The Pizzeria Vatika Cafe deserves all of the acclaim it receives - this place truly dishes out the best Italian cuisine offered in all of Varanasi, and the standards haven't dropped since its inception in 1993. Wood-fired pizzas, focacia, cheesy lasgnas and even Chinese and Indian dishes await you at this cafe ensconced in leafy foliage where obliging waiters attend to you with rapt attention. For dessert, try their much-loved apple pie topped with vanilla ice cream and cinnamon! Pretty views of the river and a chance to catch up with other backpackers is yet another reason why Vatika emerges a winner.
A popular bar coupled with a family restaurant, Yelchiko is a stylish joint in Varanasi. With a ritzy design and a vibrant ambiance, this is one of the rare breed of hideouts available in Varanasi. The bar is stocked with a wide choice of alcohol along with a tasteful lineup of foreign and Indian wines. With a separate entrance and a more family-friendly atmosphere, the restaurant has a selection of Indian, Chinese and Continental delicacies. The interiors give off a hip vibe with the contemporary design and the plush decor. Do not miss this one of a kind destination while traveling around the city.
Apex Restaurant is the in-house restaurant of Varanasi's charming waterfront, budget hotel - Hotel Alka. Like most others, it serves only vegetarian dishes but no one's complaining. The chefs dish out an assortment of typically North Indian fare as well as Chinese and some Continental dishes. Recommended is the dal khichdi with curd and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Apex has shaded areas as well as alfresco areas but the seating space by the edge offers diners superb birds eye views of the ghats and people going about their daily routine. A good idea would be to catch a meal here on a full moon night - nothing quite compares to surreal sight of silver moonshine gleaming upon the dark waters of the Ganges.
The Brown Bread Bakery has plunged abysmally in terms of hygiene, ambiance and service, ever since the original German owner Michael left after differences with his Indian partner. Drawn in by previous glowing reviews in popular backpacker guides, unsuspecting budget travelers and backpackers still arrive here only to be greeted by a musty odor, mice scurrying hurriedly between cushions and lethargic service. Make sure you ask the waiter if you are likely to get what is included in a set meal; the chefs often replace non-vegetarian items for vegetarian ones, for example mushrooms replace meat. The menu rattles on about various N.G.O's supported by this cafe as well as the freshest meat being flown in from Delhi. For what it's worth, the prices are inflated but then again, to each his own. Go for yourself and check it out - and maybe later head to the newer Brown Bread Bakery on the other side of the road for an unbiased comparison. The old Brown Bread Bakery is a perfect example of how change in management can make or break a business.
Located near Hotel Cresent Villa, this charming family restaurant serves delicious Indian cuisine. The vegetarian menu has an assortment of tasty Indian dishes without extravagant spicing up - a secret behind its popularity among foreign tourists. The ambiance is casual and unassuming; the owner himself sometimes describes the preparation methods of some dishes. The combo meal offered here is a good deal for the experimenting palate and spares one from the struggle to choose. Do eat at Lazeez Family Restaurant and Banquet and savor traditional Indian delights!
In-house restaurant at the Haifa Hotel, Haifa Restaurant welcomes casual passersby also to come in and partake the culinary feast dished out by the prodigious chef. Indian, Chinese, Israeli and Continental dishes are on the menu, and though the dining area is not very spacious or clean, it has somehow become a hot bet for long-term travelers living in Varanasi. Cheap and tasty food goes a long way in bringing in repeat customers.