Chandravilas

Chandravilas opened on Gandhi Road in the walled city in 1900 and is generally described as the oldest restaurant still operating in Ahmedabad. Its historical claim is that it was among the first places to sell the Gujarati thali as a restaurant dish rather than a home meal, and over twelve decades it has fed a roll call of Ahmedabad figures including Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The modern reputation rests on breakfast. Crisp chickpea-flour fafda is fried through the morning and served with shredded papaya chutney, green chillies and a thin fried besan kadhi, accompanied by coils of hot jalebi straight from the syrup. The combination is a Gujarati Sunday ritual and an absolute institution at Dussehra, when the queue can run down the street and waits of half an hour are routine. Prices are minimal: a fafda-jalebi plate costs roughly INR 80-160 (~$0.85-1.65) and a full thali still comes in well under INR 300 (~$3.15). The interior is plain and functional, with old photographs, ceiling fans and shared tables rather than any attempt at atmosphere, which is a large part of the appeal. Service is counter-driven and fast. The restaurant sits close to Teen Darwaza and the Jama Masjid, so it fits naturally at the end of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation heritage walk, which finishes in the same quarter around 10:30AM. Arriving before 10AM is the practical advice, since fafda and jalebi are morning foods and the best batches go early.