In the 19th century, royal cook Kakasura Madappa crafted a remarkable confection for King Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV, blending gram flour, ghee, and sugar. This delightful creation was christened Mysore Pak, forever intertwining its name with the city’s rich heritage.
Recently, journalist Rajdeep Sardesai stirred up online conversation by surprising BJP spokesperson Amit Malviya with Haldiram’s version of Mysore Pak. This unexpected choice left many netizens puzzled, wondering why he didn’t opt for a traditional South Indian sweet shop. Recognising the need to shed light on the genuine flavours of Mysore Pak, we present a curated list of historic and esteemed stores in Bengaluru that serve this iconic delicacy.
Sri Venkateshwara Sweetmeat Stall, Balepet
Established by VA Venkatachalapathy Setty in 1952, Sri Venkateshwara Sweetmeat Stall is renowned in Bengaluru for bringing the Mysore pak from Mysuru. Before moving to Bengaluru, the family sold Mysore Pak in Chikkaballapur for over 35 years. Raghu Setty, the grandson who has managed the stall for the past 22 years, transformed the kitchen with scientific techniques and a dedicated food technician to ensure consistent texture and flavour. Raghu confirms, “At that time there was no one else selling Mysore Pak in Bengaluru.” They even import a special cream from Denmark to uphold the quality.
Mysore Pak at Sri Venkateshwara Sweet-Meat Stall, Balepet | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
Raghu oversees the ghee sourced from loyal vendors and mills and sieves the gram flour, ensuring a consistent taste year-round. Rejecting automation, the sweet is still handmade, preserving the traditional flavours. Raghu says, “We don’t believe in automating the process, as it would compromise the authentic handmade flavours.” Their packaged Mysore Pak can last one month at room temperature.
Price: 1 kilogram Mysore Pak is ₹1,000.
Sri Krishna Sweets
In the 1970s, N K Mahadeva Iyer from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, put a different spin on Karnataka’s Mysore Pak through extensive experimentation. Eventually, the result was the creation of the Mysurpa, which became their distinctive dish. According to regular visitors, it is a seamless combination of pure ghee, gram flour, sugar syrup, and a hint of turmeric for colour.
A file photo of Mysore Pak at Sri Krishna Sweets | Photo Credit: PERIASAMY M
They have over 60 retail outlets across India, including Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai, where they not only offer sweets but also a variety of snacks. Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone is a devoted fan of their Mysore Pak , known for its powdery texture, sponge-like consistency, and generous use of ghee.
Price: 1 kilogram Mysurpa is ₹710.
MTR Sweets
If you have had South Indian meals in MTR, you probably have asked for a second serving of Mysore Pak. The secret? “It is all in the ghee...It has to be the best,” says Hemamalini Maiya, managing partner, MTR. The sweet is available with meals in their restaurant and in packages in their stores. They sell two varieties of Mysore Pak: regular and special. The regular variety, which is harder and crunchier, used to be sold at the main MTR store but is now exclusively available at their shop counters. The special variety is softer and has a ghee aroma.
Mysore Pak at MTR | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
“Both the varieties are popular and fly off our shelves when fresh. The fresher, the better it tastes,” says Hemamalini. MTR used to make ghee from butter in-house, but now they procure it from trusted vendors due to concerns about butter adulterations. Their Mysore Pak is best enjoyed within a week.
Price: 1 kilogram Mysore Pak is ₹950.
Asha Sweet Center
Established in 1951 by the Late Kantha Prasadji Garg, Asha Sweet Center in Malleswaram is one of Bengaluru’s major legacy family-run sweet shops. Over the years, the store has expanded and now boasts several branches in the city. Among their wide array of delicacies, Mysore Pak steals the show. According to Darshini Mayur Garg, partner, Asha Sweet Center, “The softer version of the Mysore Pak was introduced in 1951 and turned out to be a huge hit, attracting crowd to the store.”
Mysore Pak at Asha Sweets Center | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
At Asha Sweet Center, they offer both crisp and soft variations of the Mysore Pak. “Our consistency in taste and quality is maintained through rigorous checks. We sieve the gram flour for impurities under UV light and use only RO filter water,” explains Darshini.. The UV filter ensures there are no impurities in the food items. When visiting the store, customers have the option to purchase Mysore Pak either by weight or as individual pieces, beautifully presented on a banana leaf.
Price: 1 kilogram Mysore Pak is ₹760.
