Eat Out
Delhiites complain about many things in their city, but the food will satisfy even the most demanding gourmet. Not only can you find some of the best Indian food on the subcontinent, there is also an increasing number of excellent (if often pricey) international restaurants offering cuisine from around the world. When ordering, do remember that Delhi is about 1000 km from the nearest ocean, so vegetarian, chicken and mutton dishes are the way to go.
Delhi has the best streetfood in India. It's highly recommended even if you can splurge in expensive restaurants. However, be aware that many westerners suffer diarrhea and major stomach upset from eating from street vendors. Some foreign people end up in the hospital from eating meat products, even in fine restaurants. Do eat the samossa and jalebi here. Have Indian chai.
The Golgappas (basically fried wheat hollow balls stuffed with potato and chutney and filled with spiced mint water) is very popular and they are almost the best available here. Make sure you have it from a good, well known place. Locals will recommend their favourite places, so ask.
Try the various sweets. There is an amazing variety of sweets that is unparalleled to anything you have seen. Laddoos, barfis, and doda are available in the Winter.
The paranthas are amazing (stuffed Indian breads slightly fried are available with all kinds of stuffings--with potato, cauliflower and radish being the most popular ones).
Budget
The best place to go for chaat is the Bengali Market near Connaught Place in the center of town. The restaurants are high quality and the food is great. There are ATMs as well. One of the best known restaurants there is Nathu's. But for the really good chaat you have to make your way to Old Delhi, and particularly to Ashok's near Chawri Bazaar. While connoisseurs insist that the best chaat is prepared on the street, most travellers try to find a comfortable middle ground between hygiene and authenticity.
* Andhra Pradesh Bhavan Canteen, Ashok Road (near Man Singh Road). Open for lunch and dinner this is a favorite of local Delhi foodies who are looking for an authentic Andhra meal. They serve all you can eat veg/non-veg thalis for 60-120 rupees. For carnivores, you have a variety of non-veg options (chicken/fish/mutton) but the mutton fry is recommended. The service is quick and efficient. Another favorite is the Karnataka Bhavan canteen beside Ansal Plaza near Mool Chand offering all possible South India food.
* Haldiram's, 1454/2 Chandni Chowk (just west of the Fountain) and other outlets around town. This is a famous manufacturer of Indian snacks and sweets that has now gone global. This always-packed, two-story outlet in the heart of Chandni Chowk was its first in Delhi and dates back to 1924. The ground floor houses a vast array of sweet and sticky Indian confections, while the first floor has a popular vegetarian restaurant. This is a great place to try authentic and hygienic Delhi chaat and other Indian snack foods. Try the Raj Kachori (pictured left), a mixture of different types of stuffing with sweetened yogurt and chutneys in an oversized hollow dough shell. All chaat is under 50 rupees, or you can get a full daily thali for 90 rupees.
* Tadka, 4986, Ram Dwara Road (side road off of Main Bazaar), Nehru Bazar, Paharganj. A notably clean restaurant by Paharganj standards. Serves only vegetarian food, a full thali for 60 rupees. Their tea is really good and their most popular dish is Paneer B. Masala.
* Nangarg, Rajgur Marg Road (side road off of Main Bazaar), Paharganj. A really good hole-in-the-wall restaurant that serves vegetarian and non-vegetarian food for about 60 rupees. The workers there are genuinely good people, which can be hard to find in this area. You'll have more luck finding a sign that says "Veg-Nonveg" than their actual restaurant sign.
Mid-range
You will find McDonalds, KFC, Subway and Pizza Hut scattered at various locations (in malls and otherwise) throughout the city. The Indian menus (no beef, lots of veggie options) can be interesting even if you would otherwise steer clear. 100 rupees for a full serve.
* Club India Cafe, 4797, Second Floor, 6 Tooti Chowk (next to vegetable market), Paharganj. Don't be put off by the cramped stairway up. This is a clean and bright little haven of peace with birds-eye views of the chaos below. The menu spans the gamut but the thing to try is the Japanese food, prepared under the watchful eye of the Japanese owner. 100-200 rupees.
