Taking a trip anywhere is not just visiting a city or a place, it is exploring the world of the local people, living their lives, eating what they eat and so much more. But when you’re a tourist, it’s difficult to trust as to which place serves the best food, which place is famous for what, etc. That is when we come into action. For your pilgrimage to the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya this 2024, we have put together a list of all the delicious food items in Ayodhya along with their significance, so you don’t have to.

Ayodhya’s Culinary Delights

India is known all over the world for its variety of food. Even as Indians, when we visit another city or another state, we are stunned at the different tastes and combinations that we get to experience there. Ayodhya is known for its variety in all categories of food like sweet, savory, snacks, and street food. 

Sita’s Sweet Temptations

There’s so much variety when it comes to typical sweets in every state of our country. Even the way the sweets are enjoyed is different. Some may enjoy their sweets with savory dishes, while others pair sweets with other sweets. But all aside, the statement that everyone loves sweets is universal. Ayodhya is famous all over the world for its iconic sweets, inspired by Goddess Sita’s legendary love for sweets. That is actually what inspires the iconic Sita’s Laddu which is a ball of pure sugary bliss. Other items like Peda, Jalebi, Rabdi, and Kheer are also a must-try. You can try these in stores near the Ram Mandir, here’s a list of a few – 

• Thakur Misththan Bhandar
• Chandra Sweets 
• Shri Kishori Mishthan Bhandar

Street Food Extravaganza

Another absolutely exciting part of a trip to Ayodhya is its street food. This is not ordinary street food; we’re talking, mouth-watering unique street food that one will crave even days after the trip is over. Some of the famous street food items in Ayodhya are Samosa, Chat, and Kachori which are just different from what they taste like in any other city. You can enjoy these delicacies anywhere in Ayodhya, but here’s a few recommendations –

• Ram Ji Samosa wale
• Raghunath Samosa Bhandar
• Saryu Sweets

Divine Vegetarian Cuisine

Most vegetarians complain about the same thing everywhere – lack of taste and variety in vegetarian restaurants. While on a pilgrimage, some non-vegetarians also prefer to choose Vegetarian dining options which can be difficult when there is no proper provision of vegetarian meals. Well, that is not an issue when you’re here in Ayodhya. There are so many delicious options and varieties in vegetarian food starting from appetizers to main course in all cuisines. You can choose to eat at a Bhojanalaya for a home-style thali or other restaurants. Here are a few places that serve lovely vegetarian food 

• The Vaidic
• Shri Kanak Sarkar Rasoi
• Shri Narayan Bhojnalaya
• Hanuman Vatika Restaurant

Fine Dining Bliss

There’s a different comfort in dining at a sophisticated place with food that is presented to you in a visually comforting way. Beautifully plated dishes, calm music, lively conversations, and enjoyable food, all put together sounds like mental therapy. In vacation days full of busy traveling, one must take this mental therapy for at least one meal. Ayodhya has many fine dining options where you can sit back, relax, and just let your taste buds do the dancing. Here’s a list of some of the fine dining restaurants – 

• The Aroma Restaurant
• Chaska Maska Restaurant
• The Aura Restaurant

Ayodhya’s Signature Dishes

Coming down to some of the signature dishes that you will find nowhere but in Ayodhya, let’s look at a few

Ram Kachori

Kachori is a savory and spicy chat dish that you can enjoy with sweet and spicy chutneys. It is enjoyed in all parts of the country with different fillings like sev, curd, chole, etc. and Ram Kachori is a famous dish that you can only find in Ayodhya. This deep-fried crispy goodness will leave you longing for more, every time. It is a local delicacy here that you can enjoy for breakfast or snacks and trust me, one is never enough. Here are a few stores where you find it

• Shri Ram Mishthan Bhandar
• Maurya Mishthan Bhandar

Ayodhya Ki Tehri

As Indians, we all know that meals are never complete without rice. And we Indians have so many variations in rice recipes that you can try one every day. Ayodhya ki Tehri is an authentic rice dish that is a mixture of all flavors like spicy, tangy, and savory. This dish is sort of like pulav, but the difference would be that it has more complex flavors than your usual pulav. It is a one-pot yellow rice dish from the Awadhi Cuisine. You can enjoy this savory dish in Ayodhya near the Ram Mandir.

