Our family is going to India in December for a two holiday where we will also go on the Golden Triangle tour as well. All of us are very fond of Indian food, and while staying in Delhi, we want to taste some of the best food and would like recommendations on the best Indian restaurants in Delhi.
Hi there, welcome to the forum! Vibrant Hauz Khas Village with Cafes and Restaurants (Image Courtesy of Flexcia) Overview Delhi's food scene is as vibrant as the city itself. Being in Delhi alone means being able to sample a wide variety of local and international cuisines. It is definitely a delight for the food lovers as in every nook and corner of the city, you can find a place to satisfy your love for food. Of course, Indian cuisine is rampant in the city's food scene too. For convenience, we can divide this list into two parts, one is for the best North Indian restaurants in Delhi and the other is for the best South Indian restaurants in Delhi. Best North Indian Restaurants in Delhi 1. Rang De Basanti Urban Dhaba - This restaurant is located in Hauz Khas Village. As its name suggests, it embraces the typical features of a dhaba, a type of roadside restaurant in India. But it does so with a modern twist, bright walls complete with funny hanging wall frames, along with hanging bottles as ornaments line the restaurant. The chairs and tables are wooden but made cozy with the addition of throw pillows in the chairs. They mainly serve North Indian cuisine like kebabs, tandooris and rotis. For starter meals, they have lots of options but their Tilli Hara Kebab is one of the best sellers. A unique kebab meal stuffed with cheese and spinach, perfect for appeasing your appetite. Also worth trying is their Dal Makhni, creamy, succulent and lip-smackingly addictive. And lastly, their Butter Chicken, is the star of the restaurant, along with the delicious gravy. Best Sellers - Tilli Hara Kebab, Dal Makhni and Butter Chicken. Address - No. 1-A, 1st Floor, Hauz Khas Village, New Delhi, India. Contact Number - 011 33106206. 2. Zaffran - Zaffran is mainly a fine dining restaurant, with very elegant interiors suitable for a special night out. It has glass panelled walls that allow ample light to come in during day time. The combination of thatched roofing along with the wooden tables and nipa-style chairs add to the appeal of the place. The restaurant serves North Indian and Mughlai cuisines. The menu is very extensive and even the starters have a variety of options. It's best to try out either their Non-Vegetarian Platter or Vegetarian Platter for starters so you can sample many of the dishes. One of their best sellers is the Chicken Biryani, tasty with soft chicken bits and even the rice tastes good in itself. And of course, North Indian cuisine is synonymous with Dal Makhani. Their Dal Makhani is just perfect, neither too creamy nor too buttery, flavoured just right that you can't get enough of it. The prices for Zaffran is definitely on the higher side, but it actually makes sense because of the quality of services and the delicious authentic North Indian dishes they serve. Best Sellers - Non-Vegetarian Platter, Vegetarian Platter, Chicken Biryani and Dal Makhani. Address - N-2, Greater Kailash (GK) 1, New Delhi, India. Contact Number - 011 33105215. Chicken Biryani of Zaffran (Image Courtesy of Rediff) 3. Havemore - Having been in the industry since 1959, Havemore is a legacy when it comes to North Indian cuisine in Delhi. During day time, the restaurant looks unappealing with its very simple white facade. The interiors are very simple too but classy. During night time, the exteriors are lit up which provide some sparkle to the otherwise simple facade. Keeping all of this in mind, you cannot disregard Havemore when it comes to North Indian dishes. Cult favourite here is also the Butter Chicken, perfectly cooked and comes with its perfect match of gravy. A must-try here though, that not everyone knows about, is the Garlic Naan. It's salty yet addicting, with that spice of garlic that adds a hint of spiciness. Lastly, you must also try their Tandoori Chicken, with just the right sourness due to the lemon which also have that melts in your mouth experience. Make sure you reach the restaurant early as there are always crowds here. Best Sellers - Butter Chicken, Garlic Naan and Tandoori Chicken. Address - No. 11-12, Pandara Road Market, New Delhi, India. Contact Number - 011 23387070. 4. Varq The Taj Mahal Hotel - Beautifully decorated interiors with a theme of black and red would greet you once you enter the Varq, a restaurant in the Taj Mahal Hotel. Just like the hotel, dining here is a luxurious experience. But unlike conventional Indian cuisine, the meals served here are very much modern, which the restaurant would like to call Fusion Cuisine. As such, you are treated into a whole new experience when dining here. For example, they have the Ganderi Kebab, which are very soft bits of kebab on a sugarcane sticks. Another indulging dish is their Chicken Chettinad, chicken bits served with ghee loaded rice. Another must try is their Tomato Mozzarella Samosa, a unique twist in the normal samosa, where the stuffings are of tomato and mozzarella. So if ever you want to try something new yet still completely Indian, give Varq at the Taj Mahal Hotel a try. Old recipes with new twists that would take you into a different but enjoyable culinary journey. Best Sellers - Ganderi Kebab, Chicken Chettinad and Tomato Mozzarella Samosa. Address - The Taj Mahal Hotel, 1, Mansingh Road, New Delhi, India. Contact Number - 011 23026162. 