10 Thali Places In India That Are More Than Worth The Time And Money Spent

Thalis are the best way to enjoy a sumptuous Indian meal with variety in flavour and types of foods. You pay a price and then it's an all-you-can-eat bonanza as you are served rice, pooris, phulkas, dals, curries, and various kinds of dessert. 

1. Rajdhani, New Delhi

Cuisine: Rajasthani and Gujarati

Price: Rs. 400 - 465

Serving up a thali that mixes the cuisines of both western states, you are spoilt for choice when it comes to the food. There's luck for those of you who don't know when to stop, as the waiters are more than happy to refill your plate as many times as you want. The menu changes on a daily basis as well as with the seasons, so you're not likely to get bored. Enjoy chhanch or aam panna with a thali of Rajasthani and Gujarati favourites like Guthiya, Dal bati churma, Kadi and Dhokla. 

Courtesy of Ambika Sukumar

2. Golden Star, Mumbai

Cuisine: Rajasthani and Gujarati

Price: Rs. 270 on weekdays, Rs. 300 on weekends

With accomplishments like being featured on the New York Times and playing host to Hollywood celebrities, it's no wonder this restaurant is the most popular of thali haunts in the commercial capital. The thali consists of four dishes (cottage cheese, lentils, potatoes and greens), farsans (chaat, fried and steamed), Gujarati dal, dal bati, rotis, and three types of rice.

By the way, don't leave before you have eaten their ghee-rich desserts like jalebi, malpua rabdi and kesar puranpoli. 

Courtesy of Golden Star Thali

3. Chokhi Dhani, Jaipur

Cuisine: Rajasthani

Price: Rs. 600 to Rs. 950

The restaurant is themed on a traditional village. As you dine Rajasthani style, enjoy traditional folk dances and puppet shows while you gorge on mouthwatering specialities with phulkas and rice. The thalis and bowls are not made of steel but of dried leaves.

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4. Shree Thakker Bhojanaley, Mumbai

Cuisine: Gujarati

Price: Rs. 500

Silken smooth kadhi served with a choices of rotis, poori, and depending on the day, dal, moong dal halwa, shrikhand, puran poli and aamras. There's always a queue to enter this place, but regular patrons know it's well worth the wait. 

Courtesy of PetuPetkar

5. Shri Thaal Village Restaurant, Jaipur

Cuisine: Rajasthani and Punjabi

Price: Rs. 250 - 400

A perfect alternative to Chokhi Dhani, this village-themed restaurant serves up a delicious array in all three types of its thali (Punjabi, Regular and Royal Rajasthani). Remember to leave your stomach empty before you head to this place for lunch or dinner.

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6. Friends Union Joshi Club, Mumbai

Cuisine: Gujarati

Serving light, simple and basic thalis, this establishment is more than 100 years old and was set up to serve home-cooked meals to Gujarati villagers who came to Mumbai in search of opportunity. 

The thali consists of 4 types of vegetables, dal, farsan, phulkas, bhakris, salad and a sweet dish. It's old fashioned and doesn't seem to overload the stomach despite generous garnishes of ghee. 

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7. Mavalli Tiffin Room, Bangalore

Cuisine: Karnataka

Price: Rs. 180

MTR is a legendary eating place in the garden city. The meal there consists of a welcome drink, kosambari, akki rotti and coconut chutney, bisi bele bhath with onion raita, a vegetarian curry, 2 sweets, curd vada, white rice with sambhar, rasam and curd rice followed by a fruit salad with ice cream and beeda.

Courtesy of Harsha Balur

8. Suruchi, New Delhi

Cuisine: Rajasthani and Gujarati

Price: Rs. 300

Here you can try the various dishes of three different states as they offer Rajasthani, Gujarati and Punjabi thalis. Most diners claim the Rajasthani one to be the best of all three because of its dal bati churma.

Courtesy of Nithin Santhosh

9. Hotel Deluxe, Mumbai

Cuisine: Kerala (The thali is vegetarian)

Price: Rs. 175

This iconic thali is served on a banana leaf with unlimited helpings of rice, sambhar, coconut cabbage, green beans, potato curry, roasted chilli with the achar mixes and rasam. For dessert, it's payasam which is pudding made from semolina, milk and sugar. 

If that's not enough, the carnivore inside you can order a side of chicken curry that goes really well with the red rice that sort of pops in your mouth.

Courtesy of Suruchi Restaurant

10. Thackers, Mumbai

Cuisine: Gujarati and North Indian

Price: Rs. 400

The thali here has always been delicious, and juxtaposed with the breathtaking view from Chowpatty Club, it's exquisite.

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