* Karim's, Jama Masjid, Gali Kababian, tel. +91-11-23269880. As you'd expect from a restaurant on Kebab Lane, the name of the game here is Mughal-style meat (mutton and chicken), served up since 1913 and still going strong. Favorites include Badam Pasanda (boneless mutton cooked with yogurt, almonds and spices) and Chicken Noor Jahan, but if you're really hungry, try Tandoori Bakra — an entire stuffed goat (3,500 rupees. Advanced notice and down payment required). Under 200 rupees at the original; more at the branches.
* Moti Mahal Deluxe, M-30, Greater Kailash Part I, tel # 6412467 (and other outlets). Famous for their tandoori chicken and North Indian food.
* Nirula's, L-Block, Connaught Place, +91-11-23322419. India's answer to McDonald's, this serves both Indian and Western fare. Has many other branches throughout the country.
* Sagar Shop No 24, Defence Colony Market, Defence Colony, New Delhi - 110024 +91 11 2433 3815, +91 11 2155 1097 – Considered by many to be the best place for authentic South Indian food, Sagar does justice to the reputation. The menu features dosas, idlis, vadas, uttapams, rasam and thalis. A/C. There's likely to be a queue for seats during peak hours and definitely on Tuesday nights. The upmarket version (quieter, better laid out and more expensive) is at Sagar Ratna, Ashok Hotel, 50-B Chanakyapuri +91 11 2611 0101 . Both also have many other branches.
* Saravana Bhavan, 46 Janpath, +91 11 2331 7755 +91 11 2331 6060. A good South Indian joint located in Janpath very close to Connaught Place. They are a Chennai chain operating in Delhi. If you go at lunch time, prepare to wait a while. The various dosas are recommended, as well as the thalis (meals) and the sweet dishes.
* Sri Balaji Restaurant, 17A/41, W.E.A. Gurudwara Road, Karol Bagh, serves North and South Indian food for good prices, but offers only veg food.
* On tighter budgets, the Pindi or Havemore are recommended at Pandara Park.
* Khan Chacha, 75, Middle lane, Khan Market – A Roomali Rolls and Kabab stand serving chicken, mutton and paneer (cottage cheese) kebab rolls. Very popular with Delhites
Splurge
* Bukhara, Maurya Sheraton – Regularly tops the charts as India's best restaurant (and certainly among the priciest), the roast lamb and the Bukhara Dal here are legendary. Always make reservations or be ready to stand in a queue (similar to queues at an airport) for about two hours. 2000+ rupees.
* Chor Bizarre, Hotel Broadway, 4/15A Asaf Ali Rd, Now franchised worldwide, the original restaurant serves Kashmiri food in an eclectic surrounding like a chor bazaar (thieves market). The buffet is laid out inside an old car! 300 rupees for a full meal.
* Naivedhyam, Hauz Khas Village. Offers quality South Indian meals and service at slightly higher prices.
* Punjabi by Nature, 11 Basant Lok, Vasant Vihar, tel. 011-5151-6665. One of Delhi's best-known Punjabi restaurants. 500 rupees or so, more if you order seafood.
Italian
* The Big Chill, Khan Market and East of Kailash, is popular with a young crowd for great smoothies, ice creams, cheesecakes and Italian food. Expect a waiting line during lunch at Saturdays.
* Flavours of Italy is located near the Moolchand Flyover.
* Little Italy is located in the Defence Colony Market.
* The West View at Maurya Sheraton. Italian food.
* Olive features Italian food and is near the Qutub Minar.
* Diva, at Greater Kailash Pt.2, features Italian food.
* San Gimignano, at Imperial Hotel, features Italian food.
* La Piazza is an Italian restaurant at the Hyatt Regency. Italian food.
