Budget
Shiva Cafe and German Bakery
D 26/4 narad ghat, near himalaya lodge. in the main little alleyway that runs parallel to the river between dasaswamedh ghat and assi ghat, this place is deservedly popular. the food takes time, but that's because it's prepared fresh, and you'll be happy you waited when the food arrives. staffed by enterprising nepalis this has authentic pastas, sandwiches etc.healthy food. favourite amongst long stay residents.
Bufffalo's Restaurant
near kedar ghat post officenewly opened restaurant. every sunday they have a chess tournament and jamming sessions on thursday. great thali.
Mona Lisa Cafe
just south and opposite shiva cafe. another good and popular cheapie, with a good range of things on offer, notably a thali for rs 20, and some japanese and korean dishes thrown in for good measure.
A C Shahi Restaurant
& kesari restaurant near dasashwmedh ghat in godaulia and shahi restaurant near rathyatra crossing serve very good vegetarian north / south indian dishes.
Diamond Hotel
And jaika restaurant near vijaya talkies crossing in bhelupur serve very good north indian dishes.
Ganga View
On the roof of sita guest house d 22/16 chaustti ghat, varanasi,up india,indian continental and western food fresh food and purified water non-veg not available
Ganga Paying Guest House & Rooftop Restaurant
near assi ghat on the bank of river ganges +91-9936491103. a very nice place to eat with an awesome view of river ganges and all the ghats. the food is very nice but it takes a little time but with that beautiful view you would like to spend more time sitting there even without food.
99 Not Out - Veg Cafe
Extremely neat & clean place serving pure veg burgers, pizza, pasta, chowmein, hot dog etc. A wide range of thick shakes and exclusive cold drinks alongwith full range of Ice Creams.
Samara Restaurant
Pure Vegetatian Indian, North Indian, Chinese, South Indian
Midrange
Flavours Cafe
Lanka, 'above axis bank. great coffee and desserts. strong filter coffee and lighly accented lattes with a quiet ambiance make for a needed break from the city. free wireless is also a plus.
Bread of Life Bakery
Shivala road, a few hundred metres north of assi ghat, +91 542 227 5012. good baked goods, but also a full restaurant with okay breakfasts including "american" pancakes and canned-oj freshly-squeezed no longer. used to be very popular but the quality is now questionable.
Aum Cafe / Ayurvedic Cafe
Near assi ghat, owned and run by shivani ayurvedic food/ organic teas and coffees, healthy vegan/ vegetarian friendly atmosphere with free wi fi. hearty nutritious dishes. some indian and western choices. located behind the temple on assi ghat.
Open Hand Shop & Cafe
Assi ghat, around the corner from hotel haifa, +91 542 2369 751, (http://www.openhandindia.com). the bakery has daily fresh bread, cakes, pies & various pastries. the food selection includes set breakfast, salads, breadrolls and fruit salad. the espresso-based coffees and fresh fruit smoothies are the main attractions. the shop is selling fixed-price merchandise on fair-trade principles. free internet
I would not recommend this at all. Set up by an American James Hetherington who claimed to be a businessman ; it was actually a front for his Christian missionary activities. He hails from Kansas, Missouri and Bread of Life Bakery originated there www.breadoflifebakery.net/
Zaika
Restaurant - in shivala, opposite hotel broadway. good indian / chinese dishes; try the sweet-corn-pakoras.
Moti Mahal Delux
Restaurant - in sigra, 3rd floor, ip mall, in the heart of the city. +91-542-2220555. one of the best indian and mughlai restaurant in the city with a unique fine dining experience. also provides free delivery of your meal at any location in the city. also serves authentic chinese and continental.
Top end
Varuna
And chowk, taj ganges hotel, nadesar palace grounds. tel+91 542 250-300 - two restaurants respectively offering indian and western cuisine.
The Taj is excellent as usual.
Nice cafe
Great food cooked only by mum and family. Home kitchen. Clean. Friendly and helpful owner. Very reasonable prices, except on festival days when hot chocolate is poured over everyone for a fixed price of 1000 rupees per person. Check out the garlic / cheese nan and the pancakes!
There are numerous food outlets and a very dynamic range in quality. The restaurants closer to the ghats cater more to foreign tourists, with variable success. To get really authentic Banarasi Khana you're going to have to get to the main market area or, better, to have a banarasi friend inviting you at home. Benares Dum Aloo is a local specialty, and the city is also known for its desserts. You can't go away from Benares without eating local specialities as aloo chat and pani puri and, in general, the street food. Paan, a betel nut mixture usually containing tobacco, is not really food, but is something Benares is famous for all over India.
Benarasi delicacies
Shiv Lassi Bhandar
near the main gate of ramnagar fort lassi with layers of malai and rabri. superb stuff.
Kashi Chat Center
near godowlia crossing good assortment of exotic chats. try out the aloo tikia chat.
Rabri/Malai shops
a couple of shops, near godowlia crossing opposite to the church try out fresh rabri and malai in the evening 7pm-9pm. really good stuff !!! one of the best rabri shops is on the alleyway that leads to the vishwanath temple the main shiva temple from the dashashwamedh ghat side. this is a tiny hole-in-the-wall rabri shop next to a big sari shop kanjilal and company and loads of shops selling bangles.
Madhur Jalpan
The best place for laddoos and other famous sweet delicacies is 'madhur jalpan', a shop that has been frequented by more than two prime ministers of india! madhur jalpan is on baradev - next to the kainiya chitra mandir. again, on a small alleyway, but the sweets are to die for.