If you ask someone in Doon where to grab coffee, nine times out of ten the answer is somewhere on Rajpur Road. It runs from the Clock Tower almost to the foot of the Mussoorie hills, and on the way it picks up most of the cafés in Dehradun. Some are loud and full of college groups, some are quiet enough to work in, some have a view of the hills, and some are tucked away on first floors you'd walk right past.
Here's how to pick one, depending on the kind of afternoon you want.
How Rajpur Road is laid out
The lower end, near the Clock Tower and Astley Hall, is busy and commercial: banks, showrooms and the old bakeries. The cafés really start after Dilaram Chowk and bunch up around Kishanpur and the stretch near the Sai Mandir. Keep going towards Rajpur village and the road gets greener and quieter.
Planning to try more than one place? Park once around Kishanpur and walk. You'll spend less time hunting for parking and more time eating.
Slake Café, Old Mussoorie Road side
One of the best-known names on the upper stretch. The menu leans Italian and there's plenty of seating, which makes it a safe bet for a long lunch with a group.
Good for: weekend lunches, groups.
AMA Café, Kishanpur
Relaxed and popular, and it works whether you want just coffee or a full meal. It fills up in the evening, so go mid-afternoon if you'd like a quieter table.
Good for: catching up with friends, a first visit to Dehradun.
KOI, from the house of AKIO
On a first floor further up Rajpur Road, KOI is more of an evening place, with a café-and-bar feel. Good for a date or a dinner where you make a bit of an effort.
Good for: evenings, date night.
Café De Piccolo, near Sai Mandir
A smaller café near the Sai Mandir stretch. Good for coffee and dessert when you don't want a big meal.
Good for: coffee breaks, short visits.
Blooms Café, near Sai Mandir
In the same cluster as Piccolo, so it's easy to do both in one afternoon.
Good for: café hopping, casual meals.
Kalsang, for Tibetan food
Rajpur Road is also home to Dehradun's best-known Tibetan kitchens, and Kalsang is the classic: thukpa, thenthuk, momos and shapta. On a cold winter evening, nothing on this road beats a bowl of thenthuk.
Good for: winter evenings, comfort food, a cheaper meal.
The old bakeries on lower Rajpur Road
Before or after the cafés, stop at one of the old bakeries near the Clock Tower end of the road. Dehradun is known for rusks, cheese straws and plum cake, and this is where locals buy them by the box to carry to relatives in other cities. Our guide to bakeries in Dehradun has more.
So which café should you pick?
Working on a laptop: go on a weekday morning to one of the smaller, quieter cafés, and ask about Wi- Fi before you settle in.
- A date: KOI in the evening, or any café with outdoor seating around sunset.
- Lunch with family: Slake or AMA.
- Cheap and filling: the Tibetan kitchens.
- Gifts to take home: the old bakeries.
Tips for café hopping on Rajpur Road
- Weekends after 5 pm get busy. Book ahead if the place takes bookings, or just go earlier.
- Parking is easier on the side lanes than on Rajpur Road itself.
- Walk between cafés. The road is pleasant on foot, especially in winter.
- Many cafés have rooftop or first-floor seating. Ask for it if you want a view.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the best area for cafés in Dehradun?
Rajpur Road, especially the stretch around Kishanpur and the Sai Mandir, has the biggest cluster of cafés in the city.
Are there work-friendly cafés in Dehradun?
Yes. The smaller cafés on Rajpur Road are quiet on weekday mornings. Check the Wi-Fi and their laptop policy before you settle in.
What food is Rajpur Road famous for?
Tibetan food like momos and thukpa, bakery classics like rusks and cheese straws, and a growing number of modern cafés.
Find more on Doon Dekho
All the cafés in this guide are listed on Doon Dekho with directions. Open Explore → Food & Drink → Cafés to see them on one page and save your favourites.