Nausheen Tareen makes a quick hop to Jaipur to realize the city is buzzing with new eateries that are serving a truly global treat.
Rajashtani thaalis and laal maas are making way for fancy platters and stylish cafes exuding a contemporary charm are making the culinary scene of Jaipur a chic chomp. At the helm of this evolving food scene are young, well-travelled restauranteurs who are experimenting with modern concepts and dishing out a truly global grub.
On a recent visit to the capital of one of the most vibrant Indian states Rajasthan, we were pleasantly surprised by the amazing dining options the city had to offer. Here are five cafes that we tried and suggest every tourist to the city must experience once.
Restaurateur Dushyant Singh wanted to offer his city the best of global grub he had tried on many of his foreign sojourns. This avid traveler decided to open a global cuisine café that would let Jaipur foodies try waffles, pancakes, salads, bruschettas, nachos, tacos, burritos, burgers, Lebanese platters, pizza, pastas and risottos. And the result was On The House, a bistro serving all this and much more. The concept was a runaway hit from the very date of its opening and is among the most popular joints of the city today.
OTH Bistro is among the most buzzing bistros in Jaipur attracting a vibrant crowd.
It is among the most buzzing spaces in the city and looked popular with tourists and young crowd. Even though we were on a short trip, we loved the vibe of this buzzing all day alfresco diner so much that we dined here twice. Once was not enough to feast on the elaborate menu it offers and listen to amazing travel tales of Dushyant.
It was only a matter of time that Jaipur too got its own Modern Indian diner and Meraaki Kitchen was a concept waiting to happen. Owner Shivika Kothari does a commendable job in pulling off this stylish eatery that offers interesting fusion dishes such as Biryani arancini, phulka tacos, kadhi chawal risotto and sarso saag gilauti. The décor and ambience of Meraaki are as contemporary as they get. While we loved our food and beverage experience, the staff at Meraaki is not as well trained as OTH. Where we had serving staff run us through the menu at OTH and suggest their signature dishes we must try, waiters at Meraaki Kitchen looked clueless about their own dishes. A must try none the less.
Tapri colloquially means a tea stall where you catch up with friends and gossip. And this Tapri recreates the magic and vibe of your favourite chai stall with a modern twist. This is one stop shop for a tea lover with an endless variety of cuppas to choose from. The options on menu range from cutting chai, masala chai, Pushkari chai, iced teas, black teas, green teas, white teas, herbal teas, fruit teas and even flower teas! They also have a selection of coffees and mocktails to be enjoyed with popular Indian snacks, Maggi preparations, toasts and sandwiches.
This was the sweetest spot of our trip. Tejasvi Chandela honed her pastry skills at Le Cordon Bleu, Paris and The Leith School of Food and Wine, London and decided to use her skills in opening this delightful dessert joint in Jaipur. It is a perfect example of modern concepts emerging in the city along with thriving traditional eateries. It is situated next to popular restaurant Spice Court. It is among the best places in Jaipur to try shakes, coffee, pies, sandwiches, cupcakes and pastry.
I love hot chocolate and Nibs turned out to be an amazing outlet to satiate my craving. It has a section on menu dedicated to hot chocolate with a variety of options! While Nibs had me at hot chocolate, I figured it also serves frappes, milkshakes, coffees, pizzas, waffles and other snacks from my husband who read these options aloud to me. It has the quirkiest décor among all the Jaipur cafes we tried.