Khajuraho is best known for its remarkable temples, but my days there were not spent sightseeing from morning to night. I also enjoyed stopping at small cafés, trying local meals and taking slow evening walks near the main temple area. These simple breaks made the trip feel more relaxed and gave me a better sense of the town beyond its monuments.
Raja Café was my easiest stop after the temples
Raja Café is located in front of the famous Western group of temples, which made this place quite comfortable for me to visit after exploring other temples such as Kandariya Mahadeva, Lakshmana and many more. The café is situated on the first floor. The café terrace allows you to see the temple grounds. The menu consists of Indian dishes, snacks, tea and coffee, and some international variants.
The best part was that I could visit the café there without the need for a prior visit. After spending a lot of time watching the sacred carvings and wandering around the complex, I felt that going there to have a cup of tea and a light meal was absolutely the right thing to do.
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When I was looking for a hotel in Khajuraho, it was very important for me to make sure that I could walk to places such as Raja and the Western temples from it.
Madras Coffee House worked well for a simple breakfast
Madras Coffee House, also near the Western Group of Temples, was a straightforward choice when I wanted an early and uncomplicated meal. A plate of idli or dosa, followed by coffee, was enough to prepare me for several hours of sightseeing.
What I appreciated most was the casual setting. Khajuraho has many formal hotel restaurants, but I did not want every meal to become a long event. Small places suited my schedule better because I could eat, check the day’s route and leave at my own pace.
From this part of town, I could easily move between the temple complex, nearby shops, and local streets. It kept the day flexible, which was useful when I wanted to revisit a temple instead of following a fixed itinerary.
Mediterranean Restaurant offered a relaxed rooftop meal
For a longer break, I visited a Mediterranean Restaurant on Jain Temple Road. The rooftop setting gave it the easy-going feel I wanted after visiting the Eastern Group, where the Jain temples form an important part of Khajuraho’s heritage.
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The restaurant is known for Italian and Indian choices, including wood-fired pizza and café-style dishes. I enjoyed having a different kind of meal without leaving the quieter side of town. It was also a comfortable place to sit for a while, sort through photographs and decide what to see next.
Choosing hotels in Khajuraho was easier once I considered the areas where I would actually spend my evenings. A central stay offered access to the Western temples, while accommodation closer to Jain Temple Road was suitable for quieter walks and smaller restaurants.
Local meals added variety to my café visits
Since cafés were convenient, I also had the desire for dishes associated with Madhya Pradesh and Bundelkhand. Dal bafla was the obvious dish to search for. The baked wheat servings served with dal made a complete lunch, especially after a busy morning.
I kept the meals simple in terms of poha, parathas, dal, seasonal vegetable curries, and local-type thalis. The dishes were widely available and easier to consume on a daily basis than heavy meals at restaurants. Asking the staff what had just been made was often more effective than picking the fanciest dish from the menu.
Peaceful evenings completed my days in Khajuraho
My evenings were usually quiet. Sometimes I attended the light and sound show near the western group of temples. On other days, I walked through the nearby market, reviewed handicraft shops or returned to a café for tea.
That routine suited Khajuraho. The temples gave my days structure, while the cafés and local meals gave me time to pause. I did not need a packed evening programme. A good meal, a short walk and an early night were enough to leave me ready for another morning among the temples.