Although Ahmedabad is just 2 hours away from Baroda, where I lived all my life till I was 18, I hadn’t really loved or for that matter, even explored Ahmedabad. I did obviously visit Kankaria Lake, Sabarmati Ashram, the shaking minarets and the Rani ni Jaali on picnics or school excursions but I never really examined or studied the history of these places; I’d visited all these places before 2013 and my knowledge of history and culture was relatively limited then. I didn’t visit Ahmedabad much between 2013-2015. Moreover, since Baroda is quite cosmopolitan and Ahmedabad’s culture is known to be a singularly Gujarati culture, I never had the inclination to visit Ahmedabad and explore it. But my sister got a job in Ahmedabad last November and she took part in a lot of heritage walks there,after which she insisted that I visit Ahmedabad.
I’ve visited Ahmedabad thrice in the past 4 months and I’ve enjoyed each visit. There’s still a lot that I haven’t explored in Ahmedabad but whatever I’ve seen so far has exceeded my expectations. After visiting some of the best restaurants in Bombay, I’d set the bar for cafes and restaurants very high but I have to admit that I was quite impressed by most of the places I visited. Some of the best cafes and restaurants I’ve visited so far are:
- The Project Cafe:
I have to say that I give this place full marks for its interiors and exteriors; it is too pretty and extremely spacious. The concept of the place(it houses and displays the works of amateur,budding artists) is also quite unique and all the artwork on display is lovely! I visited it late in the afternoon so it was quite empty and I had one section all to myself. I ordered the stuffed mushrooms, the ginger lemon tea and the mocha mousse flan pastry. The quantity was satisfactory and the quality was also very good. The tea could be slightly better but on the whole, the quality of food was fairly good. I sat there for a long time and read a book. This place gives out a calm, soothing vibe and is perfect for those who want to enjoy a meal or a cup of coffee in silence. While Baroda has pretty cafes, the food is quite average and so I loved that the Project Cafe struck a perfect chord between ambiance and food quality.
2. Nautanki
I’d heard a lot about Nautanki and since it’s the only place in Ahmedabad that’s known for its application of molecular gastronomy to its dishes, my sister and I were very excited to visit it. I’d previously visited Masala Library in Bombay which was probably the first place in India to start molecular gastronomy so I had very high expectations. Unfortunately, Nautanki was pretty average in comparison to Masala Library, firstly since quite a few dishes seemed to be inspired from the dishes at Masala Library but weren’t as tasty as the latter. We ordered a chaat trolley which cost approximately 700 bucks and so we thought it’d be quite elaborate. The server brought the trolley to our table and made the chaat in front of us but it was just one chaat and even though the taste was pretty good, it didn’t seem to be worth the money. Their papad platter is good for a group of at least 4-6 people since it’s pretty big but then again, there isn’t any molecular gastronomy involved in the dish. The other dishes were also quite normal. On the whole, this place can be visited once but the food is ‘just good’, not exceptional or extraordinary. I’d personally prefer paying slightly more and having a meal at Masala Library.
P.S. Nautanki has pretty interiors
3) Huber and Holly:
Huber and Holly is extremely popular amongst people in Ahmedabad and although I visited it at 10:30 pm on a weekday, it was quite full. It serves everything but is well-known for its desserts. Their ice-creams are quite innovative and absolutely delicious! I’d love to visit it again and have a proper meal.
4) The Kettlery
Bombay has a lot of cafes that open up early in the morning but most of the cafes in Gujarat open post 11 in the morning. My sister and I wanted to go for breakfast and The Kettlery was one of the few options we had. It is a bungalow converted into a cafe. It is very beautiful and spacious. They have outdoor seating in one section of the first floor and on the terrace. Since it was quiet warm, we sat inside. This cafe also had a pretty impressive book collection and had I come alone, I would’ve picked up a book from the collection and read it. Their drinks menu is quite varied and they serve different types of hot and cold teas, coffees and coolers. Their food menu also has a lot of options. My sister ordered the spiced chai latte and I ordered the chamomile mint iced tea, both of which were delicious. We ordered the grilled cheese and veggie bagel; 3 days before this, I’d ordered a bagel sandwich in Baroda and it was disastrous since it wasn’t an actual bagel but a big bun with an aloo patty. I was not expecting too much from this bagel but it was absolutely authentic and very tasty. We also ordered a sachertorte which was delicious! The Kettlery exceeded my expectations and should not be missed!

