Where to Celebrate Diwali, The Festival of Lights, in D.C.

At all celebrations in India (and just in general!) chefs and home cooks serve a variety of savory snacks. Kachori is one tasty example of India’s many famed snacks, and it is frequently served at festive events because of its crunchy goodness. The snack consists of stuffed, fried potato discs served with chutney for dipping — they taste just as good as they sound.

Bindaas’ Diwali version is a classic green pea kachori: ginger and green chili-infused mashed potatoes enrobe a handful of green peas; are formed into individual round dumplings; and finally are fried to a golden crisp. The coconut chutney served on the side is deliciously cool and indispensable to offset the heat of the pastries. You won’t be able to stop at just one.

An irresistible street snack year-round, pani puri are especially popular during holidays and will show up on many an Indian family’s Diwali table. The savory treats are hollow spherical crackers filled with hunks of spiced potatoes and served with tangy tamarind chutney and a spicy mint and cilantro water. Pro tip: fill each pani puri to the brim with the spiced water and then pop each one in your mouth. Eat them in a single bite or things are going to get really messy!

Crispy and finger-licking good, Masala Art’s onion bhaji, which are fried onion cakes, are made with thinly sliced onions that are dredged in a chickpea flour laden with spices such as fenugreek, dried coriander, garlic, cumin, paprika, and dried chilis, rendering the fritters extra flavorful and extra special.

For another festive snack, head to Daru for a spicy achari potatoes with selroti. Boiled potatoes are tossed in a bold dressing made with mustard seeds, fenugreek, turmeric, Thai green chili, and Sichuan peppercorn that have been sautéed in oil to release their aromas. The dish is served with selroti, which is a super crunchy ring-shaped, deep-fried bread that is often served during Diwali celebrations in India and Nepal.

No Indian event is complete without a big platter of samosas. These fried, buttery, triangle-shaped pastries filled with potatoes and peas are a signature Indian dish, and Pappe serves some of the best in town. Presented with a duo of chutneys for dipping – tamarind and mint – you’ll want several orders of these.

The best savory snacks in Indian cuisine fall under the umbrella of chaat, and Tamashaa’s ghever chaat is especially festive because of how pretty it is. A fried half-moon of roasted-cumin-infused cracker is crowned with spicy chickpeas and slivered rings of carrot and radishes, cilantro, pomegranate seeds, as well as generous drizzles of various chutneys. It is the ultimate party for your taste buds!

Tikki is another type of savory snack that is essential to celebratory events in Indian culture. Tikki are typically made with potato patties that are shaped into discs and panfried and then served with a black salt-infused yogurt sauce. The team at Karma puts a modern twist on their tikki by making the dish with coconut instead of potato and using avocado as a topping, making the dish extra creamy and decadent. Insider tip: The tikki at Karma are served as a part of their tasting menu; celebrate Diwali this year by indulging in their 9 course tasting menu – you won’t regret it!

Indian cuisine is famous for its breads – naan, roti, parathas, and on special occasions, pooris. Pooris are made by frying rounds of wheat bread until they puff up and form a balloon. Rich and chewy, these are eaten during Diwali and often paired with chana masala, which are chickpeas cooked in a tomato gravy simmered with garam masala, coriander, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. It’s a warm, heady, comforting combination.

Besides snacks, Indians love their sweets. One of the most epic Diwali desserts is the gulab jamun, which are fluffy yet chewy dumplings soaked in a sugary, rose water-infused sauce. Rasika’s gulab jamun comes with a scoop of cardamom ice cream, the perfect partner to the sticky donut hole-like balls.

Made with finely shredded carrots that are slow cooked with butter and sugar, and then dotted with raisins to form a pudding, halwa is a real indulgence. Served warm, it is especially popular at Diwali because the heat of the dish will bring you all kinds of cozy vibes as the temperatures dip outside.

Rasmalai hails from the region of Bengal, and is one of the richest, most elaborate Indian desserts. It is made from doughy fresh cheese dumplings that have been cooked for hours in a milky saffron-infused poaching liquid. Eventually, they are ready to be eaten, and come swimming in a cardamom-infused milk sauce. Oh! Naan’s is especially enjoyable because the addition of saffron shines through, bringing a warm, earthy note to the dish that marries well with the piney green cardamom of the sauce.

No Diwali celebration would be complete without cocktails, and the Vimana at Karizma is especially suited for the holiday for two reasons. First, vimana refers to a flying palace or chariot in Hindu texts; one of the most famous of which is the Ramayan—the legend most associated with Diwali. Second, bright colors are mandatory at Diwali celebrations, especially gold, yellow, red, and magenta. The mezcal-based drink is made with orange juice, chili water, and lime, resulting in a fiery, sunset-hued beverage with a magenta layer from a red-wine float.

For those looking for a warm, non-alcoholic beverage popular during Diwali, and at all Indian events, there’s masala chai. Indique brews their black tea with cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, milk, and sugar for a frothy, soul-satisfying end to your festive meal.