Stepping into Chaar Diwari: A Street Food Walk in Old Jaipur
DECEMBER 2025
About the Walk
The Local Food Club’s theme for December 2025—Street Food—was brought to life through a series of walks across India. In Jaipur, the walk focused on the Old City inside the ‘Chaar Diwari’, where the street food culture is shaped by early planning by the royals and later, by migration patterns.
The city of Jaipur was conceived as a planned city in 1727 C.E. by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, guided by Rajput and Mughal design principles. The royalty invited skilled artisans, traders, and other communities to establish themselves in the city so as to meet the needs of both the court and its people. Its markets received special attention—after all, the city was fundamentally envisioned as a major trade and commerce capital. This planning created a confluence of traditions and cuisines from across the many communities that made up the region.
Following the Partition in 1947, when royal titles were abolished, several communities from neighbouring states migrated into the walled city, bringing with them their ingredients, traditional dishes, and cooking techniques. Over time, these influences became embedded in the everyday food culture of Jaipur.
The walk traced this layered history through the street food that defines the city today. Moving through Kishanpol Bazaar, Chaura Raasta, Choti Chaupar, and Hawa Mahal, participants met the people behind the stalls, tasted what the city eats every day, and understood how migration continues to shape the flavours Jaipur has to offer.
Reflecting on the experience, facilitator Arahant Jain noted that the participants were deeply engaged and even returned to the same stalls over the next couple of days, sharing their visits online and tagging the vendors.
Stops on the Walk
The walk began in Kishanpol Bazaar, with hot Aloo Kachori from Khunteta Namkeen Bhandar— a deep-fried, flaky pastry stuffed with spiced mashed potatoes, served with green chutney.
The group then moved toward Chaura Raasta, tasting Mirchi ki Tipore at Kaljug Halwai (Tiporewala), a pickled Rajasthani green chilli preparation that is tangy, slightly spicy, and eaten as a snack. A second Aloo Kachori at Sampat Kachori, a local favourite, followed by a stop at Choti Chaupar, where everyone sat down for a plate of Aloo Pyaaz ki Sabzi, lehsun chutney, and bejad roti–or multigrain flatbread—at Mahaveer Rabdi Bhandar. A plate of Moong Dal Pakodi from Jaganaath Sharma Pakodi Waale was next.
The final stretch of the 3.4 kilometre-long walk through Hawa Mahal included a sweet stop—GC Dairy for Shrikhand and Makhan. This was followed by tea at Sahu Chai, rounding off the walk at Saraogi Mansion, where some chose to indulge in aloo tikki, chaat, or kulfi faluda.
Glimpses of the incredible food on the street food walk in Jaipur’s Chaar Diwari. Photos by Shruti Yadav, Arahant Jain, and Valentine Parriera.
Praise for the walk
“ It was a fabulous walk! I enjoyed every aspect of it. Arahant was an excellent guide and the curation was good.”
—Anuja
“Arahant is an insightful, knowledgeable individual, ideally suited to lead a walk such as this. He prepped for the walk—in addition to the context around the food itself, there were several historic facts and anecdotal nuggets that enhanced the experience.”
—Kartik
About the Facilitator
Arahant Jain runs restaurants and a catering company in Jaipur. His work is rooted in an interest in how food shapes society and the body. Raised in Jaipur, he has a deep respect for the city’s street vendors, its layered food history, and how migration continues to define what Jaipur eats. He leads the Local Food Club’s Jaipur chapter as a Super Locavore.
