India's Top Four Breakfast Choices Are South Indian Dishes, Says Swiggy Survey

South Indian dishes are the top breakfast choice for Indians, as per Swiggy's latest food trends. Over 90% of its breakfast orders are vegetarian and the top four breakfast choices are South Indian staples—masala dosa, vada, idli, and pongal.

Masala dosa, in particular, has captured the hearts of Indians, making it a popular choice not just for breakfast, but also for lunch and dinner. 

On average, Swiggy sees over 60,000 veg salad orders placed weekly, with green salad being the top choice. Demand for vegan options has also surged, with Swiggy Guiltfree noting a 146% rise in vegan orders last year.

Notably, six out of India’s top 10 most ordered dishes are vegetarian. Bengaluru is the country's hotspot for vegetarian cuisine, it found, calling it the "Veggie Valley". Top vegetarian dishes in the city include masala dosa, paneer biryani, and paneer butter masala. Mumbai followed with its own vegetarian favourites like dal khichdi, margherita pizza, and pav bhaji. Hyderabad also featured prominently, with masala dosa and idli being top picks.

The Swiggy report also shed light on India's snacking habits. Margherita pizza led the pack as the most popular snack, followed closely by samosa and pav bhaji. 

The IPO-bound company has launched the 'Green Dot Awards', which recognises the best in vegetarian food across the country. The awards will honour popular vegetarian restaurants in over 80 cities, with over 9,000 brands nominated in more than 60 categories, including pure veg brands, cakes and desserts, veg pizza, veg burger, paneer dishes, veg biryani, and dal makhani.

The company's peer, Zomato Ltd., also has a similar award called 'Restaurant Awards', which is an annual affair where customers vote for their top favourite restaurants, region-wise.

The Bengaluru-based food delivery platform noted that the award reflects India's shift towards healthier and more sustainable eating habits.