* Satoria Very authentic Italian food, great pizzas, carpaccio, pasta and wines. Mains are about 500 INR. Located in Basant Lok, Vasant Vihar in south of Delhi.
Japanese
* Enoki, The Grand, Nelson Mandela Rd, Vasant Kunj-II. Pseudo-rustic yakitori (Japanese chicken kebab) restaurant offering fairly authentic food, including a limited range of sushi and sake. 1000+ rupees.
* Sakura, Hotel Metropolitan, Bangla Sahib Marg. Ranked as the finest Japanese restaurant in India, this restaurant is very well known for its excellent food. But it also carries the tag of being one of the most expensive restaurants in India, according to many THE most expensive.
* Side Wok, Khan Market, good-value japanese, chinese and other asiatic food. Some choice of Sushi. No alcohol. Mains about 400 INR.
* Tamura, D Block Market, Vasant Vihar. Less glamorous than the five star Japanese Restaurants in Delhi, Tamura offers authentic, unpretentious Japanese cuisine at affordable prices. With its traditional seating style, rice paper and bamboo decor, and a shelf filled with Japanese books and comics available for patrons to peruse while waiting, Tamura has a distinctive ex-patriot feel to it. Indeed, Tamura is a favorite for Japanese ex-patriots living in Delhi as well as for visiting tourists. The menu offers many of the tried and tested favorites including various Tempura and Udon dishes as well as a limited range of Sushi, however it also offers fare that generally does not travel outside Japan, such as the Hamburg Steak. Average meal for one will range from Rs 500-800.
Thai
Delhiites have eagerly adopted Thai food into their culinary pantheon, although the recipes and ingredients are often rather Indianized.
* EGO Thai, Friends Colony Market.
* Culinaire, Greater Kailash 2
* Chilli Seasons, Lodhi Colony market
* Ban Thai, Oberoi.
* Thai Wok, Mehrauli, tel:26644289. Should go at night for a view of the lit up Qutab Minar.
* The Kitchen, Khan Market tel: 011 4175 7960/7961
* Turquoise Cottage, 81/3 Adhchini, Sri Aurobindo Marg, South Delhi, tel. 011-2685-3896. True to the name, the decor is turquoise and stylishly rustic, but the food is Thai-Chinese and, while somewhat adapted to Indian tastes, quite tasty. Also check out the popular The Other Side bar downstairs. Reservations recommended. 500 rupees.
Tibetan Food
Delicious,finger lickin' good Tibetan food is available at The Tibetan Kitchen, near Shivaji Stadium (which actually is a Bus Stand!) Connaught Place. The joint is run by Tibetan refugees.Chinese
After Indian Cuisine, Chinese is Delhi's second most popular fare. For a long time, only Indianized Chinese was available, but extremely high-quality options are available today.
The Yum Yum Tree – As much as a fantasy-land as an eatery, it's easily one of the largest Chinese restaurants in the city. The influence here is from Singapore, and the Dim Sum Menu is second to none. The cuisine here is extremely high quality, and the prices more or less affordable. Sectioned into separate areas, pick the Grill for a quick lunch, splurge at the Formal Dining Area for dinner, or hang out at the funky Bar on a weekend. New Friends Colony, 011-42602020.
Nan King – Chinnese food which is suprisingly different from the West but very good. Nan King is a good spot and offers a private lounge. Good for a party or to wind up a holiday.
Middle Eastern
* Felafel Man, Main Bazaar, Paharganj. About a 10 minunite walk down Main Bazaar from New Delhi train station, this little shop sells excellent falafel rolls and Sabeekh. Made with love and patience by the multilingual Shimon, the rolls come with superb hummus, tahini and mineral water washed vegies. Don't forget to wash it down with the very filling (almost a meal in itself) seasonal fruit lassi, so thick it takes some effort to suck it up the straws.
