This is as indulgent as it can get! A deep-fried dessert, soaked in sugar syrup and topped with a decadent malai or khoya layer. Originated in Rajasthan, Ghevar is available in the month of saawan (as per the Hindu calendar) around the festival of Teej. Defined by the typical honeycomb design, ghevar (घेवर) is a much-awaited dessert available in parts of the Northern/Western belt during monsoons.
An intensive 2-day taste test revealed that Chaina Ram Sindi Confectioners is the best ghevar in India for immediate consumption. Haldiram’s varq laden malai ghewar is best if you plan on consuming it over a few days. We Also Recommend the malai ghewar by Kaleva.
Ever wondered why is ghewar (ghevar) only available during the monsoon? Ghevar needs humidity and moisture in the air to attain that sponginess, which is why it’s primarily sold during this time of the year.
Table of Contents
Quick Comparison of Ghevar Outlets
A quick look at all the brands we tested, rating awarded to them and their price.
| Ghewar Brands | Mishry Rating | Base Price
(per 500 grams) |
|---|---|---|
| Chaina Ram
(Top Pick – Immediate consumption) |
4 | Rs 370/- |
| Haldiram’s
(Top Pick) |
4 | Rs 344/- |
| Kaleva
(Also Recommended) |
3.5 | Rs 360/- |
| Bikanervala | 3 | Rs 360/- |
| Om Sweets | 3 | Rs 300/- |
| Nathu’s | 2.5 | Rs 320/- |
Our Review Factors
Ghevars are primarily of two types – sweetened and unsweetened. The sweetened versions, especially the ones topped with khoya or malai, are best consumed fresh. They do not have a long shelf life. This is why they are not easily deliverable and don’t really travel well between cities. Ghevar brands in India are plenty but they all cater to limited geographical locations.
What were we looking for while searching for the best ghevar in India? We are looking for a fresh tasting ghevar with balanced sweetness, a slightly moist base and a uniform malai topping with ample amount of nuts.
1. Taste
There are multiple pointers we kept in mind while reviewing the taste of ghevars –
- In a single bite, how well do all the layers of ghevar taste?
- Could we detect notes of any essence added?
- Can we taste ghee or any dominant flavor of fat?
- Is the sweetness of the ghevar in need of improvement, balanced or is it too sweet?
- Does the malai topping taste fresh?
- Any aftertaste of the box it was kept in?
- How is the overall experience?
2. Texture
After being deep-fried in ghee, ghevars are dipped in sugar syrup to get those gooey, wet pockets of the mithai. If dipped for too long, the ghevar can become extremely sweet, soggy, and lose its honeycomb shape and the airy texture.
Could we see the honeycomb texture of the ghevar? Is it dry, moist or too wet? Is the malai topping smooth and creamy or is it grainy?
3. Appearance
How appetizing does the ghevar look? When it reached us, were the pieces uniformly cut, or did we receive broken pieces? Or was it a single piece in a single box?
The toppings were also considered as they amp the visual appeal. What are the toppings on the ghevar? Malai, khoya, any dry fruits, saffron or varq (silver leaf). Is the topping to base ratio balanced?
Their price and packaging were taken under consideration for our review.
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Our Review Process
We chose six popular brands in Delhi NCR that offer quality ghewar –
- Chaina Ram Sindhi
- Bikanervala
- Haldiram’s
- Nathus
- Om Sweets
- Kalev
What did we choose? After our research we found that Malai Ghewar is a common menu item for all the chains. We ordered 500 grams of malai ghewar from five brands and khoya from one.
Note – We ordered the Khoya Ghevar from Om Sweets and Malai Ghevar from the rest because even after multiple attempts, the malai ghevar remained unavailable at Om Sweets. So we ordered the closest alternative.
Our review process was a two step taste test that spanned over 2 days.
Day 1 – Fresh tasting at room temperature, as soon as the box arrived.
Day 2 – Next day tasting notes, after being kept in a cool room overnight.
We conducted a blind tasting for half the tasters to eliminate bias.
