Dining Out

If you’re not the cooking sort, or too tired after a long day at the shala, here are a few places where you can find lunch and dinner. Most places mentioned (except for Green Hotel) cater for yoga students, so you can be assured of healthy, balanced, sattvic food, cooked with love, with prices starting from Rs80.

Shaila’s – 1015/A 9^th Cross, 3^rd Stage, near Doctor’s Corner. Call in advance to let her know you’re coming. Mobile : +9886653001.

Shaila’s place is nearest to the Yoga India shala. Also known for her fabulous cooking classes, this amazing cook whips up buffet lunches from Monday to Saturday. The buffet serves 2 different salads, 1 or 2 cooked vegetable dishes, dhal, rice (plain or mango rice when mangoes are in season) and chappatis. You can also order banana or sweet lassi, lime mint juice, or her delicious Indian sweets (or desserts) to end a lovely meal.

Serves : Vegetarian

Gokul Chats – Contour Road, at KRS Road.

Serves : Vegetarian

Rishi’s - #188 9^th Cross. Also an internet café.

Delicious buffet lunches including 2 salads, 2 cooked vegetable dishes, rice or rotis and lime juice, from Rs80.

Serves : Vegetarian

Anu’s Rooftop Café - # 367 2^nd Main, 3^rd Stage. Also an internet café. Tel : +821 4288120.

Anu’s serves incredible lunch and dinner buffet served at 1 pm and 5 pm respectively, every day except Thursdays. The buffet usually includes a soup, 2 or 3 salads, 2 cooked vegetable dishes, dhal, rice, chappatis and an Indian dessert. In addition to the buffet, you can order grape juice,

ginger tea and the very popular, vegan chocolate banana cake! Anu also teaches cooking classes, which can include printed recipes with advance notice.

Serves : Vegetarian

Sri Chakra House – 104 7^th Cross. Typical menu items include omelettes, tofu scrambled with spinach, tomato and potatoes, fried rice, noodles and weekly specials.

Serves : Vegetarian

Tina’s Café

Although a bit far to walk from the Yoga India shala, Tina serves very affordable lunches (although you might find the menu somewhat less creative if you eat there more than 3 times a week). During high season, she also serves breakfast or brunch at her own home. Ask Tina or her dad Mr Kushal who are often seen at the café.

Serves : Vegetarian

Nalpak – I don’t’ have the address for Nalpak, but it’s about a 20 minutes walk from the Coconut Stand on 9^th Cross. Nalpak has great idlis (rice cakes) and affordable thalis (full meal served in a tray filled with rice, dhal, cappatis, vegetables, curd and a sweet/dessert). Expect a large crowd on weekends when families dine out.

Serves : Vegetarian

Green Leaf Restaurant - Kalidasa Road, Vani Vilas Puram, Mysore 570 002
Often visited by students residing in nearby Gokulam, the Green Leaf has a large menu with lots of choices.

Green Hotel - Restaurant & Bakery - Chittaranjan Palace, 2270 Vinoba Road
Jayalakshmipuram. Tel : (+91) 821 425 5000, 5001 or 5002.

Green Hotel has a lovely outdoor restaurant, overlooking their beautiful grounds. The food is prepared from locally produced ingredients, where appropriate, and their portions are very generous! Expect to pay USD5-8 for a full meal.

Serves : Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian

Green Hotel also has a bakery, where delicious cakes and fresh breads are baked daily. Check out their lemon drizzle cake (my personal favourite) and their wholemeal loaves.

When you first arrive in Mysore

Living in Gokulam is not too difficult for foreigners. This upper class suburb of Mysore has modern homes, good roads, and is easily navigated by foot, and scooters, bicycles, and motorbikes can be easily rented.

To get to Gokulam from Mysore city, hail an auto rickshaw (also known as ‘tuk-tuk’). The Yoga India shala is about 5 km from downtown Mysore. Insist that your rickshaw driver uses the meter to get you to your destination, and then give him a small tip when you arrive.

When I first arrive in Mysore, (which is in the dead of the night, thanks to Malaysian Airlines' flight into Bangalore), I always check into the Green Hotel (www.greenhotelindia.com) for a couple of nights’ stay. The hotel was a former summer palace for the Woodeyar princesses back in its days of glory, and all profits from this hotel goes towards supporting charitable and environmental projects in India.

The charming Traveller’s Room, facing the gorgeous garden, costs Rs2250 plus tax (single occupancy) a night, with complimentary breakfast, and the quiet, eco-friendly surroundings will provide you with a peace of mind, while looking for accommodation in Gokulam before embarking on your yoga studies.

The food at the Green Hotel is fantastic. They’ve also just opened a bakery there, and their Lemon Drizzle Cake is to die for!

The Green Hotel

Chittaranjan Palace
2270 Vinoba Road
Jayalakshmipuram
Mysore
570 012 Karnataka
Tel : (+91) 821 425 5000
: (+91) 821 425 5001
: (+91) 821 425 5002
Fax: (+91) 821 251 6139
Email : thegreenhotel@airtelmail.in