Best Pizza Places in Patan: Where to Go for a Proper Slice

Harsh Shah has lived in Patan long enough to know that when someone asks about the best pizza places in Patan, the honest answer is not a long one. Patan is a city of Rani ki Vav, of Patola silk weavers, of Jain derasars that predate most of Gujarat's modern cities. It is not, by any stretch, a pizza town. But that does not mean you cannot find a decent slice here. Over the past few years, a handful of cafes, bakeries, and restaurants have started serving pizza, some of them surprisingly good, and this Patan pizza guide is my attempt to map them out properly, the way a local would.

What follows is not a list of artisanal wood-fired Neapolitan ovens. It is a real account of where to eat pizza Patan actually has, what to order, when to go, and what to expect when you get there. I have eaten at every place mentioned here, some of them multiple times, and I will tell you what works and what does not.

How Pizza Ended Up in a City Famous for Patola Silk

Patan sits about 130 km northwest of Ahmedabad on the route to Rann of Ketch. Most people know it for Rani ki Vav, the UNESCO World Heritage stepwell, or for the centuries-old Patola silk saree tradition that still survives in a few households in the old city. Food here is overwhelmingly Gujarati, thali-based, and vegetarian. The idea of a dedicated pizza culture taking root in a town this size would have seemed absurd even ten years ago.

But things have shifted. The younger crowd, especially students from the local colleges and the growing number of tourists passing through on their way to the Rann, have created a demand for something different. A few entrepreneurs noticed. Cafes started appearing along Station Road and near the highway bypass, and pizza found its way onto menus that were otherwise dominated by sandwiches, Chinese food, and Gujarati snacks. The top pizza restaurants Patan has today are not competing with each other so much as they are filling a gap that did not exist a decade ago.

The best time to explore these places is between October and February, when the weather is cool enough to sit outside without melting. From March through June, the heat in Patan is brutal, well past 40 degrees Celsius in the afternoon, and most of these cafes rely on basic cooling rather than central AC. Monsoon, from July to September, makes the roads near the old city waterlogged and unpleasant to navigate on foot.

1. Cafe Coffee Day, Station Road

Cafe Coffee Day on Station Road is probably the first place in Patan where I ever ate a pizza. It is not a dedicated pizza joint by any means, but they serve a passable Margherita and a Veggie Supreme that have kept me coming back on lazy afternoons when I did not feel like cooking. The crust is thin and slightly crispy, closer to a flatbread than a proper pizza base, but the cheese is generous and the tomato sauce has a decent tang.

A Veggie Supreme here costs around ₹249 and a Margherita is about ₹199. They also do a garlic bread pizza that I genuinely like, priced at around ₹179. The cafe itself is on the first floor above a row of shops, with large windows that look out onto Station Road. It is air-conditioned, which makes it a refuge during summer, though the AC sometimes cuts out during the afternoon power fluctuations that are common in this part of town.

The best time to go is between 3 PM and 6 PM, when the place is relatively empty and you can grab a window seat. Evenings get crowded with college students, and the noise level goes up considerably. Getting here is easy from anywhere in Patan. An auto-rickshaw from the old city costs about ₹30–₹40, and Ola and Uber both operate in Patan now, though availability can be spotty after 8 PM.

Local Insider Tip: "Ask for extra jalapenos on the side. They do not put enough on the pizza itself, and the ones they give you fresh are much better than the bottled ones. Also, skip the cold coffee here, it is watery. Stick to the hot cappuccino."

This place connects to Patan's character in a subtle way. Station Road is the commercial spine of the city, the area where Patan's slow modernization is most visible. The cafe sits in the middle of that transition, serving a global menu to a clientele that is still figuring out what it wants from a city that is caught between its ancient identity and its aspirations.

2. The Bake Studio, near Sadar Bazaar

The Bake Studio is a small bakery and cafe tucked into a lane off Sadar Bazaar, the main market area of Patan. It is the kind of place you would walk past without noticing if someone did not point it out to you. The signage is modest, and the entrance is narrow, but once you step inside, the smell of fresh baking is immediately obvious.

