20 Best Restaurants in Rajasthan, India

Considered one of the city's best (and most expensive) restaurants, Peshwari entices with melt-in-your-mouth, exquisitely spiced and marinated kebabs and other North-West Frontier foods; menu highlights include paneer tikka, chicken makhani, and the dal bukhara, served with an assortment of rotis and naans. The dining area has an outdoorsy, dhaba look—wood beams, shining copper platters, and pots hanging on the walls, with seating at log tables matched with stools. Part of ITC, a luxury hotel chain known for its excellent cuisine, Peshawri has branches in other cities in India.

Once the maharaja's throne room in the original palace, this grand hall within the Taj's Rambagh Palace Hotel---easily one of India's most elegant restaurants---has a soaring, frescoed ceiling, tapestry-covered walls, gold-plated silverware, and a staff eager to serve. It serves dishes from royal kitchens across India, from Punjab to Rajasthan, including both meat and vegetarian entrées; alcohol is available.

Right on the shore of Lake Pichola opposite Lal Ghat, this lively outdoor restaurant with a pleasant bar has a hidden approach via narrow lanes and stunning views of the City Palace complex and the Lake Palace. It serves Rajasthani standards along with decent continental and Chinese dishes, though the views outshine the food.

If you're here at dinner, ask that a mosquito repellent coil is placed under your table.

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.

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.

After a long day of sightseeing, stop at this rooftop hangout at the Pal Haveli hotel in the Old City, where the ambience exceeds the quality of the food, which is slightly overpriced (though perfectly okay). Go for a sundown drink or dinner (kebabs and thalis are highlights) and take in stunning views of the nearby lake, the fort, the clock tower, and the Umaid Bhawan Palace. The mostly Indian menu includes a couple of continental dishes and some Chinese food, plus there's a decent list of drinks on the bar menu.

In a converted haveli at the end of one of Lal Ghat's labyrinthine lanes, this restaurant has retained the mansion's lovely design and has spectacular views of the Lake Palace, especially at night, when the vistas capture the incredibly romantic essence of the city. There is a decently good range of continental, Chinese, and Indian food; wine, cocktails, and beer available—fish à la Jagat is a highlight during fishing season; otherwise try the laal maas (red meat curry) or subz galouti kabab (vegetarian kebabs). Service can be slow, but to see the brilliantly illuminated palace seemingly float on the water from a cushioned alcove is a signature Udaipur experience. There's nightly live music during peak season. It's a great place for a cup of afternoon chai or lassi, too.

Jodhpur's most famous sweet shop buzzes till 11 pm, so consider stopping here for dessert. It's a good place to sample regional delicacies; test your chilli tolerance level with the spicy mirchi bada, a huge pepper that's been breaded and deep-fried or, for something sweeter, try the local specialty mawa kachori (a pastry filled with nut-based milk solid), ghevar (disc-shape sweet), or rabri laddu (milk balls). The place serves Indianized vegetarian versions of American-style fast food—think pizzas and burgers—though they are just okay at best. There's another branch of Janta near the railway station, but you are best off hitting the main branch at Nai Sarak.

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) 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.

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.

Just behind the fort, this restaurant has an unassuming exterior that you might not even recognize as a restaurant, but what it lacks in decor, it makes up for in homemade cooking—especially meat dishes in the very vegetarian town of Jaisalmer. Milan’s best dishes are the tandoori options: tandoori chicken and Jeera rice or vegetable curry is popular, as is the laal maas, a local favorite. Vegetable kebabs are popular with vegetarian and vegan diners.

Popular with locals for its thalis, this all-vegetarian restaurant is also one of the few places that opens early (10 am)—if you're in the mood for stuffed paranthas (whole-wheat flatbread) or idlis (South Indian steamed rice cakes). The house specialties are bundi laddu (sugary, deep-fried chickpea-flour balls) and the rasgulla (cottage cheese balls in a sugary syrup); other sweets include ras malai (sweet cheese dumplings smothered in cream), which melt in your mouth. The decor is bland, but the sweets make up for it. No alcohol is served.

This jungle-theme and mostly outdoor restaurant in the new section of the city won't offer you the best meal you've ever had, but the food---rich and hearty---is good, the beer is cold, and it's an ideal rest stop for a quick drink or lunch. On weekends, its cavelike bar, Rocktails, is a hopping place.

Arrive at this extra-large food stall as early as 7 am (or as late as 10 pm) for an old North Indian favorite—piping hot puris and alu (deep-fried wheat bread served with potato curry)---or try traditional Jodhpuri sweets, snacks, parathas, and more. Don't expect ambience, but the food is made fresh and bakery items are in chilled cases.

An upgraded dhaba (roadside eatery), this unprepossessing spot located on the way to Amer Fort is a convenient stop after a heavy morning of fort viewing. Air-conditioned and kept spotlessly clean by its house-proud and attentive owners, it serves North Indian specials; favorites on its mostly vegetarian menu include palak paneer (spinach with soft white cheese), garlic naan, kadhi pakoda (yogurt curry with chickpea dumplings), achari aloo (spiced potatoes), vegetable curry (stuffed potato dumplings in gravy). Salads, sandwiches, and a handful of Chinese dishes are also available.

Popular with tourists of all ages and backpackers, this family-run restaurant is a great place for Italian coffee and juices—the menu has an incredibly long list of fresh fruit juices and “mocktails." Tandoori food is the favorite here; try the butter chicken or a wide range of vegetarian dishes. It's the spot that local guides recommend for stunning views of Lake Pichola and the Lake Palace as the sun goes down. It's also a nice place to take a tea break between sightseeing.

If you're looking to feel like royalty and splurge on a wining-and-dining experience with impeccable service, head to this elegant, formal dining room adorned with portraits from the royal collection—or opt for the balcony overlooking verdant gardens. The contemporary European and unique Indian dishes are a welcome change from the usual Indian and Rajasthani fare, and the extensive drinks menu includes internationally sourced wines. If you like seafood, you're in luck—try the prawn curry in a tomato cream sauce. The restaurant also serves a sumptuous afternoon tea.

Non-hotel guests may have trouble securing a reservation during the busy season; call ahead.

A modern and cosmopolitan vibe greets you when you enter this small café next to the Toorji Stepwell and Raas. It's a perfect spot to sit in air-conditioned comfort and have an afternoon break, and you can choose from cocktails, light meals, or an espresso.

Serving rich North Indian and Rajasthani food, as well as some Chinese, quite a few continental dishes, and a choice of desserts which you don't find at other Jaisalmer restaurants, this rooftop restaurant is an old favorite with travelers even if the food is not outstanding. The tented roof top has a kitschy though charming look, with good views of the fort from the smaller open terrace area. Try the tandoori thali, a combo platter of various chicken and vegetable items baked in a tandoor oven.

Trio can get packed with prebooked tour groups, so check whether you need a reservation for dinner during the peak season.