Palitana is located close to Bhavnagar and is well connected by road and rail. Since 2014, it has been the world’s first official vegetarian city. Book your hotels in Palitana early, particularly during the Paryushana festival and Kartik Purnima, to thoroughly enjoy the region’s unique culinary history. Every regional speciality here is plant-based, Jain-friendly, and deeply rooted in Gujarati culinary tradition. Here is how to eat your way through it properly.
What Jain food actually means in Palitana
Before you sit at any eatery in Palitana, it helps to understand what Jain dietary principles actually exclude. The philosophy goes considerably further than standard vegetarianism.
The Jain diet: More than just no meat
Jain cuisine follows the principle of ahimsa, or non-violence, which extends to avoiding root vegetables such as potatoes, onions, garlic, carrots, and radishes. The local cuisine is primarily built on seasonal above-ground vegetables, pulses, grains, dairy, and a thoughtful use of spices that makes the food genuinely flavourful.
What the food tastes like
Gujarati Jain food tends to move towards a balance of sweet, salty, and mildly spiced flavours. Ghee is used generously, dairy plays a central role, and the cooking relies on besan (gram flour), dried pulses, and fermented batters to create satisfying textures and flavours.
The must-try dishes in Palitana
Palitana’s food is rooted in Gujarati tradition and Jain heritage. The following are some of the must-try popular options in the region.
Dal Dhokli and Khichdi: The comfort food of Palitana
Comfort food in Palitana includes dal dhokli and khichdi. Dal dhokli consists of wheat flour dumplings cooked in lentils with tamarind and jaggery until they become smooth and flavourful. Khichdi is made by cooking rice and lentils together as one and serving them with ghee and kadhi.
Rotlo, Thepla and Sev Tameta nu Shaak: The everyday staples
Rotlo is a thick millet flatbread eaten with ghee and jaggery or a simple chutney. Thepla, a soft flatbread made with besan and spices, is ideal for breakfast and available at most local eateries. Sev Tameta nu Shaak is a tangy tomato curry topped with crispy sev.
The snacks: What to eat between meals
Gujarat’s snack culture is one of the finest in India, and Palitana delivers it in its most Jain-faithful form. These are the ones worth exploring between meals.
Dhokla, Khandvi and Gathiya: Gujarat’s finest street snacks
Throughout town, you can find breakfast vendors and small stores selling dhokla throughout the day. This steamed fermented chickpea flour “cake” is typically served with a green chutney and tempered mustard seed on top. Khandvi is made by rolling the cooked besan, buttermilk and tempered with mustard and sesame into small round pieces. Gathiya is black pepper and carom seed stirred into deep-fried gram flour sticks that can be enjoyed with tea.
Fafda and Jalebi: The classic morning combination
Fafda and jalebi are usually eaten together in the morning. The fafda is hot and slightly peppery. The jalebi is soaked in syrup and is sweet.
Where to eat in Palitana
The eateries here offer wholesome, local delicacies at affordable prices. Every single establishment is fully vegetarian and Jain-compliant.
Hotel Sumeru and Arihant Restaurant: For a proper sit-down thali
Hotel Sumeru, near the Jain Derasar, serves a traditional Gujarati thali that covers the full range of local specialities. Arihant Restaurant on Shatrunjay Giriraj Main Road is well-regarded for its Dhokla and Khandv.
Nakoda Bhojnalaya and Yogi Dining Hall: Local favourites worth finding
Nakoda Bhojnalaya on Main Road is praised for its pure Jain buffet. Yogi Dining Hall near the bus station serves a comprehensive Gujarati thali with dishes like Sev Tameta nu Shaak and Dal Dhokli. Both are affordable and thoroughly fulfilling.
The sweets: End every meal properly
Palitana’s sweet shops are a destination in their own right. Gujarati desserts are dairy-rich, generously spiced, and made with a confidence that comes from having perfected the recipes over generations.
Shrikhand: The dessert Palitana does best
Shrikhand, a thick sweet yoghurt dessert flavoured with cardamom and saffron, is one of Gujarat’s finest contributions to Indian cuisine. Palitana does it beautifully at most sweet shops. Served cold, dense, and deeply aromatic, it is the right way to finish any meal in this city.
Basundi: Rich, slow-cooked and worth every bite
Basundi is a reduced milk dessert flavoured with cardamom and nutmeg and garnished with pistachios. It is fully Jain-compliant and available at sweet shops across Palitana town.
Palitana is a vegetarian food lover’s unlikely paradise
The world’s first vegetarian city carries a rich heritage of culinary culture and tradition. The Jain dietary tradition has produced a cuisine of real creativity and depth, and Palitana’s eateries serve it honestly and affordably.
