Fine Dining in Agra, Mysore and Varanasi: Dining in India's Heritage Cities
In heritage cities, the view usually matters as much as the menu. These three all have restaurants where what you're looking at is the reason to book.
Agra
Agra's dining is built around one thing: the view of the Taj Mahal. The Oberoi Amarvilas is the best known for it, with Esphahan, its Indian restaurant, and rooms and terraces facing the monument. ITC Mughal is the other major five-star, with Peshawri, its north-west frontier restaurant. Taj Hotel & Convention Centre and Jaypee Palace cover the rest.
You can book a dinner with the view directly: a private vegetarian dining experience for two with a Taj Mahal view is ₹15,999.
What to expect to pay: ₹3,000 to ₹6,000 for two at most hotel restaurants, and considerably more at the Amarvilas.
Mysore
Mysore's hotel dining runs through Radisson Blu Plaza, Grand Mercure and Royal Orchid Metropole, a heritage property in the centre. Lalitha Mahal Palace, the old palace hotel, is the city's most atmospheric dining room even if the food is not its main draw.
Mysore is also a strong South Indian food city, with its own versions of dosa and the famous Mysore pak, and the traditional restaurants around Devaraja Market are worth a meal.
What to expect to pay: ₹2,000 to ₹4,500 for two at a hotel restaurant.
Varanasi
Varanasi's formal dining sits with Taj Ganges, BrijRama Palace, a restored riverside palace on the ghats, and Ramada Plaza JHV. The ghat-side hotels are the ones worth booking, since the river is the point.
The city's own food is vegetarian and mostly eaten standing up: kachori sabzi for breakfast, chaat through the day, and a paan afterwards. Note that Varanasi's old city is largely alcohol-free and many restaurants near the ghats are pure vegetarian.
What to expect to pay: ₹2,500 to ₹5,000 for two at a hotel restaurant, and very little for the street food the city is known for.
Gifting a dinner in these cities
Apart from the Agra experience above, our dining gift boxes are valid across India and cover restaurants in all three cities.
- Candlelight Dining Gift Box — 1,200+ restaurants, ₹3,899
- Grand Hotel Dining Gift Box — 300+ branded hotel restaurants, ₹5,999
- Birthday or Anniversary Dinner Gift Box — 450+ premium restaurants, ₹6,999
Frequently asked questions
Where can I have dinner with a Taj Mahal view?
The Oberoi Amarvilas is the best known, and a private dinner for two with a Taj Mahal view can be booked for ₹15,999.
Which is the most atmospheric restaurant in Varanasi?
The ghat-side hotels, particularly BrijRama Palace, where the river is the setting.
Are these cities good for vegetarians?
Very. Varanasi and Mysore in particular are largely vegetarian food cultures.