Have You Enjoyed A Meal At These Iconic Vegetarian Restaurants In Pune?

You simply can’t talk about iconic veg eateries and not mention Shabree. A legend of sorts, Shabree on FC Road is popular for their authentic Maharashtrian fare – particularly their thalis, and puran poli. From college kids to tourists, the crowd here is a mix but one thing is for sure – everyone’s here for the food. Service is quick, and prices are pocket-friendly. An average meal for two will cost you INR 800.

Formerly ‘Cream Corner’, Cream Craver has a big outlet in Camp, and another in Kalyani Nagar and NIBM. From freshly-squeezed juices and lip-smacking street food to Punjabi and Chinese favourites; there’s a dish for every craving! We love their special ‘Bombay pav bhaji’, cheese masala pav bhaji, chole bhature, and fresh fruit ‘pyali’ with cream and ice-cream. Light on your wallet, you can feast like a king here without breaking the bank! Check out our full recommendation here. A meal for two here will set you back INR 500 only!

Vaishali needs no introduction, but for the uninitiated: it’s more than just a place to eat. A cult favourite,the place is an experience and an emotion for true blue Punekars. Busy at all hours of the day, their authentic South Indian fare is worth the wait (and the trip). Start with the classics: wada sambar, Mysore masala dosa, and an onion-cheese-tomato uttappam (with butter, obviously) and work your way through the menu from there. Vaishali also serves a small variety of other Indian snacks, sandwiches/toasts, bhel-puri, hot/cold beverages, and fruit salad. An average meal for two here will cost you INR 700 or less.

A family favourite, Ram-Krishna in Camp has been dishing out delicious vegetarian fare to patrons, since 1974. Stretching beyond the typical South Indian, they also serve snacks, chaat, beverages, as well as Punjabi and Indo-Chinese cuisine. Everytime a family makes dinner plans, they end up going here. Spread over three large banquet-size rooms, this eatery is always bustling, with a waitlist at mealtimes. The staff is friendly and efficient. A meal for two will set you back about INR 1200.

Famous for their stuffed paranthas and authentic Punjabi fare, Aaoji Khaaoji has three outlets across Pune. Skip the small stuff and go straight for the kill with their legendary paranthas: try the Yuvraj Singh parantha thali (with chole, sabzi, salad, rajma and more), the Sunny Deol parantha thali (with a special sabzi, dal makhani, thick buttery paratha, rajma, salad, papad and aachar), OR dare to finish their Kumbhakaran thali, and take home INR 11,000 in cash! We’re not even kidding – read more on the latter, here. An average meal for two here will cost you INR 1,200.

If you want to dig into vegetarian Maharashtrian cuisine, then you must make a trip to Hotel Shreyas in Deccan Gymkhana. You can get yourself an unlimited veg thali for INR 310 which includes a dry vegetable and a gravy (depends on what's made that day), which usually is katri batata, kobi batata, bhendi masala or bharli vangi, batata rassa, palak patal bhaji among others. There's a portion of usal, amti and rassa, some more sabji, chapati or rice, buttermilk, snack item, and a few more things. The restaurant is open from 7a.m. to 10 a.m., then again from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. A meal for two here will set you back INR 700 only.

Another gem of FC Road and a popular hangout spot for true blue Punekars, Roopali is a cult-favourite. A humble coffee house and a South Indian eatery, no one can resist the fresh aroma of crisp dosas, wadas, sambhar and filter coffee. There is an indoor as well as an outdoor seating and people love coming down for enjoying affordable food and have catch-ups with their friends (especially on Sunday mornings). A meal for two takes you back INR 500 or less.

If you are able to finish the aunthentic Maharashtrian thali at Durvankur's on Tilak Road, you get a cashback of INR 30. An old vegetarian joint in the bustling area, Durvanur's is known for their thalis, ukadiche modak, usal and many authentic delicacies. The price per thali is INR 250 (for mini thali) while the large one is for INR 400.

Situated in Budhwar Peth, Poona Guest House dishes out their signature sabudana usal, thalipeeth, shrikhand , kulith pithla and Maharashtrian thali. We love to dig into their Maharashtrian combos of alu bhaji-masale bhat, puran poli-katachi amti-batata kachra bhaji, misal pav-kothimbir wadi, etc. You will also get to enjoy hot modaks with ghee. There are three types of thalis to choose from: Gramin Thali (INR 200), PGH Special Thali (INR 250) & mini regular thali (INR 180). 

Don't confuse Badshahi Boarding House with Badshahi Dining hall! We are talking about the former, an 80-year old humble eatery in Sadashiv Peth that is known for their unlimited veg thalis for as low as INR 100. Try out the authentic Maharashtrian cuisine, breakfast puri-bhaji and also buy dairy products from their in-house dairy. The setting is old with wooden panelling and stone flooring.

Just digonal to the iconic Hotel Shreyas is yet another gem by the name Asha Dining Hall. The age-old eatery is known for its unlimited Maharashtrian fare for super-duper affordable costs, ie INR 160 for a normal thali and INR 200 for their summer special thali with alphonso ras. Always bustling with hungry public, the place gives us a feel of a mess and old-style pangat diner.

Above mentioned are the iconic vegetarian places. However, if you want to indulge in meaty dishes by some age-old eateries, here is the list of other iconic restaurants, cafes and food joints.