Lassi and Thandai

Everybody knows that if you’re anywhere in North India, lassi is a must-try. Lassi is a yummy and refreshing curd drink that is made just with curd and either sugar or salt along with other condiments if necessary. You can try sweet lassi or salty one based on your liking. Thandai is a milk-based drink that is sweet and refreshing, typically enjoyed all over India during Holi. When visiting the City of Ayodhya during your pilgrimage, these 2 drinks are a must to keep you hydrated, especially if you’re visiting during summer. Here are a few places that serve delicious lassi and Thandai

• The lassi corner
• Maruti Nandan Mishthan Bhandar

Baati Chokha

This is similar to the dish Litti Chokha and is a healthy and delicious meal that you can find everywhere in Ayodhya. If you’re not a North Indian, you might be less familiar with this dish and that is all the more reason to taste test this dish. It consists of delicious baati made with gram flour, filled with savory filling paired with chokha which is essentially made with eggplant. Everybody that tries this dish craves it every day after trying it. You can try this savory and hearty dish everywhere near Ram Mandir. Here are a few places that serve Baati Chokha

• Village Chulha Bati Chokha
• Bati Chokha Restaurant

Dining Tips And Etiquettes

Now while you can enjoy all these dishes available in Ayodhya in any way that you like, it is equally important to respect local traditions and practices. Here we have a few dining Tips for your trip.

Temple Dining

Ayodhya is a city full of significant temples. And when you’re on a trip visiting all these temples specifically, you are bound to visit a few that serve meals in the form of Prasadam. It is believed to be very sacred to consume the Prasadam while visiting a temple. But it is also important to follow certain rules and make sure not to disrespect any traditions that are followed at the respective temple while you are eating there. It is common etiquette to not waste any food while eating. Some temples even allow you to serve food in the form of Seva. Sita ki Rasoi is one such temple that serves food to devotees free of cost.

Food Festivals

If you’re a foodie like us, you know the importance of trying different dishes, different tastes and types of foods. But it can be quite difficult to decide what to eat and where to go and also to visit multiple places to eat within a short period. Food Festivals are a great way of enjoying many different types of foods from different cultures, all at once without having to go to multiple different restaurants. Ayodhya’s food festivals help you learn more about the food culture there and the culinary diversity that this place has. Food festivals are essentially seasonal celebrations of this culinary diversity that feature special dishes and traditional feasts.

Vegetarian Etiquette

While some of you might be vegetarians by choice, others might have to choose to be vegetarians for the span of their pilgrimage to the Ram Mandir. Core nonvegetarians often have a hard time trying to decide on what to eat at vegetarian places and also find it difficult to enjoy Vegetarian meals. When dining out at a religious place you must respect the local customs and traditions. Order the special items there or ones that the place is famous for so that you are ensured delicious food. You can order a variety of food while understanding the depth of the dish.

Culinary Adventures Beyond Food

Let’s just all agree to the fact that food is a joy ride. You get to go on an adventure full of sweet, salty, and savory bits. Here are a few stops for your foodie adventure to Ayodhya 

Cooking Workshops

As much as it is exciting to visit many eateries for delicious food and carefully curated menus, there’s a different sense of excitement while preparing some of these dishes. If you’re someone who enjoys cooking tasty meals as much as they do while eating them, you should take some cooking Workshops in Ayodhya while you’re on a trip, so you can make all the delicious traditional meals from this city, at your home, for your loved ones. These are much better than learning recipes online because you get hands-on experience while learning some exclusive cooking hacks and secrets. 

• Experts Kitchen
• Naaz Classes

Food Souvenirs

Grabbing gifts for close ones is a different form of showing love for them while you’re returning from a trip. But what to get for them is a question more stressful than planning the entire trip. When people are vocal about what they’d like as a gift, it’s an easy road, but for others, you are on a hunt. Food Souvenirs are an intimate form of sharing love with your close ones by presenting them with something delicious that you tried elsewhere and thought of. You can grab treats like laddoos, pedals, and nankeen from Ayodhya for your loved ones while you’re there.

Conclusion

Any trip can be an adventure if you’re up for one. This pilgrimage, go ahead and give your foodie heart a treat with some of these delightful dishes from Ayodhya. When you’re done trying, try out some more and take some back home, too. We’ve tried our best to bring the entire culinary adventure of the city of Ayodhya to your screen so that, when you get there, you are all set for your ride on foodie express!