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Eating
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Considering the number of tourists that pass through, Agra suffers from a dearth of good
places to eat
. With a few notable exceptions, the best restaurants are all in the upscale hotels, where, at a price, you can sample the city's speciality,
Mughlai
cooking. Imitated in Indian curry houses throughout the world, Agra's traditional Persian-influenced cuisine is renowned for its rich cream and curd-based sauces, kebabs,
nan
and tandoori breads roasted in earthen ovens,
pulao
rice dishes and milky sweets such as
kheer
. However, you'll be hard pushed to find more than pale imitations in the cramped cafAŠs and rooftop terrace restaurants of
Taj Ganj
. These places may serve much cheaper meals than you'll find further south in
Sadar Bazaar
and the
Tourist Complex
area, but because of the recent spate of poisoning incidents, the overall
poor standards of hygiene
in this district, and the fact that most "restaurants" are merely set up as a means for touts and shop owners to hook customers, we strongly recommend you steer clear of them. The one exception is the
Sheela
, near the East Gate, reviewed below.
Achman , By-Pass Road, Dayal Bagh. Among Agra-wallahs, the most rated restaurant in the city, famous above all for its navratan korma (a mildly spiced mix of nuts, dried fruit and paneer ), malai kofta and chickpea masala , as well as wonderful stuffed naans. Well off the tourist trail in the north of the city, but ideally placed for dinner on your way home from Sikandra. Most mains around Rs75. Chiman Lal Puri Wallah , opposite northeast wall of Jami Masjid. An institution in Agra for five generations, this much-loved little cafAŠ-restaurant looks a touch grubby from the outside, but serves delicious puri -thalis, with two veg dishes and melt-in-the-mouth saffron-flavoured kheer (Mughlai rice pudding) - all for Rs20. Ideal pit stop after visiting the mosque. Dasaprakash , Meher Theatre Complex, 1 Gwalior Rd, close to the Hotel Agra Ashok . Offshoot of the famous Chennai restaurant, serving a limited menu of top-notch south Indian food (their onion rawa masala dosas and cheese uttapams are sublime), and an extensive ice cream menu (the "Hot fudge bonanza split" wins by a nose). Count on Rs150 per head for the works. Kedarnath Phoolchand Pehta Wallah , Johri Bazaar, five minutes' walk north of Jami Masjid. Agra's most famous sweet and namkeen shop, source of the city's definitive pehta , or crystallized pumpkin (the pricier orange stuff, flavoured with saffron, is best). They also do delicious dal mot , crunchy mix made with black lentils. Lakshmi Villas , Sadar Bazaar. Unpretentious south Indian cafAŠ on the posh side of town, offering the usual idly-dosa-uttapam menu, with delicious chatni-sambar , and much lower prices than Dasaprakash . Only , 45 Taj Rd, Phool Syed Crossing. Should be renamed "Only for Tourists". Packed with bus parties from the five-stars, and unwary travellers lured here by commission-hungry rickshaw-wallahs; the food is mediocre and way overpriced, and the atmosphere wincingly contrived. Park Restaurant , Sadar Bazaar. A newcomer that has quickly gained a reputation, among tourists and locals alike, for its careful cooking. The dining hall is sparsely furnished but immaculately kept and, if you're here in the hot season, blissfully air-conditioned. Dishes come in three gravies: ultra-mild "white" cashew, medium "onion", and red-hot "tomato", served with delicious garlic naans and cold Kingfishers. Main dishes Rs70-120; half portions available. Petals , Gopi Chand Shivare Road, Sadar Bazaar. A quality multi-cuisine menu snappily served in squeaky clean a/c comfort; the house specialities are kebabs and chicken tikka. Reservations necessary on Sun evening. Sheela , East Gate, Taj Ganj. One of the few genuinely dependable, inexpensive and pleasant places to eat near the Taj. Their menu features a good choice of simple (mostly vegetarian) Indian dishes, as well as drinks and snacks, and the fruit-and-nut lassis are a must. Seating outside in shady garden, or in narrow cafAŠ. Sonam , 51 Taj Rd. Mid-price garden restaurant and bar. Another infamous tourist trap, but at least their food is good. The Indian options are best, attempting to re-create medieval Mughlai cuisine. Also buffets in winter, and a budget section featuring thalis. Credit cards accepted. Tourist Rest House , Baluganj. Atmospheric garden restaurant, with beaten-earth floors, candle light and mature trees, serving a modest selection of copious breakfasts and tasty Indian dishes to a sedate clientele of foreign backpackers. Try their tasty cheese malai kofta , rounded off with fruit custard like you never ate at school. All mains under Rs50.
Zorba the Buddha
, E-13 Shopping Arcade, Gopi Chand Shivare Rd, Sadar Bazaar. A very popular, no-smoking, Westerner-oriented veg restaurant run by Osho devotees. The food is fussy Indian with lashings of fresh fruit and nuts - imaginative and healthy, but overpriced. Worth at least one visit, though. Open noon-3pm & 6-9pm. Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
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India,
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