Drink
Delhi's nightlife scene has undergone a total transformation in the last decade. There are plenty of modern, cosmopolitan joints out to separate you from your rupees. In a desperate attempt to keep the sex ratio vaguely equitable, many lounges and clubs have couples only policies (that is, no single men or men-only groups), enforced with varying degrees of strictness. While everything is theoretically to shut down by 1AM things can keep going much longer.
Coffee / Tea
* The coffee culture in Delhi consists mostly of large, heavily standardised chains. The two most common, Barista and Cafe Coffee Day , can be found in multiple locations across the city, most notably around Connaught Place. The partly UK-based Costa Coffee has also made a recent foray into the market.
* Independent coffee shops are harder to find in Delhi, but they do exist, and are well worth seeking out. The Open Hand Cafe in Paharganj, one hundred metres west of the Metropolis Hotel in Main Bazaar, is a great example: in addition to excellent coffee that eclipses that available from the chains, they offer tasty breakfasts and snacks, and free, fast Wi-Fi (ask at the counter for a password).
* Aap ki Pasand Tea Shop, Sterling House, 15 Netaji Subhash Marg, Daryaganj (Opposite the post office, walking distance from Red Fort), ☎ +91 11 23260373,. . A great place to sample Indian chai and the exotic Darjeeling and Assam teas and purchase the same. Located in an old colonial era building, its teas have been savored by Bill Clinton, Gorbachov, Koizumi and are taken as official state gifts of India. The best tea experience you might have!
Hookah/Sheesha
Indian bar food, hookah and an amazing lounge experience. The crowd that frequents these two places is young, hip and trendy.
* Hookah, Basant Lok (in Priya Cinema complex), Vasant Vihar, tel. +91-11-41663522. Three-level bar-restaurant offering surprisingly good (if pricy) Middle Eastern fare. They offer a wide range of drinks and an even wider range of flavored water pipes. There is no outdoor seating, nor do they offer hot drinks.
* Mocha, Defense Colony.
* Ziya- The Morockin Cafe, Ph: +91-9212631306/1/2 – This is a chain of neuvo Middle Eastern cafes that offers a wide range of drinks and food (not to mention the flavored tobacco). The place is really cost effective, at half the cost of the above mentioned.
Bars/Nightclubs
* Aura - At the Claridges
* Decibel One of two clubs in the Samrath Hotel next to the Ashok Hotel.500 INR cover charge.Chanakyapuri.
* IndoChine's Forbidden City - Singapore chain that opened in Delhi in 2007. Restaurant (Madame Butterfly) upstairs serves very good Chinese food. The lounge/bar (BarSaVanh) is downstairs, very cool ambience outside. Located in South Delhi (Lado Sarai, adjacent to Qutab Golf Course. Meal for two arond Rs 3,000.
* Ministry of Sound, Vasant Kunj. India's first branch of the international supper club. Closes by midnight and security is dodgy. Entry 2500 rupees per couple.
* Orange - This is a nightclub at the Ashoka Hotel.
* Elevate - Located in Noida adjoining south delhi. Voted number 35 worldwide by top international Dj's
* F Bar & Lounge (by Fashion TV) – This trendy bar and night club is located in the Hotel Ashok in Chanakyapuri. Claimed to be the largest bar in Delhi (per Time Out article October 2008). Cover charge (redeemable against drinks) Wed, Fri, Sat is Rs. 2000, other days Rs. 1000.
* The Other Side, 81/3 Adhchini (basement of Turquoise Cottage), Sri Aurobindo Marg, tel. 011-2685-396. This smoky brick-walled basement is covered with Western memorabilia. Eclectic music with an emphasis on rock (expect anything from Beatles to AC/DC). It's a good crowd, particularly on Wednesday's media nights. 500 rupees minimum for drinks and food. Couples only.
* Shalom Cool Mediterranean-themed lounge bar/restaurant with chill-out music. In N-block market, GK-1.
* Urban Pind/Bar/Cafe Bar/lounge on three floors. Regular events like Salsa, open bar for 700 INR, electro night.Greater Kailash I (GK-1), block N, number 4.
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