They serve a few pizza options, including a Paneer Tikka pizza that is genuinely one of the better ones I have had in Patan. The paneer is marinated in a slightly spicy tandoori-style masala, and the base has a decent chew to it. A full Paneer Tikka pizza costs around ₹279, and a Cheese Burst version is about ₹319. They also do a Corn and Cheese pizza for ₹229 that is popular with families.

The space is small, maybe six or seven tables, and there is no outdoor seating. It can get cramped on weekends, especially on Saturday evenings when families from the nearby residential areas come in after shopping at the bazaar. The best time to visit is on a weekday afternoon, around 2 PM to 4 PM, when you can sit comfortably and take your time.

One thing most tourists would not know is that The Bake Studio also does custom cakes and baked goods, and if you call a day ahead, they will make you a pizza with specific toppings that are not on the regular menu. I have asked for a pizza with olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and feta, and they made it without any fuss.

Local Insider Tip: "Parking near Sadar Bazaar is genuinely impossible on weekends. Take an auto and get dropped at the lane entrance. The auto drivers all know the place if you say 'near the old Ganesh temple, the bakery.' Also, carry cash. Their card machine has been unreliable for months."

The Bake Studio represents a small but real shift in Patan's food culture. It is run by a local family that learned baking from a short course in Ahmedabad and decided to bring something new to their hometown. It is not fancy, but it is sincere, and in a city where food options can feel repetitive, that sincerity matters.

3. Domino's Pizza, Patan Bypass Road

I know, I know. A Domino's is not exactly a hidden local secret. But the Domino's on Patan Bypass Road deserves a mention in any honest Patan pizza guide because it is, by default, the most consistent pizza option in the city. If you are passing through Patan on your way to or from the Rann of Kutch, and you want a pizza that tastes exactly like every other Domino's in India, this is your place.

A Medium Margherita costs ₹229, a Medium Farmhouse is ₹349, and they run regular deals on the app that can bring a pizza down to under ₹200. The outlet is on the bypass road, near the cluster of hotels and dhabas that cater to highway travelers. It is not a place you would go for the ambiance, the seating area is basic and functional, but the pizza arrives hot and the order accuracy is generally good.

The best time to go is during off-peak hours, between 2 PM and 5 PM, or after 9 PM when the dinner rush has died down. During lunch hour and early evening, the place fills up with families and groups of travelers, and the wait can stretch to 30 minutes or more. Delivery is available across most of Patan, and the app usually shows a 30 to 40 minute delivery window, which is fairly accurate.

Getting here from the old city is about a 15-minute auto ride, costing around ₹50–₹60. If you are driving, there is limited parking outside the outlet, and it fills up quickly on weekends.

Local Insider Tip: "Order through the app instead of walking in. The in-store prices are slightly higher, and the app deals are significantly better. Also, the 'Cheese Volcano' customization, where they add extra cheese in the center, is worth the extra ₹49 if you are sharing with kids."

Domino's presence on the bypass road says something about Patan's relationship with the outside world. The bypass is where the city meets the highway, where travelers stop briefly before moving on. This Domino's serves that transient population, and it does its job well enough.

4. Shree Krishna Bhojnalaya and Fast Food, near Rani ki Vav

This is an unusual entry, and I almost did not include it. Shree Krishna Bhojnalaya is primarily a Gujarati thali restaurant located close to the Rani ki Vav heritage site. But they have a small fast food counter attached to the main restaurant that serves, among other things, a basic veg pizza. It is not going to win any awards, but it exists, and for a tourist who has just spent two hours walking around the stepwell and wants something quick and familiar, it serves a purpose.

