Jaipur is one of India's most rewarding places to eat. Rajasthani cooking was shaped by a dry climate, a warrior culture and a royal kitchen, and the result is a cuisine of rich meats, ghee-laden breads, spicy pickles and some of the best sweets in the country. This guide explains what to look for, how to eat well without getting sick and how to turn a meal into an experience.
The classics to try
Start with dal baati churma, the signature dish: hard baked wheat balls broken open and soaked in ghee, served with spiced lentils and a sweet, crumbly mixture of crushed wheat, sugar and ghee. Gatte ki sabzi, steamed gram flour dumplings in a yogurt gravy, is a vegetarian staple that came from a cuisine built around scarce vegetables. Ker sangri, a dish of desert beans and berries, and kadhi, a tangy yogurt soup, are other regional specialities. Meat eaters should try laal maas, a fiery mutton curry coloured with Mathania chillies, and the dish often appears on palace menus. Millet breads such as bajra roti, eaten with ghee and jaggery in winter, are the everyday food of the countryside.
Street food and snacks
The best snacks come early in the day. Pyaaz kachori, a crisp pastry stuffed with spiced onion, and mirchi vada, a large chilli dipped in batter and fried, are classic breakfast items, usually served with chutneys. Dahi vada, samosas and chaat appear in the afternoon, and kulhad chai, tea served in a clay cup, is available on almost every corner. Pick busy stalls with a quick turnover, order food that is cooked in front of you and avoid anything that has been sitting out. A guided bazaar and food walk is a safe and efficient way to sample many of these dishes in one outing, and a guide can tell you which stalls are reliable.
Sweets
Jaipur is a city for people with a sweet tooth. Ghewar, a honeycomb-shaped disc of fried batter soaked in syrup and often topped with cream or nuts, is the city's signature dessert and is most associated with the monsoon festival season. Mawa kachori, a sweet pastry filled with dried milk and dipped in syrup, is another local specialty. Look for old mithai shops in Johari Bazaar and around the old city, where sweets are made fresh and boxed to take away. Many have been run by the same family for generations.
Drinks
Lassi, a thick yogurt drink served in a clay cup, is a good antidote to a hot afternoon, and a few famous lassi shops draw queues. Fresh lime soda, sugarcane juice and coconut water are widely available, though ice and unfiltered water should be avoided. Chai comes strong and sweet, usually with milk, ginger and cardamom. If you drink alcohol, several rooftop restaurants and hotel bars serve beer, wine and cocktails, and the setting often matters more than the menu.
Where to eat
For a splurge, the palace hotels serve elegant Rajasthani and Indian menus in lovely settings, and Peshawri at ITC Rajputana is known for North-West Frontier cooking. Rooftop restaurants near Hawa Mahal give a view with your meal, and the food at Hotel Pearl Palace's rooftop restaurant is a popular budget option. For a lively evening with a set menu, a themed village such as Chokhi Dhani serves a full thali on the floor with folk dance and puppet shows, and it is especially good with children. Small family-run restaurants in the old city often serve the best home-style cooking, and a few of them are worth the trouble of finding.
Learn to cook it
A home-style cooking class is one of the best ways to understand Rajasthani food. Many classes begin with a market visit, then move to a family kitchen, where you cook several dishes and sit down to eat them. It is a good rainy-afternoon option and a good gift for anyone who loves food, and you leave with recipes to try at home. Check what is included, ask about vegetarian options and book ahead in the busy season.
Eating safely
Drink bottled or filtered water, skip raw salads and cut fruit from street stalls, and carry hand sanitiser. Take it slowly for the first day or two, because rich food and spice can unsettle a visitor who is not used to them. If you are vegetarian, Jaipur is easy, since much of the local food is meat-free, and Jain-friendly options are widely available. Tell your host about allergies in advance and ask for mild spice if you prefer it. Above all, be adventurous in a sensible way, and let the city feed you.
