Odishan cuisine is lighter and more subtly spiced than much of Indian cooking, with rice as the staple and an emphasis on fresh vegetables and seafood. The traditional thali, served on a large platter with many small dishes alongside rice and rotis, is the best way to sample local flavours.
Odishan prawns are famous and available in virtually every style of cooking. The small, flat pomfret fish with its delicate white flesh is especially good. Street food is excellent: look for dahi bara (fried lentil dumplings in yogurt) and gupchup (the local name for pani puri).
For dessert, try the pithas, small cakes made from rice, coconut, flour, and dry fruits. The milk-based sweets are also worth seeking out. No visit is complete without fresh green coconut water, called paida locally. A vendor will slice the top off a young coconut in front of you, and the naturally cool liquid inside is more refreshing than any bottled drink.