13 Best Restaurants in Rajasthan, India

About half an hour's drive out of the center of town, and an upward climb on a hilltop, the restaurant offers traditional-style vegetarian Rajasthani thali. The local delicacies—dal baati (unleavened wheat bread eaten with lentils), bajra roti (millet rotis), garlic chutney, sangri (a desert vegetable)—are tasty. Service is warm, but this is more about the throwback experience of sitting in a rural roadside setting where amenities are basic. There's a puppet show, Rajasthani folk dancing, and a handicraft shop.

This small café and bakery offers a range of healthy, light food, be it a tofu stir-fry or one of the interesting salads—all prepared to order. If you have had one too many naans or paneer-butter-ghee packed lunches, head here for a sandwich with homemade bread, cheesecake, or a healthy vegetarian or vegan meal.

Sip a chilled beer or wine and enjoy spectacular views of Jodhpur city at this romantically lit restaurant high up within the royal Mehrangarh Fort. This touristy outdoor eatery is notable more for its ambience than the food, but if you're dining here, try the traditional Rajasthani food or standard tandoori favorites like mutton kebab and paneer tikka.

The glass- and wood-dominated environment of this regional chain is the best place to tuck into South Indian specialties such as dosas, idlis, upma, and vadas.

At the base of the fort, this little Italian restaurant has a lovely vibe, an interior that is simple yet far from rustic, and an open rooftop area that is perfect for people-watching. It also has a huge advantage: it is one of the only restaurants in town with an indoor area with a/c comfort. The menu focuses on vegetarian Italian pasta dishes and pizza as well as good espresso and tiramisu---just don't expect it to taste the same as a cafe in Italy. Beer is available.

Join fellow travelers at this happening spot for a cup of masala chai or a meal in the garden courtyard oasis in the city. The restaurant, which also offers rooftop dining with fort views or indoor dining with a/c, is strictly vegetarian and alcohol-free, but even meat eaters will marvel at the Indian house specialties, which are well priced. Pizzas and western dishes are on the menu, but the Indian entrées shine; go for a thali, vegetable biryani, or some perfectly spiced curries. Jhankar is at its best after dark, when tiny twinkling lights strung through the trees lend a whimsical air to the setting.

Rajasthani vegetarian food is the specialty at this small family-owned rooftop restaurant, but don't expect the palate-burning dishes that Rajasthan is known for—the spice levels here are significantly toned down to suit Westerners. If you haven't yet tried quintessentially Rajasthani dishes dal bati churma (lentils, rolls, and sweetened wheat and butter paste—sort of the Rajasthani equivalent of bread and butter) or ker saangri (desert vegetable), this is the place to do so. For a taste of something local, try the Marwari Thali, an assortment of regional vegetarian dishes served with rice and chapatis.

Most of the restaurants within the fort are vegetarian for historical reasons (mainly vegetarian Brahmin families lived in the fort), but a small section, where Rajput families live, have a few nonvegetarian restaurants—Little Tibet is one of them. It serves a mix of Tibetan (momos, vegetable and meat, great thukpa soups), Chinese, and Indian, with a few global items thrown in. The Indian nonvegetarian food is competently cooked if not hugely exciting; Tibetan fare is better. You can either eat at the main level or climb up to the rooftop, lit with fairy lights, and eat under the stars. It stays open later than most places inside the fort.

The house specialties at this terrific place for Indian tea and dessert are bundi ki laddu (sugary, deep-fried chickpea-flour balls) and the rasgulla (cheese balls in a sugary syrup); other sweets include ras malai (sweet cheese dumplings smothered in cream), which melt in your mouth. Popular with locals for the thalis, this all-vegetarian restaurant is also one of the few places open for breakfast—if you're in the mood for stuffed paranthas (whole-wheat flatbread) or idlis (South Indian steamed rice cakes). The decor is bland, but the sweets make up for it. No alcohol is served.