Surti locho is the street food that Surat is most famous for outside Gujarat — a soft, steamed snack made from chana dal (split chickpeas) batter, served with sev (crunchy chickpea noodles), onion, green chutney, and a squeeze of lime. The texture is closer to a very soft savoury pudding than anything else in Indian snacking culture, and it bears no resemblance to the firm, spongy khaman that Gujarati food is better known for internationally.
The best locho is found from street vendors in the older parts of the city, particularly around the Chowk area and Nanpura. Established vendor families have been making it for generations; the best are known citywide. It is eaten for breakfast and as a mid-morning snack. Visitors who arrive in Surat without tasting locho have missed the point of the city.