The Foodie’s Paradise…. Rishikesh

Rishikesh- the abode of the gods- though known for its attractiveness for the spirituality dwellers& adventure seekers; is no less attractive for those food cravers like me. This is a place where amidst the natural beauty and the spiritual effervescence, you will find food that is fulfilling to not only the taste buds but the senses & mind. These are some of the hot picks that you should try out whenever you are in Rishikesh.

Devraj Coffee corner

Maple Syrup on Pancakes Perched above the bridge and looking across the river to ShriTrayanbakshwar temple, this German bakery is a sublime spot for a break at any time of the day. The coffee is the best in town and the menu ranges from specialties like brown bread with yak cheese to soups and sizzlers, along with the usual croissants and apple strudel. There’s a good new and used bookshop next door.

Prices: snacks & mains @ Rs 30- Rs 150

Opening hours: 8 am- 9 pm

Little Buddha Café

This funky tree-house-style restaurant has an ultra-lounge-type top floor, tables overlooking the Ganga, and really good international food.Pizzas are big and the mixed vegetable platter is a serious feast. veg-pizza_7 It’s one of the busiest places in LakshmanJhula, for good reasons.

Prices: mains @ Rs 60- Rs 140

Opening hours: 8 am- 11 pm

Oasis restaurant

At New Bhandari Swiss Cottage, this place has some character, with candlelit tables in the garden and hanging lanterns inside. The menu covers oodles of world cuisines, from Mexican and Thai to Israeli and Tibetan, and features a number of chicken dishes including a delicious chilli chicken. Great desserts include apple crumble.

Prices: mains @ Rs 90- Rs170

Opening hours: 8 am- 10 pm

Chotiwala

fea1 There are two open-fronted and fiercely competitive Chotiwalas side by side, both serving up ‘thalis’, South Indian food, ice creams and sweet lime sodas. There’s little to distinguish between them and they’re easy to spot by the rotund (but not very jolly) mascots with the pointy hairdo (a choti) sitting out the front.

Prices: meals@ Rs 90- Rs 170, thalis @ Rs 65- Rs 120

Opening hours: 8 am- 10 pm

Pyramid café

Sit on cushions inside pyramid-shaped tents and choose from a menu of home-cooked Indian food, plus a few Tibetan and Western dishes including pancakes. The family that runs it is super-friendly and they also rent out a couple of peaceful, well-kept pyramid tents with double bed and attached bath (₹250 and ₹500).

Prices: mains@ Rs60- Rs95

Opening hours: 8.30 am- 10 pm

Maa cozy

At Maa Cozy, Persian rugs and cushions on the floor go some way to giving this modern 1st-floor place an Arabian feel. The specialty is the shisha pipes (from Rs130), with fruit-, mint- or cola-flavored tobacco. Good coffee and smoothies.

Prices: mains@ Rs30- Rs110

Opening hours: 8am- 10 pm

Madras Café

This local institution dishes up tasty South and North Indian vegetarian food, thalis, a mean mushroom curry, whole-wheat pancakes and the intriguing Himalayan ‘health pilau’ , as well as super-thick lassis.

Prices: mains@ Rs80- Rs120

Opening hours: 8 am- 10 pm

Green Italian restaurant

Wood-fired veg pizzas and imported pastas including gnocchi and cannelloni keep the customers coming back to this spotless, glass-fronted restaurant in the heart of ‘Swarg’.

Prices: mains@ Rs40- Rs110