Varanasi Shopping & Cuisine

The city today boasts of a number of posh show-rooms and business establishments like the Shiva complex and the centrally air conditioned Kuber Complex, housing several top-of-the-line stores and offices. Chowk, Godaulia, Lahurabir, Dashaswamedh and Bansphatak are the main shopping areas. Most modern showrooms are located on Maldahiya Road.

Gems & Jewels
The monopoly of the ornament shops of the old markets of Rajadarwaja, Godaulia, Rani Kua and others, has been challenged in the recent past. If the Tanishq Showroom at Kuber Complex has over- shadowed them with its designer collection, the newly opened show- rooms in Lahurabir and Maldahiya areas are at-tracting the new genera-tion byers. Boutiques and ladies suit stores
Ananya situated at the Hathua market and Pang-hat at Chaudhari Chambers, Kumaccha, offer a rich repertoire of traditional and modern out fits for the ladies, besides all sorts of designer accessories, jewellery and interior decoration pieces. There are a string of salwar-suit shops located at the 100 meter avenue near Luxa. Salwar suits, lehangas and other traditional ladies' outfits could be easily procured at reasonable prices from a host of shops including Libas, prernai Roopam and Rashi.

A Silken Touch
Incredible though it may sound, around 3000 kg of silk is consumed in the weaving units of the city everyday. While 80 per cent of the produce is utilised in the domestic market, the remaining 20 per cent is exported. this helps the country in neting foreign exchange worth Rs 100 core per annum.

All Those Gizmos
Shops on both sides of Kotwalpura and Chetganj offer a wide array of televisions, geysers, fans, desert coolers and fancy lampshades. The Ghugrani lane is the ideal destination for those who want to buy tape recorders, video games and transistors.

Top Gear
With the auto mart opening to foreign companies, several top-of-the-line cars have steered their way into the country. Varanasi is no exception. All major cars have exclusive showrooms in the city. With several companies offering finance for cars, buying a four-wheeler has become very easy.

The final word
An unparalleled treasure trove for book lovers, the Pilgrim Book House near Durgakund and Indica Book House located near the Dashaswamedh Ghat, offer a wide array of books on various subjects. Both have the facility of sending books by air or sea mail.

What to Eat in Varanasi

Varanasi has no dearth of eateries. Almost wherever you go out in town you will find some or other good restaurant to eat. These joints vary according to your choice of food and price range but most of them are affordable. One should keep in mind that most of the old city cafés are vegetarian and alcohol is not tolerated, but the newer Cantonment area is less constrained by religious mores, and some of the more expensive hotels have bars.

After a trip on the boats in the early morning, try the traditional snack of kachori, savory deep-fried pastry bread sold in the old city next to the ghats. Varanasi is also renowned for its sweets and Paan (betel leaf). There are some excellent places to eat, though, and your hotel restaurant (if it has one) should be fairly good option. The Vishnu Rest House on Pandey Ghat does excellent thalis; the Shanti has an extensive menu including a host of Israeli food; and the Yogi Lodge near Vishwanath temple have the most hygienic kitchen in the old city.

There are quite a few good cafés in the town too. Ayyar's and Madhur Milan at Dasaswamedh Road are two of the best cafés in the area selling some hot steaming coffee, snacks apart from south Indian food, including masala dosas, filter coffee, and delicious milk drinks. Ganga Fuji and Keshri restaurant in the same locality offer some of the best Paneer or Cheese items in the town.

Bread of Life at Sonapura road offers some of the best and freshly baked brown bread, cinnamon rolls, muffins and confectionery in the town. It is also famous for American stuffs such as tuna burger and crème caramel. El Parador is a remarkable restaurant that serves outstanding Mexican, Italian, Greek and French cuisine in a bistro atmosphere where as Haifa Restaurant is the best for Middle Eastern Cuisines including Israeli and Lebanon breakfasts.