A Breakfast Guide to Jaipur

When in Jaipur, BREAKFAST! Poorvi Singhal shares maps a guide with her favourite stops for morning grub in the city.

It’s a Sunday morning in the summer of 2010. My cousin and I are out of bed — bathed, hair oiled and dusted with talcum powder by 7am — despite it being a school holiday. The thought of not sleeping in on your only day off sounds unthinkable now, but to us, a couple of nine-year-olds, we couldn’t wait for Sunday mornings with Papa (grandfather).

Together on his scooter, we would venture into the walled city to run errands, pray at a string of temples, run around in the only park in the neighbourhood, and go on a breakfast spree. We live in the walled city of Jaipur, also referred to as the ‘old city’, dotted with legacy shops, halwais, mishthan bhandars and grocers known as pansaris. While Papa haggled with the vendors, we wait patiently for the shopping to end and the feasting to begin.

Treating ourselves to breakfast is something we still do, as adults. There’s nothing quite like breakfast in Jaipur. Here’s my list of where to go:

Puran Ji Kachori Wale

Kachoris for breakfast on weekends is the only way to breakfast on weekends. These aren’t just any kachoris, but kachoris made with hing (asafoetida). Tightly packed with dal and a lift of hand-pounded masalas, the kachori wakes you up with the sharp, stinging flavour of hing. On the side, a spoon curd, to help mellow that plate.

Located under an uninhabited haveli, Puran ji Kachori Wale has assumed the position of local ‘jamavda’ where office-goers, local businessmen, friends and neighbours exchange news and gossip before dispersing into their daily routines.

With the third generation at the helm, the vendor at Puran Ji Kachori Wale tells me they source their hing from Hathras in Uttar Pradesh, and their recipe has remained unchanged since 1963. And if you’re lucky, he’ll hold out the dabba so you can sniff the raw, sticky asafoetida.

Address: SBBJ Street, Chaura Rasta, Jaipur, Rajasthan.

Raghuveer Tea Stall

Raghuveer Tea Stall is a 76-year-old establishment on the verandah of Tripolia Bazaar.

A dingy flight of stairs in the midst of bazaar takes you to the overhead open-air gallery that offers a panoramic view of the city. Order chai how you like it — sweet, kadak, pheeki, cutting and leave the rest to bhaiyya — with 12 years of expertise, he won’t disappoint. If you don't have any specific requests, he will create a delicious cup of chai nevertheless, aromatic with the perfect pinch of black pepper, a generous pounding of cardamom and just enough cloves to wake you gently.

While he swirls the tea around, you can perch on an empty oil can and take in the city’s morning activities — bullocks carrying fodder, people opening their shops, the aroma of chai-cheeni diffusing in the air, and devotees with chandan smeared on their foreheads.

Raghuveer is away from the hubbub of mainstream chai shops in the city. At other chaiwallas, you'll always spot a swarming crowd but at Raghuveer's, you can enjoy your tea in quiet, soaking in the view.
Address: 222, Badi Chopad, Badi Choupad, J.D.A. Market, Pink City, Jaipur, Rajasthan.

Lassiwala

Come summertime, many switch up their chai for lassi, or chase one after the other. Everyone has their own their trusted spot, and mine is Lassiwala on MI Road. Except there are four Lassiwalas on the street and no one knows which one is the ‘original’. Nonetheless, pick one and you’re guaranteed a hearty kulhad of sweet, thick lassi with a dollop of malai, enough to keep you full till lunch or induce a siesta. No one will judge you if you lick the rim of your kulhad to get that last drop out.

And thanks to its proximity to Central Park, the lassi lane (as I like to call it) is also chock full of runners, walkers and athletes who’ve just consumed thrice the number of calories they’ve just burnt. And that’s the thing I like about Jaipur — we believe in counting memories, not calories.

Address: Shop 312, Mirza Ismail Rd, Jayanti Market, Pink City, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302001

Indian Coffee House

The iconic chain made its way to Jaipur in 1963, and is situated inside a haveli. Time seems to slow down as you enter the place with its low-lying ceiling, vintage coffee posters and plastered walls.

The staff, in their stark white uniforms and a popping green cummerbund, wear a high hat which my dad confirms has remained untouched since his boyhood days.

The no-nonsense menu leaves little room for confusion but I’d still say, just go for the dosa. Served neatly folded with a generous dose of aloo filling, tangy sambar and smooth coconut chutney, the dosa is doused in ghee. Soft not crispy, it is best paired with tray coffee or Roohafza iced milk. Meat-eaters can try the popular mutton dosa or omelette.
Address: 1st Floor Mirza Ismail Road, Near Ajmeri Gate, Opposite Khadi Bhandar, Jaipur, 302001

The Unnamed pakoda shop

Another thing about the Jaipur breakfast scene is we love aloo, fried snacks and aloo in fried snacks. An if-you-know-you-know spot is an unnamed make-shift establishment, a few steps into Jai Lal Munshi Ka Rasta.

An inviting spread of yellow fritters and a big black kadhai constantly bubbling with oil is your marker for this half-a-century-old spot. Pick your dose of carbs from aloo, palak, mirchi pakodas and besan bhuje (gram fritters) — fried till golden and served piping hot. They are equal parts moist and crunchy. A mirchi or two might even burn your mouth down but fair warning: it’s going to be impossible to stop going back for more.

I remember this place as our go-to for shortcut vada pav. Every time I craved one and my mum was too tired to fry vadas, we would fetch aloo pakodas from here, which mum then stuffed between buns.
Address: Jai Lal Munshi ka Rasta, Chandpole Bazaar, Jaipur, 302001

Deepu Brijwasi Fast Food Centre

On the subject of love for deep-fried potatoes, we can’t miss everybody’s favourite aloo-bhaji-poori breakfast. Jaipur likes its aloo sabzi tangy, and pooris made of urad dal (called bedmi poori).

Not too far from our pakoda spot is Deepu Brijwasi Fast Food Centre in Chandpole.

Their sabzi is loaded with dry mango powder, garam masala, and hand-pounded green chillies and black peppercorns; the perfect gravy to go with khasta (crispy) masala pooris. The magic also lies in the consistency of the sabzi as they mash a few potatoes in before adding the chopped blocks.
Address: Jai Lal Munshi ka Rasta, Chandpole Bazaar, Jaipur

Poorvi Singhal is a food, travel and fashion writer based out of the walled city of Jaipur. Follow her on @poorvi.says

Images credit: Raghav Modi

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