What to Eat in Rishikesh Today?

A vegetarian town by law

Meat, fish and eggs are not sold in Rishikesh, and alcohol is banned within the municipal area. Many cafés also avoid onion and garlic, especially near the ashrams. You will not miss much: the town has a long habit of feeding pilgrims well and cheaply.

Breakfast like a pilgrim

Aloo puri is the classic start to the day at the dhabas near Triveni Ghat and in Swarg Ashram: puffed fried bread with a thin, spiced potato curry. It is at its best early, straight from the pan, and some places stop making it by late morning. Pair it with a sweet chai.

Garhwali dishes

Rishikesh is the gateway to Garhwal, and a few hill dishes turn up on menus here. Aloo ke gutke is potato cubes fried with mustard oil, chilli and jakhya, a small, crunchy hill seed. Jhangora ki kheer is a pudding made with barnyard millet instead of rice, lighter and nuttier than the usual kind. Look for a thali marked Pahari or Garhwali, which may also carry mandua roti and a dal made from hill lentils.

Sweets

Bal mithai, the brown fudge rolled in white sugar balls, comes from the Kumaon side of Uttarakhand but is sold in Rishikesh sweet shops too. Buy a small box; it keeps for a few days and travels well.

Café culture

The Tapovan and Laxman Jhula side is full of cafés serving everything from Israeli breakfasts to sourdough and smoothie bowls. Most offer a herbal chai of ginger, tulsi and lemongrass, which is the drink that suits a cold morning by the river. Café food is pricier than the dhabas but useful if you want a long, slow breakfast with a view.

Eating safely

Drink bottled or filtered water, and many ashrams and cafés offer refills. Choose busy places where food is cooked fresh. Monkeys snatch food around the bridges and the ghats, so do not eat in the open there.