Suvarna Mahal at Rambagh Palace

Suvarna Mahal is the grand dining room of Rambagh Palace, the palace hotel now run by Taj. The building dates back to 1835, when it began as a royal guest house and hunting lodge, and it later became one of India's best-known palace hotels. Suvarna Mahal, whose name means golden palace, occupies a hall styled on an 18th-century palace ballroom, and it is the hotel's showcase for Indian food.

The menu is built around royal Indian cooking, the kind of dishes historically prepared in princely kitchens, drawing on Rajasthan and other regions of India. This is the place to try a refined version of Rajasthani classics alongside richer North Indian curries, kebabs and breads, served with formal hotel service. The setting is a large part of the appeal: a dinner in a former royal ballroom is an occasion that feels very different from eating in the city's busy bazaar restaurants.

Fodor's notes that the restaurant does not serve lunch, so plan for dinner, and reservations are strongly advised, especially in the busy winter season and at weekends. Book through the hotel's restaurant reservations line. Expect a smart dress code in keeping with the surroundings, and prices at the top end of Jaipur's dining scene. It suits special occasions, couples and anyone who wants to experience palace dining at least once during a trip to Rajasthan.

Arrive early to walk through the palace grounds before dinner. Rambagh is surrounded by formal Mughal-style gardens, and the hotel has several other bars and restaurants, including the Polo Bar for a pre-dinner drink and Steam, a lounge set in a restored railway carriage with a steam engine. If you are not staying at the hotel, ask when booking which parts of the palace and gardens you can see before or after your meal.

Rambagh Palace is on Bhawani Singh Road, south of the old city. It is a short taxi or auto-rickshaw ride from MI Road and the Albert Hall Museum, and about 30 minutes by car from Jaipur International Airport. Allow at least two hours for a relaxed dinner here, and arrange a taxi back to your hotel in advance.