Review: Ganesh Restaurant in Jaipur, India

A positive review in the Lonely Planet has sent tourists flocking to this rooftop restaurant in the Old City of Jaipur, and with good reason. Lonely Planet mentions that at the time of writing they had no English menu, but since then Ganesh has added an English menu and some of the waiters have even learned enough English to communicate with tourists.

Location

Ganesh restaurant is perched atop the city wall near the New Gate. From the roof, you get a great view of the Old City and the nearby square. It is an outdoor restaurant with basic metal tables and chairs, so if it's winter be sure to bring a warm coat or scarf. If you're doing a walking tour of Jaipur this is a great place for lunch or dinner.

Food

At Ganesh, you can watch the cook make your food in the open kitchen. The cooks and waiters take great pride in this, and are always wiling participants in photo opportunities. Their kitchen serves up tasty local fare for cheap prices. Travelers on a budget seem to end up coming here more than once during a trip to Jaipur. Our favorite item was the garlic naan bread, which was one of the most expensive items on the menu. I mentioned this to our friendly waiter, "Itna mehnga hai, na?" (Very expensive, no?) and his response was, "Ha ji, lekin itna tasty hai!" (Yes, but it's very tasty!)

Service

The service was friendly and quick, although your waiter may want to sit and chat with you during your meal. You can order cold drinks (sodas) from them, but they'll have to go and get them from another location. For something quicker, just order tea that is prepared on site. The Indian chai is great. One of the waiters were a bit overbearing, and he seemed to love meeting foreigners and speaking English, but if you're ready to chat with the locals you probably won't mind.

Conclusion

The staff seems to think of themselves as a bit of a tourist stop, and this restaurant is no longer the "hidden gem" that it once was. Nevertheless, for simple and tasty local fare with a great view, it really is a place you must try if you're in Jaipur. Avoid the shops directly beneath Ganesh, as they're used to foreigners coming through and are likely to charge you ten times the price on the items they are selling. To find Ganesh, just ask anyone around New Gate.

See Photos of Jaipur