I’m usually a go-getter when it comes to traveling. I like to soak in every bit of a new place, but my visit to Rajkot was an in-transit visit. I had only a brief stopover of two hours after landing at the airport. Our glimpse of the city was limited to our car ride to grab lunch. We had a tight schedule, needing to make a 3.5-hour road trip to Junagadh before nightfall. After a week of exploring Junagadh, Gir, and Diu, we found ourselves back in Rajkot for a few more hours before catching our flight to Goa. So, despite the fleeting nature of our time there, we managed to squeeze in a few more evening hours in Rajkot.
A Short In-Transit Stop
I was considering not writing about Rajkot at all – but when I was researching for info about the city to plan my few hours there, I found nothing. Things like parks, temples, a doll museum, a dam, and a fun zone popped up. I don’t know how many of you would find those interesting, but I certainly didn’t. Being the fourth largest city in Gujarat, I found it surprising that I couldn’t find any quick shopping spots, experiences, great cafes, art, or cultural activities. So while this blog post on Rajkot also does not throw light on any of those things, it is a starting point. I’m banking on some of you leaving comments on interesting things to do in Rajkot that would help me and others the next time I’m there.
Restaurants I Visited in Rajkot
Grand Thakar Restaurant
From the moment we set out for Grand Thakar upon our arrival in the city, I couldn’t shake the initial feeling of desolation as we approached the unassuming building. However, as they say, food has the power to transform one’s perception of a place, and Grand Thakar certainly did just that for me! Despite not being a grand, flashy establishment or one housed in a posh five-star resort, this plain-looking building, half-covered by a flyover bridge, captured my heart and tummy.
Stepping inside, we were greeted by a surprisingly spacious waiting area, complete with a multitude of inviting couches and seating for over 20 people. The display of a digital ticker showcased the token numbers being called, hinting at the bustling activity within. Upon purchasing our tokens—each bearing a unique number, in my case, 195—we settled into a couch in the air-conditioned waiting hall and braced ourselves for a potentially lengthy wait. However, to my amazement, the staff seated us within a mere five minutes.
The bustling chatter of patrons and the wordless communication between the waiters evoked a sense of organized chaos. If you’ve been to Maharaja Bhog in Mumbai, Ghoomar in Goa (and I’m sure many restaurants also follow the same formula), you’ll know how it works. But it never fails to leave me in awe. Waiters communicate wordlessly with snaps, claps, and putting up fingers in the air. And different waiters appear, place one or two items on your thali, and head off to another table, but not before signalling to another waiter to come and do the same.
Within seconds, our thalis were filled with close to 20 of the most scrumptious-looking vegetarian Kathiyawadi delicacies – the same meal everyone in the restaurant was eating. That’s right – there’s no a la carte here.
The food! Woah! I don’t know the names of most of the dishes I tried in that Gujarati Thali, but each one was delicious – sweet, salty, spicy, tangy, soft, crunchy – each item offered something unique. We were initially skeptical because the food looked so basic, but to our surprise, the taste was unmatched. Dishes included bhakri, khichdi, dal, and undhiyu, alongside accompaniments like pickles, papad, and buttermilk. The dal was particularly noteworthy; their farsan, a savory snack typically served before the main course, was fresh and delicious.
The rotis served were soft, warm, and went perfectly with the sabzis. The puran poli, ghee-laden and crispy on the outside with a gorgeous stuffing inside, still has me dreaming of it! For dessert, the gulab jamun as well as the little rasmalai with dates were delightful. In Gujarat, the food tends to be on the sweeter side, but I found it well balanced here. We paid Rs. 300 or so for each of us, and it was well worth it. I know I just had one meal here, but I’d find it hard to top Grand Thakar. Also, keep in mind that the restaurant has many copycats, so go to the right Grand Thakar (single k) on Jawahar Road.
Where to stay in Rajkot
We did not book our stay in the city until we got into the car in Diu, the last stop on our Gujarat trip, and started driving towards Rajkot. Upon scouring hotel websites, browsing through Airbnb and TripAdvisor, and reading reviews, we finally zeroed in on Marasa Sarovar Portico. We just had one night to spend here, and we wanted comfortable, mid-level luxury without having to spend a fortune. This one ticked all the boxes – it was clean, well-located, and the hotel had such colourful interiors. Plus, it was a chain hotel, so they had a standard to uphold. The rooms were smaller than we’d have liked, but again, for just a few hours, we had nothing to complain about, other than the fact that the in-room telephone did not work.
They had a lovely rooftop cafe called Garam Giggles, which had a menu of such crowd-pleasing dishes that I wanted to try them all, unfortunately, the service was quite lacking! If you stay here, I’d suggest avoiding ordering food from the in-house all-day-dining restaurant, especially if it is not Indian food.
Other Things to Do
Now, Rajkot is one of the largest cities in Gujarat, and my stay of less than 24 hours over 2 days hardly makes me an expert on what to do here, but I will tell you to go shopping. Gujarati attire is beautiful, and if you like ethnic Indian wear with beads, florals, and embellishments, you’ll enjoy finding stunning pieces laid out on the roadside at local markets. Remember to bargain and to walk round, get a feel of the prices, and then go back to buy whatever caught your eye. We bought 3 outfits as gifts for around 700-1000 a piece, and they were beautiful and in-keeping with street-side quality and pricing.
Rajkot is well known for its ‘chikki’ or brittle made out of nuts, most commonly peanuts. You will find stores everywhere selling all kinds of chikki – so pick some up as souvenirs. My mum loved the chocolate chikki, though I didn’t much care for it. I did buy some farsan (savoury snacks), chutneys, and pickles – local stuff, nothing big-brand.
That pretty much wraps up my limited time in Rajkot. If you’ve been to this city or live there, drop me a comment and let me know what I should do and where I should eat the next time I’m in the city. Rajkot does have a lot of museums, gardens, and temples – do you like visiting places like those?
Bye!
