Jaisalmer Local Food Guide: Must-Try Rajasthani Dishes

Rajasthani food is built for the desert — long-lasting, spice-forward, made with ingredients that can survive without much water. In Jaisalmer that heritage is very much alive, and eating well here is easy whether you're at a heritage hotel, a rooftop in the old city or a bonfire in the dunes.

Dishes you shouldn't leave without trying

• Rajasthani thali — a full platter with several sabzis, dal, roti, rice, papad, pickle and a sweet. The best introduction to the cuisine.
• Dal baati churma — hard baked wheat balls (baati) soaked in ghee, served with dal and a sweetened crumble (churma). The state dish, and unmissable.
• Ker sangri — a dry curry made from wild desert berries (ker) and beans (sangri). Uniquely Rajasthani; you'll rarely see it elsewhere.
• Gatte ki sabzi — soft gram-flour dumplings in a yoghurt-based curry.
• Laal maas — a fiery red mutton curry made with local Mathania chillies (non-veg travellers, this one).
• Bajre ki roti with lehsun chutney — pearl-millet flatbread with a punchy garlic chutney.
• Ghewar and malpua — festive Rajasthani sweets you'll find in season.

Eating at a desert camp

Dinner at a desert camp is one of the most memorable meals you'll have in Jaisalmer. Everything is cooked fresh in the sand — bajra roti puffed on an open flame, a few sabzis, a slow-cooked dal, rice, salad, pickle and a sweet — usually served buffet-style around a bonfire while folk musicians play. Tell us in advance and we'll set up Jain, pure-veg or non-veg thalis.

Rooftop dining in the old city

Almost every heritage hotel in Jaisalmer has a rooftop restaurant with a view of the fort. Rajasthani thalis, tandoori dishes and continental staples are standard; go at sunset.

Practical tips

• Spice levels are adjustable at almost every restaurant — just ask.
• Vegetarian, Jain and non-veg options are widely available.
• Water: stick to bottled or filtered.