Inside Mirove, Jaipur’s Thoughtful ‘In-Between’ Space For Food And Pause

When I first stepped into Jay’s Mirove Artisanal Kitchen in Jaipur, the city’s pink dusk was settling outside, and the space felt like a soft pause between two breaths. It didn’t try too hard, didn’t shout for attention—just existed gently, like the kind of place you instinctively know is good for thinking, talking, or simply being. And that is exactly what founder Sonali Sharma, Founder, Mirove Artisanal Kitchen, always wanted it to be. “We realized Jaipur did not have an in-between space.” Over some Irresistibly delectable food, Sonali told me about the idea that shaped Mirove.

“I always wanted a very quiet place where I can sit and write,” she said, her background in literature flickering softly in her voice. “Either you go to a lounge or club, or you go to a café. There was nothing in between—no place where there’s no loud music, but also not complete silence.”

So she and her business partner (Jay), who she lost just last year, set out to create a third kind of space—one that sits gently between noise and stillness. “He was very extroverted and loved loud places. I was the complete opposite. This was our middle ground,” she recalls.

When I asked her what the daily crowd looked like, she said, “During the afternoons, we have a lot of women and young girls—lunches, kitties, all of that. In the evenings we get groups of friends just hanging out. And families too. Different times bring different people.”

There’s something comforting about a place that shapeshifts like that, quietly welcoming everyone without losing its own character.

Though Sonali isn’t originally from Jaipur—she grew up between Kanpur and Lucknow—her relationship with the city has always been tender.

“My mother had relatives here, so I visited Jaipur a lot as a child. Because I was into literature, Jaipur was always this inspiring, artistic city for me,” she said. Her partner (Jay), a Jaipur boy at heart, always wanted to return too. “There’s something about Jaipur,” she mused. “People who have lived here even for a few years want to come back. For me, it was a place to be inspired.”

The food at Mirove mirrors the space itself—comforting yet gently surprising. “It’s mixed cuisine. We have divided the menu into two parts—Local and Global,” explained Sonali.The Local side highlights India, especially Rajasthan, but with playful twists. She told me about Khoba Quesadillas —their take on traditional khoba roti. Then there’s the deconstructed aloo tikki, which I instantly added to my must-try list. Why deconstructed, you ask? Well, Sonali is quick to add, “People love aloo tikki. They get to decide how much chana, how much spice, sweetened dahi, and a really spicy chutney they want to add.”

On the Global side, she’s gently nudged Jaipur’s palate into new territory. “We wanted things that feel familiar yet a little different,” she told me. “People already love Thai curries, so we introduced Indonesian curry—it feels close enough that they are willing to try.”

There’s Japanese, Italian, Indonesian, and a hint of European comfort in dishes like homemade ravioli with lemon butter sauce, which is absolutely a gastronome’s delight. She lights up while talking about handmade elements. “We try to do as much in-house as we can—sourdough, our own sour cream, chutneys. Everything has to be paired right; otherwise it can mess up the whole taste.”

A personal favourite? She says, “The green spinach cheese dimsums are my favourite. Most people love the spinach filling one—they are really good.”

Sonali thinks in metaphors, and even Mirove’s name carries layers. “I am the kind of person who wants meaning behind everything,” she admitted. “We came up with multiple meanings. For one it could be ‘my pink glory,’ for another it could mean peace. I love that the name can be whatever you want it to be.”

Every corner of Mirove carries intention. “Each and every space has to be the way we imagined it,” she said. “Even the texture on the walls—we tried doing it by machine and by hand, and we chose hand because we wanted the same imperfection.”

The artwork is commissioned too—pieces created by local artist Shraddha Jain of The Art Ghar. “She came, saw the space, and created what inspired her. The paintings mean something here.”

Of course, creating something personal isn’t easy—especially in a city that isn’t home. And somehow, that’s exactly how Mirove feels. Not like a business. Like a crafted sanctuary someone decided to share.

By the time the Sun went down, I understood what Sonali meant when she said: “Mirove could be a place that is whatever you want it to be.”

For some, it might be a calm corner with quiet music and good coffee. For others, a space to talk long into the evening over dim sums and Indonesian curry. And for many, like Sonali, it is an in-between world—peaceful, warm, and filled with stories waiting to unfold.