If you’re looking for the best restaurants in Bikaner, the city has more going on than its famous bhujia and kachoris. Between old-school thali houses, a heritage palace dining room, and a few newer multi-cuisine spots, there’s enough here for a proper food trail. Here are five worth building a meal or two around.
Quick Answer: Bikaner’s best-known restaurants for a full meal include Heeralal’s (Rajasthani and Mediterranean, opposite the railway station), Suraj Restaurant (known for its thalis), Gallops Restaurant and Coffee House (good for groups), the Rajasthani thali at Laxmi Niwas Palace, and Polki at Gaj Kesri, a pure-vegetarian restaurant serving Rajasthani and international dishes.
Heeralal’s Restaurant
Heeralal’s has been running since 2008 and sits directly opposite Bikaner’s railway station, which makes it an easy stop whether you’re arriving, leaving, or just staying nearby. The menu covers Rajasthani cuisine alongside Mediterranean-style dishes, which is an unusual combination for the city and part of why it keeps coming up in local food guides.
- Location: Heeralal Mall, opposite Railway Station, Bikaner
Suraj Restaurant
If a thali is what you’re after, Suraj Restaurant is one of the names that comes up most often. It serves deluxe, special and mini thali options, so you can scale the meal up or down depending on how hungry you are and how much you want to spend.
Gallops Restaurant and Coffee House
Gallops works well if you’re travelling with a group. It has a bright, well-lit interior with both indoor and outdoor seating, and it’s known locally for good service and a comfortable pace — the kind of place where you’re not rushed between courses.
Laxmi Niwas Palace — Rajasthani Thali
For a more formal, heritage setting, the Rajasthani thali at Laxmi Niwas Palace is worth knowing about even if you’re not staying there. It’s on the expensive side for Bikaner (thalis here run considerably higher than elsewhere in the city), so it’s more of an occasion meal than an everyday stop.
Polki, Gaj Kesri
At Gaj Kesri, the in-house restaurant Polki is pure vegetarian and serves Indian and Rajasthani dishes alongside international options, in a setting that has both indoor and outdoor seating. It’s open from 7:00 AM to 10:30 PM, which makes it convenient if you want breakfast, lunch and dinner in the same place without planning around a restaurant’s separate meal timings. It’s not the only good vegetarian option in the city, but it’s a straightforward one if you’re staying at the resort or nearby and don’t want to travel far for a proper meal.
What Bikaner Is Actually Known For Eating
Beyond specific restaurants, a few dishes are worth ordering wherever you land:
- Bhujia — the crisp gram-flour snack Bikaner is famous for nationwide
- Kachori — usually onion-stuffed, eaten hot with tamarind and mint chutney
- Gatte ki sabzi — gram-flour dumplings in a yoghurt-based gravy
- Dal baati churma — the classic Rajasthani combination of lentils, baked wheat balls and a sweet crumble
- Rasgulla and rasmalai — Bikaner has a strong sweets tradition alongside its savoury food
If you’re building this into a longer trip, our 2-day Bikaner travel guide covers where to fit meals in around Junagarh Fort, Karni Mata Temple and the rest of the sightseeing.
A Practical Note on Booking
Thali restaurants in Bikaner tend to get busy around standard lunch and dinner hours (1–2 PM and 8–9 PM), so arriving slightly outside those windows usually means a shorter wait, especially at the more popular spots like Suraj Restaurant and Heeralal’s.
FAQs
What is Bikaner’s most famous food?
Bhujia — a crisp gram-flour snack — is Bikaner’s best-known food nationally, alongside kachoris and Rajasthani thalis.
Are there good vegetarian restaurants in Bikaner?
Yes. Polki at Gaj Kesri is fully vegetarian, and most thali restaurants in the city, including Suraj Restaurant, serve vegetarian meals as standard.
Is Laxmi Niwas Palace open to non-guests for dining?
Yes, its Rajasthani thali restaurant is open to visitors who aren’t staying at the palace, though it’s priced higher than most restaurants in the city.
Where can I eat near Bikaner railway station?
Heeralal’s Restaurant is directly opposite the railway station and serves Rajasthani and Mediterranean-style food.
What restaurant is best for a group in Bikaner?
Gallops Restaurant and Coffee House is a common choice for groups, with both indoor and outdoor seating.