular food areas; look for vendors with high turnover and hot food rather than pre-cooked items sitting out
The Bengali calendar has a rich tradition of seasonal foods — ask locals what's in season during your visit, especially pitha in winter (December-January) and mango in summer (May-July)
Tea (chai) in Bangladesh is typically very sweet and made with milk — request 'cha-na-cheeni' (tea without sugar) or 'dudh chara cha' (tea without milk) if you prefer
Ilish (hilsa fish) is Bangladesh's national dish and most celebrated food — the Padma ilish is considered the best in the world, available from July to October and during Pahela Boishakh (April)
Restaurant prices in tourist areas of Cox's Bazar and popular Dhaka restaurants can be 2-3x higher than local spots — explore one block away from the main strip for authentic prices
Mishti doi (sweet yoghurt) from Bogra district is considered the finest in Bangladesh — look for Bogra mishti doi in sweet shops across the country