Our winners were decided by collaborating tasting notes from both days, keeping in mind the changes in taste and texture.
Best Ghewar in India – Detailed Review
Tasting details, and their pros and cons are discussed in the section below –
1. Chaina Ram – Mishry Top Pick (Immediate Consumption)
The long que outside this sweet shop in Chandni Chowk (Delhi) is there for a reason, it seems. When we tasted the ghevar on day 1, our experience was phenomenal. From the mild milky malai and ghee aroma to the taste and texture, we loved it all. The honeycomb was cooked well (even though it was the lightest in color) and moist to the correct degree. The wet, yet airy pockets added a commendable layer of texture.
Even though it doesn’t have as many frills (varq etc) as some of our other contenders, the thick layer of malai and plenty of green pistachios does justice to the overall flavor and look. The mild saltiness cuts through the sweetness of the mithai really well, making this a balanced treat.
Chaina Ram’s Ghewar is our Top Pick if you want to consume this on the day of delivery because on day 2 of our testing, the moist base turned a bit hard and the flavor of ghee became dominant.
Price, Packaging and Delivery
Do note that the delivery of the product is not as easy as our chain sweet shops which are available on various food delivery portals and are situated in multiple areas.
Chaina Ram is a standalone shop which attracts customers from different pincodes. We ordered this via Taste Dilli – 6. Depending on your location in Delhi NCR, they will charge the applicable delivery amount. We paid Rs 780/- in total (Rs 430/- as a base price and Rs 350/- for delivery to our HQ).
- Excellent texture of the honeycomb.
- This has a moist base with wet pockets.
- Topping and base ratio is apt. It sort of merges together and tastes delicious.
- Balanced sweetness.
- Limited access to the shop. You need special delivery sites or would have to specially travel to purchase this.
This decadent treat is meant only for same day consumption.
2. Haldiram’s – Mishry Top Pick
Going purely by how wonderfully the flavor of the ghevar enhanced the second day, we chose it as our Top Pick. The base turned even more moist than it was on day 1 and the aroma and flavor of rose and kewra gave it a slight upper hand.
The interplay of a light, crisp base with moist pockets of the sugar syrup brings about a balance in the texture. The malai topping has small globules of khoya that taste fresh. The sugar is slightly higher but the flavor of the essence tones it down a little.
Moreover it is beautiful to look at. A box contains a whole honeycomb with an ample amount of almonds, a few pista bits, kesar water and varq.
Price, Packaging and Delivery
This comes in a sturdy, attractive box. Extra marks for the festive-looking packaging. The base price is Rs 344/- for 500 grams. We paid Rs 556/- with delivery and taxes.
- Desirable rose/kewra essence flavor.
- Attractive packaging.
- Moist base.
- Color of the honeycomb is a beautiful brown.
- Ample toppings – be it the malai, nuts, kesar water or varq
- Malai topping tastes fresh.
- Honeycomb to malai ratio is apt.
- Sweetness toned down by an appealing rose flavor.
- Easy availability.
- Good to consume 1-2 days after purchase as well.
Haldiram’s Malai Ghevar is also our Top Pick for those who want to consume this over a couple of days. For us, the flavor and texture enhanced the following day.
3. Kaleva – Also Recommended
We Also Recommend Kaleva for its moist and fresh tasting ghevar. The base has the correct texture, slightly moist with crispy edges. The malai topping too, tasted extremely fresh. The interplay of a medium thick topping and height of the honeycomb gets a thumbs up from us. We could see almond slivers, and a few pista cut lengthwise along with kesar. The sweetness levels are on the higher side. Our tasting notes remained the same on day 1 and day 2.
Our large box pack contained four small, but whole, pieces of ghevar. The base price is Rs 360/- for 500 grams. We paid Rs 441/- with delivery and taxes.
- Soft, moist base.
- Balanced topping to base ratio.
- Very fresh tasting.
- No stacking or clumsy packaging. The pieces were neatly packed in a large box.
