Must-see restaurants in Delhi

  • Kheer

    Delhi

    Upscale Indian restaurant housed in an atmospheric hotel, Kheer welcomes with its cheery decor reminiscent of warm Kashmiri households. Aside from quality…

  • Rose Cafe

    Delhi

    Opposite the fake Dilli Haat market, 'Delhi Haat', an unprepossessing building harbours the Rose Cafe, prettily pale blue and pink. It's all cake stands…

  • Chor Bizarre

    Old Delhi (Shahjahanabad)

    Hotel Broadway's excellent, if quirky, restaurant has wood-panelling, traditional wooden furniture and fascinating bits of bric-a-brac, including a…

  • Diva Spiced

    Delhi

    The newest opening from chef Ritu Dalmia, this chic, airy eatery offers tapas-style and full-size Asian dishes, with tantalising, taste-tingling…

  • Altitude Cafe & Deli

    Delhi

    This fully organic cafe, with lots of gluten-free choices, has Turkish and Blue Tokai (Delhi's best, locally roasted) coffee, as well as great salads,…

  • Nagaland House

    Delhi

    The quiet, friendly, Nagaland canteen is a simple room overlooking a tangle of palm trees and is worth seeking out for punchy pork offerings, with dishes…

  • Coffee Home

    New Delhi

    Shaded under the wide reaches of an old banyan tree, the garden courtyard at Coffee Home is always busy with office workers lingering over chai and…

  • Sodabottleopenerwala

    Delhi

    The name is like a typical trade-based Parsi surname, the place emulates the Iranian cafes of Mumbai, and the food is authentic Persian, including…

  • Bade Mia Ki Kheer

    Old Delhi (Shahjahanabad)

    Established in 1880 and still run by the Siddique family, this friendly place makes nothing but superdelicious, creamy, cardamon-scented kheer (rice…

  • Jalebi Wala

    Old Delhi (Shahjahanabad)

    Century-old Jalebi Wala does Delhi’s – if not India’s – finest jalebis (deep-fried, syrupy dough), so eat up and worry about the calories tomorrow. It's…

  • Swagath

    South Delhi

    Famous for its top-notch Mangalorean seafood, such as pomfret, prawns or lobster, this busy multilevel restaurant is often heaving and also has regular…

  • Karim’s

    Delhi

    Hidden down the buzzing alleys that surround Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah is this branch of historic Karim's, serving meaty Mughlai delights such as kebabs…

  • Burma Burma

    Delhi

    This beautiful restaurant-cum-teahouse specialises in fine teas and serves contemporary cuisine from Myanmar, Thailand, China and India's Northeastern…

  • Pindi

    New Delhi

    With its origins in the street food of Rawalpindi in present-day Pakistan, this now famous restaurant was opened in 1954 by 20-year-old Kasturi Lal Wadhwa…

  • United Coffee House

    New Delhi

    Not a coffee shop (though you can just come for coffee), but an upscale, high-ceilinged, chandeliered restaurant, with an old-world dining room full of…

  • Curry Singh Kitchen

    Delhi

    Fantastic home-style Punjabi food just as Punjabis would have it. A limited-item menu, prepared fresh daily, is dominated by slow-cooked mutton, chicken,…

  • Sri Murugan Cafe

    Old Delhi (Shahjahanabad)

    This is a great little restaurant to rest up in and recharge if you're on a shopping mission in Karol Bagh. Its 32 varieties of dosa are a big hit with…

  • Epicuria

    South Delhi

    Part of the Nehru Place metro station complex, this popular basement-level food court has a variety of outlets, including Karim's (for kebabs) and Sagar…

  • Masala Trail

    New Delhi

    A chef-helmed vegetarian-only restaurant bringing street eats from across India together onto one eclectic menu. Light bites and hearty meals for families…

  • Caara Cafe

    New Delhi

    In the British Council is this most serene, light-filled cafe, hung with Brit art from their collection. You can sip tea and coffee and nibble on healthy…

