UDAIPUR’S INSTAGRAMMABLE CAFES AND RESTAURANTS
Udaipur, the city of lakes, is a beautiful town, especially the old city. Palaces and lakes are a must-visit in Udaipur. But the cafes and restaurants are just as picturesque. Imagine munching on delicious food while enjoying a stunning sunrise or sunset on Pichola Lake. Udaipur has numerous eateries to suit everyone’s palate. In this post, I have compiled a list of Udaipur’s instagrammable cafes and restaurants.
- Rainbow Cafe
- Jheel’s Ginger Coffee Bar and Cafe
- Shamiana restaurant
- Harigarh
- Upre
- Ambrai
- Jhadoka restaurant
Are planning to travel to Udaipur? Refer to the following posts for a hassle-free trip.
RAINBOW CAFE
Located near the lake, Rainbow Cafe is a compact rooftop cafe. You have to pass through narrow lanes to get here. The cafe’s entrance is somewhat hidden. So keep an eye out for the sign.
It is a rooftop cafe overlooking the Pichola and the old city. You can see Ambrai and Hanuman Ghats from here.
Rainbow Cafe has tables and Indian seating. There are one or two tables with Lake views, and others are Indian seatings. The Indian seatings are the best seats in the house. If you arrive early morning, around 8:40-9 am, the cafe is open but empty. You can take pictures to your heart’s content without any disturbance.
Rainbow Cafe serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. I recommend coming here for an early morning breakfast. They have an extensive menu and offer a variety of cuisines, both veg and non-veg items. The food is good, and the view is even better.
TIMINGS:- They open from 8:30 am to 11 pm daily.
COST:- Rs. 1,000 for two.
JHEEL’S CAFE
Jheel’s Ginger Coffee Bar and Cafe is a lakeside eatery near Gangaur Ghat and a short walk from Rainbow Cafe. Jheel is an instagrammable cafe known for its stunning views of the Pichola.
They have two seatings- lakeside and rooftop. The lakeside tables are a crowd favourite, especially the corner table. I recommend the patio tables for breakfast and the rooftop restaurant for dinner.
The cafe is compact and has a menu limited to sandwiches, milkshakes and coffees. The menu is minimal but tasty. They also have a small display of pastries and cakes. I recommend sampling one or three cakes and muffins.
Jheel’s Ginger Coffee Bar and Cafe are one of the best breakfast places in Udaipur.
TIMINGS:- They open sometime after 8:30 am and close at 9:30 pm.
COST:- Rs. 900 for two.
SHAMIANA RESTAURANT
Shamiana is Sarovar hotel’s rooftop restaurant near Hanuman Ghat. The Gangaur Ghat and Bagore ki haveli, on the opposite bank of the Pichola, paint serene sunset views. The City Palace and Jag Mandir are visible from the restaurant.
The restaurant has two floors- lower and upper decks. Both areas have great views. The lower deck is open, and the upper deck is covered. Hence, the upper floor seating is best for lunch.
Shamiana was the first restaurant I visited in Udaipur. The food is tasty. I tried their chicken curry. They serve a range of cuisines, both veg and non-veg.
If you want to enjoy a quiet dinner, Shamiana is the place. The ambience is lively, the food is tasty, and the night view is stunning. Also, on weekends they have live bands playing.
TIMINGS:- They are open all week from 7:30 am to 11:30 pm.
COST:- Rs 1,000 for two.
HARIGARH
Harigarh is a lakeside restaurant between Shamiana and Upre. It is a small establishment offering good food and serene views.
The restaurant has two types of seating- tables and jharokas. The jharokas are the best seats in the house. So reserve your jharokha before arriving.
They serve veg and non-veg Indian, Chinese and local cuisines. Their gulab jamuns are an absolute treat.
I visited a few cafes and restaurants during my Udaipur trip. Most were good breakfast joints and other good dining options. Harigarh is one such dining place. It is a great restaurant to enjoy a quiet lunch or dinner with your loved ones.
TIMINGS:- They are open every day from 10 am to 11 pm.
COST:- Rs.1,000 for two.
UPRE
The hotel Lake Pichola has a few dine-in options. Upre is one of them and the most popular. The restaurant has two seatings, a rooftop and the lakeside (corridor). The rooftop offers sprawling views of the old city and the Pichola, but the lakeside seating is best for the gram.
The corridor seating overlooks the Pichola. It has two-seater tables and small photogenic jharokhas. The jharokas are open only for drinks and are reserved. If you arrive early, you can request the staff to allow you to take some pictures.
Upre has an extensive menu serving veg and non-veg Italian, Indian, and continental cuisines. Their pasta is an absolute treat. Upre is slightly expensive but so worth it.
TIMINGS:- The restaurant is open to outside guests from 1 pm to 3:30 pm and 7 pm to 10:30 pm.
COST:- Rs. 1500 for two.
NOTE:- The corridor seating is best during the day and the rooftop at night.
AMBRAI RESTAURANT
Amet Haveli’s Ambrai restaurant is one of Udaipur’s instagrammable cafes and restaurants. It is a lakeside restaurant adjacent to Ambrai Ghat. Ambrai is known for its marvellous sunset scenes. It overlooks the Pichola and the City Palace.
The side tables are the best seats but are often reserved. I recommend visiting Ambrai during the day and at night. It has a different vibe each time. Lunchtime is best for pictures for the gram, and the place is less crowded. Dusk is for enjoying a few pre-dinner drinks while watching the sunset. And evening is for enjoying a romantic candlelight dinner.
Ambrai is a popular restaurant and often requires a reservation. They serve everything from continental, local, Indian and Italian cuisines. The food is good, and the view’s even better.
NOTE:- Ambrai is slightly expensive compared to other establishments.
TIMINGS:- They are open from 7:30 am to 10:30 pm. I’m unsure if they allow outside guests for breakfast. But you can call them and check.
COST:- Rs. 1500 for two.
JHADOKA RESTAURANT
Jagat Niwas Palace has two restaurants- Jhadokha and Chandni. I dined at Jhadokha. The eatery is famous for its jharokha seating and Lake views. And Chandni is a rooftop restaurant.
Jhadokha restaurant has white interiors and rose gold furniture. The white walls resemble the lanes of Santorini. The jharokas have to be reserved if visiting during peak season. Visit Jhadoka restaurant at noon when the crowds are few.
Jhadoka restaurant offers an extensive menu of Italian, Indian, Tandoori, Chinese, continental and local cuisines. Enjoy a peaceful and relaxing lunch in the jharokha while gazing at the beautiful Pichola.
NOTE:- The name Jhadoka restaurant doesn’t appear on Google. So search Jagat Niwas Palace.
TIMINGS:- They are open after 12:30 pm.
COST:- Rs. 2,000 for two.
CONCLUSION
Udaipur has many cafes and restaurants. While it was impossible to visit all of them, I tried to dine at different places daily. These are Udaipur’s instagrammable cafes and restaurants where I went. They are-
- Rainbow Cafe
- Jheel’s Cafe
- Shamiana
- Harigarh
- Upre
- Ambrai
- Jhadoka
A piece of advice, most of Udaipur’s instagrammable cafes and restaurants are beautiful but pricey. So plan accordingly.