- Aesthetically pleasing. When we ordered 500 gms, we received 4 small-sized, full ghewars (without any cut up pieces).
- A little over-sweet, but not overwhelming.
Kaleva’s ghevar is best for those who like a fresh tasting ghevar with no added essence.
4. Bikanervala
Bikanervala’s ghevar did not win due to its dry base and dominant flavor of ghee. The flavor of fresh tasting malai was overtaken by ghee. The base turned a little more moist on day 2 in comparison to day 1, but it still wasn’t upto the mark. Moreover, the topping is much more than the base creating an off-balance.
The base price is Rs 360/- for 500 grams. We paid Rs 453/- with delivery and taxes.
5. Om Sweets
The khoya ghevar from Om Sweets did not win because the base was dry and the topping did not taste as fresh as our recommended brands. The thickness of the honeycomb base and topping are both equal. We could see an ample amount of almond slivers, and some pistachios scattered here and there along with varq. The topping tasted a lot like kalakand.
The base price is Rs 300/-. We paid Rs 370/- with delivery and taxes.
6. Nathu’s
Nathu’s malai ghevar did not win during our review because of two major reasons – the taste of the packaging had seeped inside the mithai and it wasn’t as fresh as the others. The base and malai topping are both drier than expected. Mild sugar granule-like graininess also hampers the texture of the malai.
Our tasting notes were identical on day 1 and 2.
The base price is Rs 320/-. We paid Rs 390/- with delivery and taxes.
- The product tasted like the packaging.
- Lacks freshness.
- Dry base and malai topping.
Our Top Picks & Recommendations
Why did we choose Chaina Ram and Haldiram’s as our Top Pick? Why do we Also Recommend Kaleva?
Fresh. Tasty. Balanced. We were looking for a moist base and moist is what we got!
Chaina Ram Sindhi Confectioners and Haldiram’s, both excelled when it comes to the texture of the base, balanced sweetness and fresh taste of the topping. While Chaina Ram is meant for immediate consumption (unparalleled taste on day 1, reduced on day 2), Haldiram’s can be consumed over a couple of days (better tasting on day 2). The rose-kewra essence in Haldiram’s ghevar and the attractive packaging helped it inch ahead from the others.
We Also Recommend Kaleva’s Malai Ghevar for its moist base and fresh tasting malai topping.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some interesting FAQs on Indian sweets ghevar.
1. How many days does ghevar last?
Some sweetshops advise you to consume it on the same day, while some have a longer shelf life. It usually stays good for about 3-4 days if kept in the fridge. Ask your mithaiwala to tell you more about the shelf life of the ghevar as it may vary.
2. Where is ghevar famous in India?
Ghevar is extremely popular in Rajasthan and adjoining states of Delhi, Haryana, parts of Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
3. Is ghevar available without sugar?
Yes. Some sweetshops specialize in sugar-free ghevar.
4. Shall we keep ghevar in the fridge?
Ghevar is best consumed fresh, but if you must store it, you can put it in the fridge in an airtight container. It will ensure there is minimal loss of moisture. Changing the original pack will prevent any smell of the box material latching onto the ghevar.
5. Which brand of ghevar is best?
After multiple taste tests, we found the malai ghevar by Chaina Ram Sindhi Confectioners as the best tasting ghewar in Delhi NCR for immediate consumption. If prolonged usage (2-3 days) is what you are looking for, we suggest opting for Haldiram’s malai ghevar.
Final Verdict – Best Ghevar Brands
If you are a hardcore fan of ghevar, then you have come to the correct place. We tried and tested not one, not two, but SIX brands of ghevar from popular sweetshops in Delhi NCR.
After an intensive 2 day testing, we chose Chaina Ram Malai Ghevar as our Top Pick for immediate consumption. We also chose Haldiram’s as our Top Pick if you want to consume it over a couple of days. Kaleva’s ghevar is Also Recommended by Team Mishry.
What are the key points you look for while buying ghevar? Tell us in the section below.
Our reviews are unbiased and all samples used during the reviews were paid for by us. Read our entire ethics statement here.