  • Kebab Stands

    Delhi

    The alleyways in front of Hazrat Nizam-ud-din Dargah are full of eateries all day long, but become a hive of activity every evening as devotees leave the…

  • Eggspectation

    Delhi

    Part of a Canadian chain, and housed inside Jaypee Vasant Continental hotel, this is the egg-lover’s top stop in Delhi. Locals and expats gather for many…

  • Tashan

    Delhi

    Modern Indian cuisine served in contemporary surrounds is what to expect at this spiffy restaurant in GK2's M-Block Market. Fusion food rules the menu…

  • Swagath

    Delhi

    Serving supremely scrumptious Indian seafood (especially crab, prawns, lobster and fish), Swagath will take you on a culinary tour through the fishing…

  • Dhaba

    New Delhi

    This is rather like a Bollywood take on Punjabi highway cuisine, with bright 'highway' decor, including half a Tata truck on the wall. Food highlights are…

  • Coast

    South Delhi

    A light, bright restaurant on several levels, with views over the parklands of Hauz Khas, chic Coast serves light South Indian dishes, such as avial …

  • Madan Café

    Old Delhi (Shahjahanabad)

    This friendly, pint-sized, roadside eatery is probably the cheapest place to get a meal on Main Bazaar, and is great for watching the world go by with a…

  • All American Diner

    Delhi

    A retro American 1950s diner, complete with red, faux-leather booth seating and a Wurlitzer jukebox, is not what you expect to find within the cultural…

  • Diva

    Delhi

    Delhi uberchef Ritu Dalmia’s flagship is this molto chic Italian restaurant with its light-filled space on two levels, starched tablecloths, plate-glass…

  • Olive

    Delhi

    There are plenty of cafes and fast-food joints near the entrance to Qutab Minar, but if you fancy eating in style after visiting the ruins, follow the…

  • Everest Bakery

    Old Delhi (Shahjahanabad)

    The best place on Main Bazaar for momos (Tibetan dumplings; ₹150–180), thukpa (noodle soup; ₹130–170) and other Himalayan favourites, this 1st-floor…

  • Metropolis Restaurant & Bar

    Old Delhi (Shahjahanabad)

    This venerable hotel’s leafy, part-shaded, rooftop restaurant offers a calming respite from the noisy streets below. There's beer (Kingfisher ₹144), wine …

  • Immigrant Cafe

    Delhi

    This urban-chic cafe-restaurant has big windows over leafy views, and offers interesting Mexican street food in small plates such as duck tacos with…

  • Eau de Monsoon

    New Delhi

    Behind waterfall windows, the Meridien's top restaurant works magic with globally sourced ingredients, with inventive dishes such as smoked duck breast…

  • Bukhara

    Delhi

    One of Delhi’s best (and most expensive) restaurants, this hotel eatery with low seating and crazy-paving walls serves wow-factor Northwest Frontier–style…

  • Nizam’s Kathi Kabab

    New Delhi

    This small eatery creates masterful kebabs, biryani and kati rolls (kebabs wrapped in a hot paratha). It’s always busy with meat-loving hoards, but there…

  • Krishna Cafe

    Old Delhi (Shahjahanabad)

    There's a friendly welcome at this small, but popular, rooftop restaurant overlooking Main Bazaar's frenetic Tooti Chowk. The multicuisine menu includes…

  • Leo's Restaurant

    Old Delhi (Shahjahanabad)

    Leo's is a good choice if you fancy a beer with your curry (you can just come for a drink if you like). It does a range of tasty North Indian dishes, plus…

  • Gulati

    New Delhi

    Multi award-winning Gulati is arguably the pick of the Pandara Market bunch, and focuses on familiar North Indian dishes. Stand-outs include the tangri…

  • Sagar Ratna

    New Delhi

    A dosa dreamland, with 24 different varieties (₹140–220) alongside other South Indian favourites like idli, vada and uttapam (savoury rice pancakes)…