Mumbai (Bombay)
Serves 36 flavours of the best kulfi (Indian firm-textured ice cream) you’ll have anywhere. Killer flavours include pistachio, malai (cream) and mango.
Must-see restaurants in India
Visakhapatnam
This Italian restaurant does fine thin-crust pizza, pasta and reasonable salads in stylish surrounds. No alcohol, but good fruit mocktails. It's behind…
Delhi
Hidden down the buzzing alleys that surround Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah is this branch of historic Karim's, serving meaty Mughlai delights such as kebabs…
Karnataka
This popular, pure-veg hotel restaurant with inviting modern decor serves both North and South Indian cuisine, but it's the latter that stands out. Prices…
Mysuru (Mysore)
This wildly popular dosa joint is so popular that people munch them on the street outside when the cramped interior is full. Try a rava onion dosa or ghee…
Delhi
This beautiful restaurant-cum-teahouse specialises in fine teas and serves contemporary cuisine from Myanmar, Thailand, China and India's Northeastern…
Bengaluru (Bangalore)
Famous for its terrific rolls (wholewheat chapatis), filled with anything from charcoal-grilled meats and tandoori prawns to paneer and sweetcorn tikka.
Karnataka
This basement hotel restaurant buzzes day and night with contented diners. It's renowned for its meat dishes; try a chicken or mutton biryani.
Arya Ayurvedic Panchakarma Centre
Gokarna
Modish beachfront restaurant that boasts an open kitchen and a fine menu of vegetarian dishes freshly prepared using ayurvedic principles.
Hampi
A family-owned place right behind Virupaksha Temple that serves good breakfasts, pancakes, curries and espresso coffee.
Telangana & Andhra Pradesh
Good South Indian meals in pleasant AC surroundings. Follow the Supreme Hotels sign.
Lucknow
Even if you don’t step inside this classy restaurant, don’t miss its exceedingly popular chaat (spicy snack) stand at the front. The sweet and savoury…
Lucknow
If Mughlai meat country has got you down, seek refuge in this popular veg hideaway on MG Rd. It's perfect for an Indian-style breakfast, a snack or a…
Himachal Pradesh
Gaur Niwas is a classical if mostly ungentrified heritage house where you can savour meals from tandoori trout to fair-value thalis to penne alla zingara…
Manali
Trancey vibes and dangling prayer-catchers set the tone, and there are plenty of chess sets on the wide sunny terrace, but what really makes the climb…
Alappuzha (Alleppey)
Opposite the beach, this elegant restaurant at the 1860s heritage-style Raheem Residency is Alleppey’s finest. It has seating on a bijou open-sided…
Mumbai (Bombay)
Brought to you by the same hospitality team as Woodside Inn, Pantry and Miss T, this cool throwback restaurant resurrects Bombay recipes of yore, often…
Uttarakhand
Sit at tables or cushions on the floor while ordering Indian, Asian, Western or Middle Eastern food, and choose from a long list of healthy, fresh salads…
Darjeeling
The authentic afternoon-tea experience at Windamere Hotel is a joy for aficionados of things colonial, with crustless cucumber and tuna sandwiches,…
Shimla
Fronted by an old Fiat 1100, the enticing Simla Times combines a wonderfully panoramic open terrace area with a casually cosmopolitan indoor section of…
Mumbai (Bombay)
Even fussy Italians will be shocked and awed by the fine pizza at Mumbai's most authentic Italian pizzeria. Using San Marzano tomatoes throughout, pizzas…
Ladakh
With a day's notice, excellent traditional meals are served in the relatively new but still very traditional kitchen of this homestay house. A full spread…
Mussoorie
If you're hankering for Western comfort food, head to this contemporary, multilevel cafe that looks out to amazing valley views. It's run by husband-and…
Shimla
In a distinctive all-window circular building, Ashiana is an almost-elegant restaurant for snacks, Indian and (some) Chinese food plus a few Himachali…
Leh
Local families tend to eat at home, but for a special treat this is one of the few tourist-area restaurants they are likely to come to, thanks to ever…
Lucknow
This charming hidden corner at the back of Sanatkada has a unique concept: persuading Lucknow’s oldest households to cook their cherished family recipes…
Leh
A Russian–Indian couple has created a menu that really covers the globe. Expect a lot of the more interesting seasonal dishes to be unavailable (guacamole…
Gangtok
Behind the traditional facade of a former monastery dormitory, this tastefully contemporary cafe displaying guidebooks, bonsai firs and Le Creuset cups,…
Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh
Since 1949, this epic sweet shop has been satiating Ujjaini sugar cravings. There’s no English sign or menu, but staff can steer you in the right…
Uttar Pradesh
Clean and hip, this out-of-place restaurant does a seriously good all-veg menu that runs the gamut from Chinese to Italian to Indian. The special thali …
Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh
Indori Khopra patties (street-food snack consisting of a spiced potato stuffed with coconut and dried fruit) are a local speciality of Indore and nowhere…
Jodhpur
The rooftop terrace of Stepwell House hosts this classy restaurant featuring uniformed staff, Indian wine and Spanish beer. The excellent North Indian veg…
Siliguri & New Jalpaiguri
Trusted and air-conditioned Amber, attached to Hotel Saluja Residency, serves mouthwatering dishes, including fluffy naans, lip-smacking curries, tender…
Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum)
At elegant, history-rich Padmavilasom Palace, Kerala's traditional vegetarian sadya (banquet) is delivered in all its banana-leaf sumptuousness within the…
Puri
Bikram Sahoo and his six brothers have been churning out the unique Odishan delight known as chhena poda (made from cottage cheese, sugar and cardamom,…
Ahmedabad (Amdavad)
This place is worth visiting simply because it's Ahmedabad's longest-running eatery (going strong since 1900). Locals swear by the breakfast here, and the…
Himachal Pradesh
This timelessly refined restaurant offers indoor, conservatory and terrace dining, the latter with superlative views towards the distant Himalayan…
Amritsar
This no-frills (but not cheap) restaurant does the definitive version of Amritsar's legendary fried fish and oven-baked fish tikkas, as well as a number…
Mussoorie
This Punjabi bistro packs in the flavour, with perfectly spiced veg and nonveg options: the aromatic Turban Tikka Masala rocked our taste buds to a very…
Manali
Upstairs, 250m south of the bus station, Vibes is a great place to try authentic, beautifully presented Himachali food that's rarely available outside…
