Boulevard Road Market

The vibrant Boulevard Road is the heart of Srinagar. Flanked by the Dal Lake on one side and bustling market on the other, it is a beautiful stretch to walk about in evenings. Cool breeze, views of the mountains, house boats moored on wooden jetties, colorful shikaras vying for attention—all of this makes this place a unique experience. Photographers will be delighted by the street and landscape photography opportunities here. The Boulevard road market has something for everyone:
Delectable Kashmiri Food
For the foodies there are a number of eating joints where you will find everything from authentic Kashmiri Wazwan to pure vegetarian meals. One of the most popular vegetarian restaurants here is the Krishna Dhaba which is famous for its ‘rajma’ and ‘kheer’. For authentic Kashmiri Wazwaan, visitors can head to the JKTDC hotel Heemal. The restaurant at the hotel serves delicious and authentic Kashmiri Wazwaan which includes dishes like Gushtaba – meatballs in white yoghurt gravy, Rishta – meatballs in fiery red gravy, Yakhni – delicately spiced yoghurt gravy, Rogan Josh – tender lamb cooked with Kashmiri spices and more. As it’s a JKTDC hotel, the prices are reasonable.

Clothes, Souvenirs and Saffron Boulevard Road Market also offers a number of shopping complexes and stores where you will find authentic Kashmiri handicrafts and traditional clothes. The prominent shops on the Boulevard Road include the Kashmir Shawl Museum which is a labour cooperative in association with the J&K government and the cottage industries emporium. A number of other shops at the Boulevard Road sell carpets, handicrafts, shawls, dry fruit, saffron and other local produce.

A word of caution: If possible take someone who knows about authentic handicrafts or there is a chance you may buy something which isn’t authentic. A number of guides will insist on taking visitors to shops from where they get commission and those places may not give you best value for money. Bargain your best!