The Best of Pune
 

I am going on a week-long business trip to Pune in March. Unfortunately, I won't have any weekends to do a whole-day type of sightseeing, but I should be able to have the evenings to browse around. I am looking for ideas for your personal recommendations on shopping, restaurants, tips, etc... for those of you who have been there before. We'll be staying at the Le Meridien. Thanks :)

ABC Fars has a lovely open air restaurant - www.abcfarmsindia.com - use mostly fresh produce they grow. On the website you will get a sense of all their outlets. Near the Osho Ashram is Geram Bakery, an establishment which has been around for a long time and sells great bakery products.

Thanks hobbes, the restaurants look very lovely. Any shopping recommendations?

Sorry - that should be German Bakery - I am getting terrible with the typos. Shopping - a couple of shops which have Pune branches - Christinas for nice silk shirts and accessories (bags, wallets, etc), FabIndia Pune branch - take a look at their website, www.fabindia.com, Shyam Ahuja in Pune for home stuff - www.shyamahujahome.com, some of the malls are I hear nice - Gera Plaza.

Thanks again Hobbes! I assume since these are malls - buyers dont get to negoitate the listed prices?

Get a "rickshaw"( 3 wheeler taxi) from your hotel to Vaishali restaurant on Fergusson rd..maybe 1.5 miles from you for the best South Indian fast food you can eat on this planet...idli,dosa etc open bfast/lunch and dinner. Will not cost you more than $10 and worth far more in taste!

I was in Pune Nov 2005, shopping go to "Either or" 24/25 Sohrab Hall 21 sassoon Rd, lots of wonderful colorfull Indian shirts for about US 10.00.
For Food we enjoyed Saranji's --Also for shopping Try Bombay company--I think the post that shows ABC Fars means Farms and we ate there also it was excellent, but I enjoyed Saranjis, 4 of us ate inc drinks and desserts for 1200.00 rupees. I also went to Coconut Grove total for 4 inc appetizer and drinks 1715.00 ruppees. Another great place for shopping in Fabindia. For jewelry. Go to Karachiwala's-4 Moledina Rd, I bargained a lot there for earrings and bracelets.

I am taking notes.. thank you everyone!!! Keep the suggestions coming...

I second Vaishali for South Indian food. It's one of the better places in Pune that remains an enduring institution. Go there in the evening (filled with college students during the day), & try the "SPDP"... or what is known as sev puri in other places.
Bombay Brasserie is good for kebabs and other such food from the North. Trying to think of a place where one can get food local to the Pune area... but can't think of one.

Does anyone know of any local yoga classes that I can check out?

Although I've never been there, I believe that the Iyengar Institute in Pune is pretty renowned for yoga.
http://www.bksiyengar.com/