The food in Dadra and Nagar Haveli is very strongly influenced by neighbouring state Gujarat. Almost always strictly vegetarian, Gujarati cuisine is unlike any other Indian cuisine. The difference lies in the unusual blending of the sweet with the salty into a harmonious whole. The grand spread of Gujarati cuisine can be glimpsed and savoured in the very popular "Gujarati Thali".
The local tribal cuisine of capital city Silvassa and all over Dadra and Nagar Haveli uses an interesting variety of pulses and vegetables, including wild mushrooms and bamboo shoots. Rotis are made from various flours like rice, nagli (raagi) and jowar, and are a must try on your stay at any hotel in and around Silvassa. Crabs, freshly caught on a dark night after a hunt in the wild by the light of makeshift wooden torches, is a delicacy not only in Silvassa, but throughout India. River fish like rohu, katla and mirgals carp are popular. Chutneys made from the fruit and leaves of wild shrubs and aromatic herbs (like karanda berries, ajoola leaves, ambada leaves and raw mangoes) are mouth watering and greatly relished – one of the most savored cuisines of India. You will get a good taste of the Silvassa or Dadra and Nagar Haveli tribal cuisine in hotels in Silvassa and also the rest of Dadra and Nagar Haveli.
Ubadiyu, a mix of vegetables and beans cooked with special herbs in an earthen pot, is the local version of Gujarati undhiyu, is a must-try dish. It is only one of the specialties in Silvassa as well as other parts of the Union Territory, and is eaten usually in the winter. Have it with turmeric-flavoured buttermilk, that’s how the local people of Dadra and Nagar Haveli enjoy it. Khaman, steamed chickpea cake, and gamthi chicken are other must-eats.
Restaurants in Hotels and Resorts in Silvassa and in other parts of the Union Territory are multi-cuisine, serving continental, Chinese and Indian fare, including Parsi specialties like Dhansakh and Patra Machhi, Punjabi and Moglai food and the sumptuous Gujarati Thali (an eternal favourite). Some of these hotels and restaurants are also known for their sea food.
The local cuisine in Silvassa is a good representation of all the different specialties of Dadra & Nagar Haveli.