Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport

Varanasi's airport is small but its food scene punches above its weight, especially for a city so defined by its culinary heritage. The main terminal building has a handful of sit-down counters and a central food court area that, frankly, gets busy fast before morning departures. Grab a window seat early if you can — the light is lovely and the crowds thin out once the first wave of pilgrims and tourists clears security.

The real draw here is the chaat and street-food-inspired stalls that give you an honest taste of Banarasi cooking before you fly. Look for kachori sabzi — the flaky, spiced lentil-stuffed pastry served with a tangy potato curry — which is the breakfast of choice for locals heading home. Tambe's and similar counters also offer lassi, and the thick, slightly sweet Banarasi version is genuinely good, not an airport approximation. Pair it with a plate of jalebi and you've eaten the way the city actually eats.

Beyond the street-food counters, there are standard café-style outlets serving South Indian staples like idli and dosa alongside chai, which makes for a dependable backup if the queues elsewhere are impossible. The coffee is unremarkable — this is absolutely a chai city — but the hot milk tea served in small clay kulhad cups is worth seeking out if you spot a vendor with them. It's a small, atmospheric touch that reminds you, even in an airport, that you are unmistakably in Varanasi.