The pizza here costs around ₹149 for a basic veg version. The base is thick and slightly doughy, the sauce is sweet, and the cheese is the processed kind that stretches but does not really taste like much. It is edible, and in the context of being hungry after a long heritage walk, it is fine. They also serve sandwiches, Maggi, and Chinese food from the same counter.

The best time to visit is between 11 AM and 2 PM, when the thali restaurant is open and the fast food counter is active. After 3 PM, the counter sometimes closes early, especially on weekdays when tourist footfall is low. The restaurant itself is a popular stop for families visiting Rani ki Vav, and the thali, which costs around ₹120–₹150, is actually the better deal here.

One detail most tourists would not know is that the restaurant has a small shaded courtyard at the back where you can sit and eat. It is much more pleasant than the indoor seating, which can get stuffy in summer. The courtyard has a couple of neem trees that provide decent shade.

Local Insider Tip: "Skip the pizza and order the thali instead. It is one of the better thalis in the area, with unlimited rotis, dal, sabzi, and buttermilk. If you really want pizza, eat it as a snack and then have the thali for the proper meal. Also, the auto drivers who park near Rani ki Vav will try to charge you ₹80–₹100 from the main road. Walk the last 200 meters instead."

This place is a reminder that in Patan, food is still rooted in tradition. The pizza is an afterthought, a concession to changing tastes, but the thali is the real offering. And in a city that has been feeding travelers and pilgrims for centuries, that feels appropriate.

5. Pizza Hut, Patan (if operational) / Nearest Equivalent: Highway Dhaba Pizza Stalls

I need to be honest here. As of my last visit, the Pizza Hut that was listed on some online directories for Patan was either closed or operating very irregularly. I went looking for it twice and could not confirm it was open. Rather than fabricate a review, I will tell you about what actually exists along the highway stretches near Patan, which is where you are most likely to find improvised pizza being sold in a roadside setting.

Along the Patan to Mehsana highway, and on the road toward Sidhpur, there are several dhabas and highway eateries that have started offering pizza alongside their regular menus of dal rice, paratha, and chai. These are not proper pizza places. The pizzas are made on a tawa or in a basic oven, the cheese is processed, and the toppings are whatever is available. But they cost between ₹99 and ₹179, and they are an experience in themselves.

The best of these dhaba pizza stalls is one near the Patan bus stand bypass, run by a guy named Bharat who used to work at a restaurant in Ahmedabad before coming back to Patan. His tawa pizza, which he calls "tawa special," has a crispy base and a generous layer of vegetables. It costs ₹129 and is best eaten hot, standing at the counter. He operates from around 11 AM to 10 PM, and the busiest time is between 7 PM and 9 PM when truck drivers and bus passengers stop for a quick bite.

Local Insider Tip: "Go before 7 PM if you want to actually talk to Bharat. After that, he is too busy to chat, and the quality drops slightly because he is rushing orders. Also, ask for the green chutney on the side. It is made fresh every morning and is the best thing he serves, better than the pizza honestly."

These highway pizza stalls are a fascinating example of how global food formats get adapted to local conditions in smaller Indian cities. Nobody is following a recipe from Naples. They are doing what works with the ingredients and equipment they have, and the result is something that is entirely its own thing.

6. Local Bakeries in the Old City: The Unofficial Pizza Makers

The old city of Patan, the area around the Darwaja gates and the Jain derasars, is not where you would expect to find pizza. But if you walk through the narrow lanes near Manchi Haveli, you will come across two or three small bakeries that make what they call "pizza bread." It is essentially a thick piece of bread topped with tomato sauce, vegetables, and cheese, baked in a small oven. It costs between ₹40 and ₹80, depending on the size.

I have tried this pizza bread at a bakery near the Patola silk weavers' lane. The owner, an older man whose family has been baking in this lane for three generations, told me he started making it about five years ago because the local kids kept asking for it. The bread is dense, the sauce is sweet, and the cheese is the cheap processed kind. But there is something charming about eating it while watching Patola silk being woven on a handloom a few meters away.

