Ajmer is a city that eats well. Mornings start with hot kachori and poha, evenings end with jalebi and a glass of lassi, and no visitor leaves without a box of sohan halwa from the Dargah Bazaar. Here is our local guide to the best street food in Ajmer and where to find it.
Ajmer’s must-try street foods
1. Kadhi kachori
Ajmer’s favourite breakfast: a crisp, flaky kachori stuffed with spiced moong dal, broken open and drowned in hot, tangy kadhi, topped with chutney and onions. It is cheap, filling and best eaten before 11 am, when it is freshly fried. More about kadhi kachori.
2. Sohan halwa
Ajmer’s most famous sweet: a dense, chewy, ghee-rich halwa made from milk, sugar and wheat, loaded with dry fruits. The old shops around the Dargah sell it in boxes, and it keeps for weeks, which makes it the perfect gift to take home. More about sohan halwa.
3. Jalebi and doodh jalebi
Bright orange spirals fried in ghee and soaked in syrup, eaten hot in the morning or evening. In winter, try jalebi dipped in hot milk. More about jalebi.
4. Poha
Light, fluffy flattened rice with mustard seeds, curry leaves, peanuts and sev, sold from carts across the city in the morning. Often eaten with jalebi. More about poha.
5. Lassi
Thick, sweet lassi served in a tall glass or kulhad, topped with a layer of malai. Perfect after a hot afternoon in the old city. More about lassi.
6. Vada pav, samosa and mirchi vada
Evening snacks found at stalls all over the city. Try the Rajasthani mirchi vada, a large green chilli stuffed with spiced potato and fried in gram flour batter, and Ajmer’s take on vada pav.
7. Biryani and kebabs near the Dargah
The lanes around the Dargah are known for biryani cooked in large pots (degs), kebabs and sheermal, especially in the evenings and during the Urs.
8. Paratha and full meals
For something more filling, try stuffed parathas in the morning, or a Rajasthani thali with dal bati churma and gatte ki sabzi.
Where to eat: Ajmer’s best food areas
- Dargah Bazaar and the lanes near the Dargah: the place for sohan halwa, biryani, kebabs and sweets. Busy all day and into the night.
- Naya Bazaar and Madar Gate: the old city’s busy markets, full of sweet shops, kachori stalls and snack counters.
- Kesarganj and around the railway station: early-morning kachori, poha and chai for travellers.
- Around Ana Sagar and the Chaupati: evening snacks, chaat and ice cream with a lake view. See Ana Sagar Lake.
- Vaishali Nagar: the newer part of the city, with cafés, restaurants and modern snack shops.
A perfect food day in Ajmer
- Morning: kadhi kachori or poha with jalebi and chai in the old city.
- Late morning: visit the Dargah, then buy sohan halwa in the bazaar.
- Afternoon: a Rajasthani thali for lunch, followed by a cold lassi.
- Evening: snacks and chaat by Ana Sagar Lake at sunset.
- Night: biryani near the Dargah, or hot doodh jalebi in winter.
Tips for eating street food safely
- Choose busy stalls where food is cooked fresh in front of you.
- Eat fried food hot, and be careful with raw salads and chutneys if you have a sensitive stomach.
- Drink bottled or filtered water.
- Carry small change and use UPI where possible.
- Ask for less spice if you are not used to it.
Going on to Pushkar? Read our Pushkar food guide, or browse all foods of Ajmer and Pushkar.