Baradari: A Courtyard Restaurant inside Jaipur’s City Palace

This former royal cafe, started by the royal family of Jaipur, has been renovated and developed into an amazingly designed restaurant in the heart of Jaipur’s City Palace.

The recently-opened Baradari in the City Palace of Jaipur does so much more than just offer you drinks and dinner. The conservation and restoration work, done by Studio Lotus, entailed using the courtyard as a binding element here; it’s now an island bar.

The architecture is emblematic of the Indo-Saracenic work and Thikri mirror work, metal casting and forging, weaving and more.

The existing building around the restaurant has been stripped of its old layers of paint, and the exposed stone has been replaced with lime mortar and intricate details.

The pavilion is made of metal, brass, marble and mirror, and is probably our favourite part of the whole ensemble. If you’re a history buff, the courtyard is just the spot for you with its inlaid marble work and fluted water cascade. You can sit and enjoy a book on the marble benches that line the verandas.

Famous spots deserve famous fare and Baradari gives you just that. Divija Singh created a menu that will give you contemporary as well as traditional Rajasthani food. Since they have a clientele that constitutes a lot of foreigners, they try to keep the dishes and ingredients light and easy on everyone’s palates.

We recommend the Smoked Lal Maas with Baati and Scalloped Potatoes, as well as their version of the Pyaaz ki Kachori with mozzarella and caramelised onions.

We’ve heard good things about their Keema Pao Benedict {spicy keema on pao topped with a fried egg served with hollandaise} while their dessert section has a delectable Apple Jalebi with rose petal jam ice cream, and locally-found fermented fruits like rasbhari. 

We’re going next time we’re in Jaipur. Are you bookmarking this for your next trip?