4 Best Restaurants in Side Trips from Delhi, India

This charming, two-story restaurant just across the road from the Western Temples (there are stunning views from the terrace) serves a mix of Indian and continental fare. It has a distinctly European aesthetic, with an open courtyard, where marble-top tables are shaded by an enormous neem tree and overhanging branches of bougainvillea, and a small indoor section that is air-conditioned (the summer heat can be quite punishing).

Across from the Vishvanath and Nandi temples, Blue Sky serves decent food, but it's the views here that draw in the crowds. The entire Western Group of temples is visible from the second-floor and rooftop terraces, and dinnertime guests can see the sound-and-light show from their tables.

Handily located behind the Shivala Ghat, this is an impressive haven for homesick Western palates and a great place for breakfast after a morning boat ride. All profits of the café and the art gallery upstairs go to charities, or are used for the employees' education.

A spiral staircase leads up to this indoor, air-conditioned restaurant with cheery bright curtains on a rooftop. The Maharaja Cafe overlooks a maqbara (domed memorial) to the left and the Western Temples to the right; there's a wooden platform with outdoor seating offering great views of the sights and market below.