Restaurants in Delhi
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Big Chill
Khan Market has two film-poster-lined branches of BC, packed with chattering, well-manicured folk. The menu is a telephone directory of continental, Indian and other dishes. Have you ever seen so much cheesecake on a menu? Who’s to quibble when it’s this good?
reviewed
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Saravana Bhavan
Massively popular, Tamil Saravana has a fast-food feel, but food is by no means junk: dosas, idlis and other southern specialities, accompanied by lovely fresh chutneys. Inventive sweets include cucumber-seed ladoos (sweet balls). Finish with a South Indian coffee. Arrive early or queue!
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Sam’s Café
On Vivek Hotel’s ground floor and (more atmospheric) rooftop, Sam’s does cracking breakfasts and is a tranquil place to hang; usually packed with travellers. The pizzas are a good bet.
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All American Diner
Make like it’s 1950s USA and head down to the cherry-red booths and bar stools of the All American, to eat stars-and-stripes classics, from buttermilk pancakes to hot dogs, and work the jukebox. Or try the Habitat’s cheap-and-cheerful food court Eatopia, with good chaat, Chinese and Indian food.
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Park Baluchi
Although service gets the thumbs down, this enchanting, greenery-surrounded restaurant, set in the Deer Park, offers unusual barbecue dishes, such as banarasi seekh kabab (minced vegetables and cheese) or murg potli (flambéed marinated chicken breast and minced mutton). Avoid weekends if squealing kiddies get your goat.
reviewed
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E
Haldiram’s
With a clean, bright cafe-restaurant upstairs, this is a handy spot for a top-notch thali (Rs98) or some tasty South Indian cuisine. Downstairs is great for namkin (savouries) and mithai (sweets) on the dash. Try the soan papadi (flaky sweet with almond and pistachio).
reviewed
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Gulati
Gulati maintains a largely North Indian focus. Stand-outs to try include the tangri kebab (charcoal-grilled chicken drumsticks) and dum aloo (stuffed potatoes).
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Café Coffee Day
A fine place to loll and natter over endless cups of hot brew and brownies. The icy granitas will quench even the most savage summer thirst. There are citywide branches galore.
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Metropolis Restaurant & Bar
This hotel’s rooftop restaurant is pricey but it has choice and pizzazz.
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Karim’s
Down a lane across from the Jama Masjid’s south gate (No 1), legendary Karim’s has been delighting Delhiites with divine Mughlai cuisine since 1913. The chefs prepare brutally good (predominantly nonveg) fare: try the burrah (marinated mutton) kebab . During Ramadan it only opens after sunset.
reviewed
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Paratha Wali Gali
Head to this foodstall-lined (some with seating) lane off Chandni Chowk for delectable parathas (traditional flat bread) fresh off the tawa (hotplate). Stuffed varieties include aloo (potato), mooli (white radish), smashed pappadams and crushed badam (almond), all served with a splodge of tangy pickles.
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United Coffee House
Oozing old-world charm, this classic 1940s restaurant – all chandeliers and flock – is a splendid spot to slow the pace. Popular with travellers and Delhi denizens alike, it has a long menu covering everything from pizza to paneer (cottage cheese). Try the butter chicken. It’s great for an afternoon drink too.
reviewed
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Naivedyam
A smashing South Indian restaurant with a temple-like feel, lined in dark wood with gold trimmings. The food’s good too; king of them all is the tangam paper masala dosai (pancake stuffed with spiced potatoes). Finish with divine filter coffee.
reviewed
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Diva
Chef Ritu Dalmia’s molto chic Italian restaurant is an intimate space on two levels, with white tablecloths, plateglass windows, and a wood-fired oven behind glass. Cooking is superlative, imaginative and delicious. Avanti!
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Chor Bizarre
A dim-lit, atmospheric place, filled with eccentric clutter, Chor Bizarre (meaning ‘thieves market’) offers particularly delicious Kashmiri cuisine. It caters mainly to tourists, and also has folk dance displays from 7pm (Rs115 per person).
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Malhotra
Snug, smartish Malhotra offers tasty Indian, continental and Chinese food that keeps it busy with a mix of locals and backpackers. Next door is Malhotra’s southern sister, Malhotra’s Dosa Please, with dosas from Rs35.
reviewed
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La Piazza
If you're in the mood for some swankier international fare, come here for quality wood-fired pizzas, exquisite potato gnocchi, succulent Australian lamb chops and authentic handmade pasta.
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Sagar Ratna
Another dosa dreamland, with expertly prepared dosas ,idlis,uttapams (savoury rice pancakes) and other smashing southern goodies, plus thalis.
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Moti Mahal
Smarter than the Old Delhi original, and popular with well-off families for its North Indian and Mughlai cooking.
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Banana Leaf
Reasonable South Indian standards in this popular low-lit basement.
reviewed
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Sonu Chat House
A dhaba-style, basic dive, this serves reasonable South Indian fare – as well as thalis, Chinese and continental dishes.
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Kasbah
This complex is a popular expat and local haunt. Zāffrān (mains Rs160 to Rs300) is enclosed, but feels like an open-air terrace shaded by slatted blinds, and is popular for its tasty Mughlai food. Then, for impressive French cuisine try the serene Café de Paris (mains Rs350 to Rs800), or, if you feel more like some Italian tucker there’s decent, palely elegant Spago (mains Rs300 to Rs750).
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Véda
Head here for atmosphere: fashion designer Rohit Bal created this sumptuous interior – dim red lighting, neo-Murano chandeliers, and twisted gold-a-go-go. Mughlai and North-West Frontier specialities are on the menu (try the tandoori grilled lamb chops or the Parsi sea bass). It’s popular with foreign tourists, and a DJ plays (loudly) in the lounge bar. They also do a mean margharita.
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Legends Of India
A smart restaurant selling upmarket chaat (try the delectable aloo chaat ), and tasty Mughlai cuisine. Upstairs is its lounge bar, the Tea Cup, good for a smart cuppa (Assam Golden Tips, etc, is prepared on a tea trolley in front of you) or a Kingfisher beer (Rs109). There’s a small terrace.
reviewed
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Swagath
Supremely scrumptious Indian fare with a focus on Mangalorean and Chettinad cuisine (especially seafood), this smart six-floor restaurant swarms with well-heeled locals, here for the excellent dhal-e-Swagath (lentil curry), chicken gassi (coconut-based curry) and similarly satiating dishes.
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