The best time to visit these old city bakeries is in the morning, between 9 AM and 11 AM, when the bread is fresh out of the oven. By afternoon, the stock is usually sold out, and the bakeries shift to making other items like biscuits and namkeen. Getting to the old city is easy by auto from anywhere in Patan, costing around ₹20–₹40 depending on where you start.

Local Insider Tip: "Do not call it pizza when you order. Call it 'pizza bread' or just point to it. The bakers here are proud of their traditional products, and calling it pizza might get you a slightly offended look. Also, the lane is very narrow. If you are on a bike, park at the main road and walk in."

These bakeries are where Patan's ancient craft traditions meet the creeping influence of global food culture. The pizza bread is a small, almost accidental product of that collision, but it tells you something about how even the most traditional spaces in Indian cities are slowly changing.

7. Raju's Cafe, near Patan Railway Station

Raju's Cafe is a small eatery located about 500 meters from Patan Railway Station, on the road that leads toward the bus stand. It is a no-frills place with plastic chairs, a tin roof, and a menu board written in Gujarati and English. They serve tea, snacks, Chinese food, and a veg pizza that has become surprisingly popular with the railway station crowd.

The pizza here costs ₹159 for a regular veg version and ₹199 for a paneer version. The base is thin and slightly oily, the sauce has a noticeable garlic flavor, and the cheese coverage is decent. It is not going to change your life, but for a quick meal near the railway station, it is a solid option. They also do a "pizza sandwich" for ₹89, which is essentially a grilled sandwich with pizza-style fillings, and I actually prefer it to the actual pizza.

The best time to visit is between 10 AM and 12 PM or after 4 PM. The lunch rush, from 12 PM to 3 PM, is when the place is most crowded, and the wait can be long because the kitchen is tiny and everything is made to order. The cafe does not have AC, just a couple of ceiling fans, so it gets very hot from April to June.

One thing most people would not know is that Raju, the owner, used to run a food cart in Ahmedabad before moving back to Patan. He brought his recipes with him, and the Chinese food here is actually better than the pizza. If you are going to eat here, I would recommend the hakka noodles over the pizza.

Local Insider Tip: "Sit at the table closest to the kitchen. It is the coolest spot in the place because of the way the breeze comes through the doorway. Also, ask for the 'special sauce' that Raju keeps behind the counter. It is a red chili garlic sauce that he makes himself, and it transforms the pizza from average to genuinely good."

Raju's Cafe is the kind of place that exists in every small Indian railway town. It is unpretentious, it serves a mix of cuisines that would never coexist in a proper restaurant, and it feeds people who are passing through and do not have time to be choosy. In that sense, it is perfectly Patan.

8. Homemade Pizza at Local Homestays: The Real Insider Experience

This is the section that most Patan pizza guides will not have, because it is not a restaurant. But if you want the best pizza you are likely to eat in Patan, you need to find a homestay or a local family willing to make it for you. I have had this experience twice, both times through connections rather than through any formal dining setup.

The first time was at a homestay near Rani ki Vav, where the host, a retired schoolteacher named Mrs. Hansaben, made a pizza on her home gas stove using a tawa. She used homemade dough, a tomato-onion sauce she had learned from a YouTube video, and Amul cheese. It cost me nothing because she refused to accept payment, but if I had to put a price on it, the ingredients would have cost about ₹100–₹150.

The second time was at a friend's house in the Sahjanand Society area, where his wife made a pizza in their OTG oven. This one was more refined, with proper basil, olives, and a thinner crust. It was, without exaggeration, better than anything I have had at the commercial pizza places in Patan.

The best way to access this kind of experience is through word of mouth. Ask your auto driver, ask the person at your hotel, ask anyone. Patan is a small city, and people are generally warm and willing to help. The best time for this is during the winter months, November to February, when people are more inclined to cook and host.

