Varanasi Restaurants

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The cafe is where locals come to eat cheap vegetarian food.
It is situated not far away from the main Dasaswamedh Ghat, on the road with the same name.. If you are coming from the Ghat up the steps the Dasaswamedh Ghat Road is in front of you and it's curves on the left, the Milan Cafe is in the curve on the right side of the road.. You can not miss it! The sign is obstructed and you can read it properly, but in front of it there are 3 burning stows, where industrious chefs are frying your dosas and other goodies...
but I think you will recognise it, as is always full. there is no doors or windows , actually no front of the shop, it is open space with small bar on the right side, where are 2 kinds dozen of sweets displayed for sale. The food is mostly south Indian and they have lasi as well.
the Cafe is open from 4am to 11pm. Early start is due to Pilgrims prayers and ritual baths in Ganges river

Favorite Dish: My fav dish are Dosa Masala,Paratha and rice & chappati plate. The dishes are Rs 25 per plate with some other ones going up to Rs60.

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We came here for breakfast on our last day in Varanasi, and it proved a good choice, although not very local! Despite being in the middle of the busy backstreets of Varanasi, I had the feeling it would have been more at home in London's Soho or Covent Garden areas, with it's organic food, chic seating areas, and world/dance music. I had a pancake (40-55rupees) which was tasty and filling, and my partner had chocolate cake (which he'd been craving) and a coffee he described as superb.

Check out the website for their menu and details of their charitable work.

(Pictures are from the website)

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Just a short walk from Dasaswamedh Ghat, this cafe is situated on Dasaswamedh Road, next to the large gateway which leads into the market backstreets. The Thali, which cost 25INR, was so huge I couldn't finish it, and my partner's masala dosa (20INR) looked pretty fully stuffed as well! We returned the following day for breakfast and had puri bhaji which came with jalebis - an orange sweet made of deep-fried batter soaked in syrup; they're incredibly sticky!

How my travel partner and I found this spot escapes my memory yet I remember vividly the many meals I ate here. In fact, over the course of 3 days, Haifa restaurant become the go-to location when hungry.

Don’t expect any thrills here. The dining room is an open area at the front of the building with large windows looking out onto the street below. You’ll find all sorts of diners in the crowd, some locals but mostly very low key tourists. Of the people we spoke to during our various meals, many were long term visitors that had taken a keen liking to the city, and also the Haifa. Turns out this place was a well known spot for cheap good food.

First impressions will leave you wanting to turn around and walk out. This is not fine dining and you will even share your meals with the plentiful flies circling the dining room. Food is delivered as it is made; don’t bother to complain or ask everything to be brought at one time as this is not the rule. We ordered several items each meal quickly learning to dig in as it arrived regardless of whether the other person had food. Meals for the 2 of us ended under $6-7.

The address given is Assi Ghat although the actual location is a short walk from the river if coming by river.

If you are in Varanasi, try some delicious Indian vegetarian foods like Paneer Makhani, Paneer tikka, Paneer butter masala or any item of Paneer (Indian cottage cheese) as such. You will surely lick your fingers. But I would suggest that one goes for big restaurants and not streetside food corners.

This place caught my eye because of its name when I was wandering around to find places to eat near where I was staying at the Hotel Surya. I popped in to see what it was all about and had a spicy veggie burger and fries which arrived about 5 minutes after I ate the burger. It's a popular workmen like dinner place with guys standing around a counter eating and chatting.

This restaurant is located at the Hotel Surya where I was staying. The actually building was built in 1818 and has been converted in to an air-conditioned luxurious heritage restaurant with a pool behind. They had a wedding reception going on around the pool whilst I was eating there. The food was very good with good service. They serve Indian and Chinese dishes.

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Another treasure found! Varanasi Raga is a Korean Cafe with excelllent Korean Dishes. It is a nice place to chill, read a book from the small library and enjoy very tasty Korean Food. During our visit, the owner was in Korea. A friend of him took care of his place during that time. Very nice guy, very calm and very helpful. He gave us directions and a map.

Favorite Dish: We had the vegetable omelette. GREAT!!