Practical information : Eating out North India
Timetable
Restaurants are open 7 days a week, usually with continuous service from 8am to 10pm for smaller eateries. More elegant restaurants are open for lunch and dinner, between 12 and 3pm and 6:30pm and 11pm, or even longer.
Budget & Tips
A meal in a dhaba, a small restaurant, won't cost you much more than a hundred rupees. For a more traditional restaurant, you should expect to pay between Rs 250 and Rs 500, depending on your appetite. In the best restaurants, prices can reach (but rarely exceed) Rs. 1,500 per person. Many restaurants in India are vegetarian, and in some sacred cities such as Rishikesh or Pushkar, it's downright impossible to find meat or alcohol.
Many restaurants are not licensed to sell alcohol. As a result, it's rare to be able to accompany a meal with a glass of wine (very expensive and bad) or a beer, with the exception of restaurants for tourists or at the tables of large hotels.
Smaller restaurants generally do not accept payment by credit card, but some now accept payment via an app (GooglePay or similar). Mid-range and high-end restaurants almost all accept payment by credit card.
What costs extra
In big-city restaurants, be sure to check the price list, which will indicate whether government taxes (10%) and service (between 5 and 10%) are included in the price. The bill can sometimes climb very quickly!
The local way
If you're invited to eat at a local's house, remember to take off your shoes at the entrance, which is as sacred as a temple. You may be asked to sit cross-legged on the floor and eat with your hands. Always use your right hand, as the left is for impure acts.
To be avoided
To avoid illness, avoid raw vegetables, which are often washed in dubious water, and unpeeled fruit.
Also avoid fruit juices cut with water (ask for them without ice or water), and ice creams sold on the street. Always wash your hands before and after every meal. By sparing your stomach, you'll enjoy India's delights all the more!
It's better to opt for typical local dishes rather than (so-called) Western (continental) fare. Many a tourist has fallen ill from a dish of pasta or pizza... Of course, this is not a general rule, but at least Indians know the secrets of a good thali or chicken tikka masala...
Kids
Children are welcome everywhere in India, and occupy such a central place that they may seem ill-behaved from our Western point of view. You can take them everywhere with you, except in bars, where they have no place.
Smokers
Smoking is strictly prohibited in public places. Some restaurants have a smoking area, isolated from the rest of the room. In the tourist areas, it is possible to smoke on certain terraces in the open air. However, ask the waiter or use your common sense (presence of children or families nearby, etc.) before doing so.
Tourist traps
There are no known restaurant scams in India. The only risk of going to air-conditioned restaurants designed for tourists is paying a high price for bad food.