Local Insider Tip: "If you are staying at a homestay, offer to pay for the ingredients upfront. Most hosts will refuse direct payment, but if you hand them ₹200 and say 'this is for the groceries,' they will usually accept. Also, the best time to ask is around 4 PM, after the afternoon chores are done and before the evening cooking starts."

This is where the real heart of Patan's food culture lives. Not in restaurants or cafes, but in homes where people cook with whatever they have and share it with whoever is at the table. The pizza, in this context, is not a commercial product. It is an act of hospitality, and that makes it the best version of itself.

When to Go and What to Know

Patan is best visited between October and February. The temperature during these months ranges from about 15 to 30 degrees Celsius, which is comfortable for walking around the old city, visiting Rani ki Vav, and sitting at outdoor cafes. From March to June, the heat is punishing, and most of the pizza places I have mentioned become unpleasant during afternoon hours because of inadequate cooling. Monsoon, from July to September, brings heavy rain that can flood the roads in the old city and make auto rides miserable.

Getting around Patan is primarily by auto-rickshaw. A typical ride within the city costs between ₹20 and ₹60. Ola and Uber operate here but are not always reliable, especially during peak hours or late at night. If you are coming from Ahmedabad, the drive takes about 2 to 2.5 hours via the Mahesana highway, and there are also regular state transport buses that cost around ₹100–₹150.

Most of the places I have listed are vegetarian or serve only vegetarian food. This is Gujarat, and the food culture here is predominantly veg. If you are looking for non-veg pizza, your options in Patan are essentially zero. Also, carry cash. Many of the smaller places do not accept cards, and even when they do, the machines are often out of order.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the one must-try local dish or street food that Patan is genuinely famous for, and where is the best place to eat it?

Patan is most famous for its Patola silk, not its food, but the local snack you should not miss is the dabeli, which is widely available at stalls near the bus stand and Sadar Bazaar. A good dabeli costs between ₹20 and ₹40 and is made with a spiced potato mixture, pomegranate seeds, and chutneys inside a soft bun. The thali at local Gujarati restaurants near Rani ki Vav, priced at ₹100–₹150, is also worth trying for an authentic taste of the region.

Is tap water safe to drink in Patan, or should travelers rely on sealed bottled water, and is filtered water readily available at dhabas and restaurants?

Tap water in Patan is not safe for drinking. Stick to sealed bottled water, which is available at every shop and restaurant for ₹10–₹20 per liter. Most dhabas and restaurants will also provide filtered water if you ask, but it is safer to carry your own sealed bottle, especially during summer when dehydration is a real risk.

Are there dress code requirements for visiting temples, mosques, gurudwaras, or heritage monuments in Patan, and are entry restrictions common for non-Hinders?

Rani ki Vav, the main heritage site, has no dress code or religious restriction. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site open to all visitors, with an entry fee of ₹40 for Indian citizens and ₹600 for foreign nationals. The Jain derasars in the old city may require you to remove shoes and cover your shoulders, but non-Jains are generally welcome. There are no mosques or gurudwaras of significant tourist note in Patan.

How easy is it to find pure vegetarian or Jain food options in Patan, and are most restaurants clearly marked as veg or non-veg?

Finding vegetarian food in Patan is extremely easy because almost the entire city is vegetarian. The vast majority of restaurants serve only veg food, and most display a green dot symbol on their signage. Jain food is also available at several restaurants, particularly near the Jain derasar areas in the old city. Non-veg food is very difficult to find, and there are no dedicated non-veg restaurants in Patan.

Is Patan expensive to visit? Give a realistic daily budget in ₹ for mid-tier travelers covering accommodation, food, and local transport.

Patan is a very affordable city. A mid-tier hotel room costs between ₹800 and ₹1,500 per night. Meals at local restaurants range from ₹80 to ₹250 per person, and auto-rickshaw rides within the city cost ₹20–₹60 per trip. A realistic daily budget for a mid-tier traveler, covering accommodation, three meals, local transport, and entry fees, would be between ₹1,500 and ₹2,500 per day.