An Ahmedabad institution that started as a roadside cart in 1975 and became a full restaurant on C.G. Road in 1985, now with branches across the city. The draw is butter-loaded pav bhaji, cheese-heavy North Indian gravies and Indo-Chinese, all pure vegetarian. It is where Ahmedabad families eat on a weeknight.
Honest began in 1975 as a food cart run by Rameshbhai Agrawal and his family, and in 1985 the operation became a proper restaurant on C.G. Road, the commercial spine of Navrangpura. Fifty years on it is one of the most recognisable names in Ahmedabad dining, with branches strung across the city from Bodakdev and Prahlad Nagar to the railway station food plaza. The food is pure vegetarian and unapologetically rich: the house pav bhaji arrives glossy with butter, often finished with grated cheese, alongside toasted pav, raw onion and lemon; the North Indian section leans on paneer butter masala, dal makhani and tandoori rotis; and there is a substantial Indo-Chinese list of Hakka noodles, Manchurian and chilli paneer cooked to Gujarati tastes. Portions are generous and prices are moderate, with mains typically INR 180-320 (~$1.90-3.35) and a full meal for two around INR 600-900 (~$6.25-9.40). The dining rooms are bright, air-conditioned, family-oriented and noisy, with fast turnover rather than lingering. There is no alcohol anywhere in the chain, in line with state prohibition. Honest is not where a visitor goes for a traditional thali or regional cooking; it is where to understand what the city actually eats on an ordinary evening, and the pav bhaji in particular is a local benchmark that travellers frequently rate above the Mumbai original. Weekend evenings are busy and waits of twenty minutes are common at the C.G. Road and Prahlad Nagar branches.
| Price | $$ |
|---|---|
| Hours | Daily roughly 11AM-11:30PM |
| Reservations | Generally walk-in; expect a wait at weekends |
| Address | Honest, C.G. Road, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380009 |
Signature dishes
- Butter pav bhaji
- Cheese pav bhaji
- Paneer butter masala
- Hakka noodles and Manchurian
Good to know
- Known for
- Vegetarian street-food classics; known for butter and cheese pav bhaji
Location
Honest, C.G. Road, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380009
23.0290, 72.5610 View on map
Highlights
- Started as a 1975 street cart, now a fifty-year Ahmedabad institution
- Butter- and cheese-loaded pav bhaji that locals rate as a city benchmark
- Pure-vegetarian North Indian and Indo-Chinese alongside the pav bhaji
- Branches across Ahmedabad including C.G. Road, Bodakdev and Prahlad Nagar
Tips for visiting
- Order the pav bhaji even if ordering other dishes; it is the reason the chain exists
- Ask for less butter if the standard version is too rich, as portions are heavy by default
- Weekend evenings involve a twenty-minute wait at the busier branches
- The railway station food plaza branch is useful before a long train journey
When to visit
Early evening on a weekday, around 7PM, before the family rush; weekend nights involve queuing at the busier branches.
Accessibility
Most branches are street-level or first-floor units in commercial buildings; the C.G. Road and mall locations generally offer level or lift access, while older outlets have steps. Telephone the specific branch in advance to confirm step-free entry.
Frequently asked questions
Is Honest vegetarian?
Yes, entirely. Every branch is pure vegetarian, and like all Gujarat restaurants it serves no alcohol.
What should I order?
The butter or cheese pav bhaji is the signature. Beyond that the kitchen covers paneer-led North Indian gravies and a full Indo-Chinese list.
How much does a meal cost?
Mains typically run INR 180-320 (~$1.90-3.35), with a full meal for two around INR 600-900 (~$6.25-9.40).
How old is the restaurant?
The family began with a food cart in 1975 and opened the first sit-down restaurant on C.G. Road in 1985.