I also visited Cafe Baraco and Nini’s Kitchen, both of which were good. Cafe Baraco serves a coffee called Cafe Baraco which is a cappuccino with a dash of cinnamon;it is heavenly and is definitely worth trying. Nini’s Kitchen has really good tandoori bharwan mushrooms, although the taste of mushrooms wasn’t as dominant as I had expected. Both these places were fairly decent.
I’ve always had an eye for unconventional places and although I earlier thought that Ahmedabad lacks such places, I saw a couple of really interesting places during my visits. I have an obsession with synagogues and I think they’re extremely pretty and grossly under-rated in India. When I found out that Ahmedabad has a synagogue and that it’s the only one in Gujarat, I decided that the first place on my priority list would be this. It’s located in the old city area and is pretty inconspicuous. Google hadn’t listed any visiting hours so when I landed there, it was locked and I was told by the nearby vendors that it opens after two hours. As I was about to leave, someone told me that the caretaker lives right behind the synagogue and he may open it. I tried to approach him and so I walked into the extremely dilapidated area behind the synagogue. While a tiny part of me was mad at myself for being so crazy, I thought that asking the caretaker to open the synagogue for me won’t be such a bad thing. Thankfully, he agreed and showed me the synagogue. Although very little efforts have been made to preserve it, it looked quite impressive and prayer meetings are still held there. I would definitely recommend a synagogue visit to anyone in Ahmedabad since it is a representative of a culture that isn’t very well-preserved in India but whatever little bit of the culture is preserved is beautiful, to say the least.

I also visitied the conflictorium, which is a museum of conflict. It has a record of some of the greatest social, cultural and political conflicts that have taken place in India and in its neighbouring countries. It is a participative museum because it requires the visitors to involve themselves in the study and experience of those conflicts. This is also situated in the old city and is housed in a bungalow that belonged to the first female hairdresser in Ahmedabad. One of my favourite exhibits in the museum consists of a large mirror on a table which has a photograph of the above-mentioned lady and a pair of scissors. The visitor is supposed to sit and hear a recording through headphones while looking at the mirror. The audio is recorded by the founder/owner of the museum. That exhibit is absolutely enlightening. My second favourite exhibit is the ‘sorry tree’ which has the suicide letter of Rohith Vemula written on a wall and a jar where you can write down something you’re sorry about. It may seem like a simple task, but once you accept your mistake on paper and apologize for the same, to no one in particular, it seems exceptionally relieving. This made me realize the importance of letting out one’s feelings through words; even if those words aren’t read by anyone, they benefit the writer because often, writing is like letting go, letting go of all that is binding you to something undesirable, scarring you and hurting you. The conflictorium is one place that I cannot aptly describe because it is an experience, an experience every Indian must have in today’s turbulent times.
Ahmedabad has surprised me with its diversity, intrigued me with its hidden gems and charmed me with its vibe that resembles a metropolitan city but also reminds one of a small town. I sometimes still feel that Ahmedabad is somehow ‘too Gujarati’ for someone like me.I don’t fit the stereotype of a Gujarati that many people hold; I often question the excessive noise pollution caused by Navratri, I like spicy food,I speak English quite well and my Gujarati is quite poor. Sometimes, when I sit alone in a cafe in Ahmedabad and hear people around me, all I hear is Gujarati words and sentences whereas I’m used to hearing a bunch of languages in Bombay and even Baroda, for that matter. But now, I’m fascinated by Ahmedabad because beneath this upper Gujarati layer, it holds within itself the traces of so many cultures that are waiting to be explored and appreciated. Earlier, I could never relate to the phrase ‘Aapnu Amdavad’. But now I can, because now Ahmedabad seems more open, more welcoming and more accepting. Now it seems like an Ahmedabad that is mine and yours, without any distinction.Now, it is, Aapnu Amdavad.