5. Gulati - Bricked walls, modern hanging lamps and comfortable seats ensure that you would have a good time in Gulati. Their motif has this air of elegance yet remains simple, quite a difficult feat to achieve. They also have a buffet lunch, which costs Rs. 699 per person. You can indulge in all kinds of North Indian dishes for a very affordable price. But you can also opt for their ala carte meals so you don't get overwhelmed with the food options. Of course the restaurant has the cult favourites like Butter Chicken and Tandoori Chicken. For something different though, try out their Punjabi Paneer Kofta, with very soft koftas complimented well by the savoury gravy. You can also try out their Murgh Gulati Bemisal, which goes perfect with their Rumali Roti. And lastly, there's the Chicken Dumphukht Biryani, very aromatic due to the cardamom and other spices plus goes well with the coconut chutney served with it. Best Sellers - Punjabi Paneer Kofta, Murgh Gulati Bemisal and Chicken Dumphukht Biryani. Address - No. 6, Pandara Road Market, New Delhi, India. Contact Number - 011 33105051. 6. Dhaba By Claridges - This restaurant has three branches in Delhi but the one in Nehru Place is rated as the best branch. It has very bright and quirky interiors, right from the huge truck on one corner, an open kitchen and walls designed with hilarious quotes or photographs of Bollywood themes. All these features combine well with the motif as a roadside dhaba. The food here doesn't disappoint as well, with a huge variety of rice meals, chicken dishes and breads. Palak Paneer Sheekh is one of their best sellers, as it almost melts in your mouth and goes well with the green chutney served with it. You can also try their Desi Chilli Chicken, it has this punch of spiciness yet retains that desi taste. And their signature dish, the Balti Meat, is also a great option. It goes with their personally conceited gravy, which compliments the super soft mutton. Best Sellers - Palak Paneer Sheekh, Desi Chilli Chicken and Balti Meat. Address - R-5, Upper Ground Floor, West Wing, TDI South Bridge, Epicuria Food Mall, Nehru Place, New Delhi, India. Contact Number - 011 30806457. Balti Meat of Dhaba By Claridges (Image Courtesy of Pinterest) 7. Indian Grill Room - A bit away from the city centre of Delhi, located in Gurgaon, is the Indian Grill Room. It has a very classy ambience and even the crowds it draws are quite on the sophisticated side. You can enjoy lunch or dinner with your family here. Their main selling point is their buffet that has complete dishes, grilled or not. While buffets almost have the same components, the Indian Grill Room stands out when it comes to their top-notch service. All their starters are grilled, perfect for the heath conscious individuals. One of their best seller dishes is the Gosht Galawat, flavourful, soft and probably one of the best of its kind in Delhi. Chicken Tikka is also a must try, soft and goes very well with the spiced cream served with it. A grilled dish worth trying out is their Jhinga Koliwada, prawns that are good on their own because they were spiced before grilling. Best Sellers - Gosht Galawat, Chicken Tikka and Jhinga Koliwada. Address - No. 315, Suncity Business Tower, Golf Course Road, Gurgaon, India. Contact Number - 011 33105144. Best South Indian Restaurants in Delhi 1. Carnatic Cafe - For authentic home-style South Indian dishes, Carnatic Cafe is the best place to be in. You would right at home with its tiled flooring and wooden furnitures. While it doesn't boast of any elegant decors, the cafe stands out because of their dishes. The menu is very limited but rest assured that only the best dishes are served here. A bit of a side note though, they only serve vegetarian dishes but even non-vegatarians would relish in their meals. A must try here is their Paddu, served with different sides of chutneys and sambhar. It is quite crispy yet easy to chew on still and isn't oily at all so isn't as heavy as a meal on its own. Their Malleshwaram 18th Cross is a dosa named after a street in Bangalore. It is a thick dosa which is fluffy inside and served with three kinds of chutney. At the end of the meals, you can wash them down with a drink of Filter Coffee to cleanse your palate. Best Sellers - Paddu, Malleshwaram 18th Cross and Filter Coffee. Address - Ground Floor, The India Mall, Community Center, New Friends Colony, New Delhi, India. Contact Number - +91 88022 22889. Paddu of Carnatic Cafe (Image Courtesy of Nagarjun Dwarakanath) 2. Saravana Bhavan - Located on the posh Connaught Place is the Saravana Bhavan, which in contrast, is an affordable South Indian cuisine restaurant in the city. Saravana Bhavan is actually a South Indian restaurant which has several chains in the country, not only in Delhi. With this, you are guaranteed an authentic dining experience truly mimicking that of being in South India. The restaurant's ambience is very simple but very hygienic, so perfect for families who have children or elderly with them. A must try here is the Onion Rava Dosa, crisp with perfectly cooked onions and chutneys by the side. Their Masala Dosa and Ghee Roast Dosa are also worth trying out. The chutneys served with the dosas are delicious, especially the coconut one. Best Sellers - Onion Rava Dosa, Masala Dosa and Ghee Roast Dosa. Address - P-13, Connaught Circus, Connaught Place, New Delhi, India. Contact Number - 011 28844305. 3. Mahabelly - Enjoy a bit of Kerala right on Delhi when you dine at the Mahabelly restaurant. The interiors are very simple but spacious so there's enough space for everyone even during peak times. For the most part, Keralan cuisine is hard to replicate but Mahabelly does it best to do so and actually succeeds without trying too hard. For example, their Prawn Mango Curry is this creamy goodness, with a hint of spiciness along with fresh prawns. You can also try their Shaapu Meen Curry, spicy, tangy and overall a delight for the seafood lovers. A must try as well is their Idli, served fresh with three types of chutneys. Mahabelly knows well how to please their guests by providing authentic South Indian dishes that are easy on the pocket too. Best Sellers - Prawn Mango Curry, Shaapu Meen Curry and Idli. Address - MA-A05, Ground Floor, Restaurant Block, DLF Place Mall, Saket, New Delhi, India. Contact Number - +91 90179 06907. Prawn Mango Curry of Mahabelly (Image Courtesy of Sweet Fresh Lime Soda) 4. Sanadige - Sanadige is one of the most beautiful fine dining restaurants in Delhi. Right from the exteriors up to the well-thought of interiors, the place exudes elegance. And although it serves both North Indian and South Indian cuisines, the restaurant is best known for the latter. Specifically, the restaurant caters to Mangalorean food lovers. Their house specialty is the Mangalorean Mutton Curry. The mutton pieces falling off the bones and the curry spiced just right, with the perfect balance of saltiness and spiciness. Their Donne Chicken Biryani, another Mangalorean dish, is also good, with soft chicken pieces and aromatic rice. Or if you love vegetables, you can try out their Baby Corn Pepper Fry, which goes best with steaming white rice. Best Sellers - Mangalorean Mutton Curry, Donne Chicken Biryani and Baby Corn Pepper Fry. Address - No. 22/48, Commercial Centre, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, India. Contact Number - 011 33105742. 5. Naivedyam - This is a pure vegetarian restaurant in Hauz Khas Village. The restaurant is a bit cramped, with traditional South Indian decors like huge framed paintings and some murals on the walls. Naivedyam has other branches in Delhi but this one in Hauz Khas is the best rated one. If you would like a complete meal, their Naivedyam Thali is a good option and merely costs Rs. 240. It comes with complete sets of dosa, ragi and desserts too. Or if you'd like a simple meal, the Mysore Masala Dosa and the Udupi Masala Dosa are good options. Both are served with three sets of chutneys, with the prime highlight being the tomato chutney. Best Sellers - Naivedyam Thali, Mysore Masala Dosa and Udupi Masala Dosa. Address - Shop 1, Hauz Khas Village, New Delhi, India. Contact Number - 011 26536045. 6. Andhra Bhavan - Ambience is not known with the Andhra Bhavan yet it seems interesting that throngs of crowds still flock to the place. It only means one thing, food here is really worth trying out despite the non-existent ambience. Andhra Bhavan serves the best of the Andhran cuisine. Their best seller? None other than their South Indian Thali, for just Rs. 110, you get rice, puri, sambar, vegetables curry, papad, rasam, curd and a dessert too. You can get as many servings as you want too! They also have a special Hyderabad Chicken Biryani but only served during Sundays. Their Prawn Curry is priced on the higher side, but if you want something different, it's a must have too. Best Sellers - South Indian Thali, Hyderabad Chicken Biryani and Prawn Curry. Address - No. 1, Ashoka Road, Feroze Shah Road, New Delhi, India. Contact Number - 011 23382031. 7. Peninsular Kitchen - Such beautiful interiors line the Peninsular Kitchen, with bright blue flooring, complete with wave-like formations, that mimics the coastal areas of India. Even the walls have accents of blue and the chairs are of nipa-style to truly embrace the coastal sceneries. Their Seafood Platter is the epitome of coastal cuisine, with Kerala style fried prawns, spicy Mangalorean squids and Koliwada fried fish. Their Onam Sadya Special Thali is a complete meal with sambars, curries and even jaggery chips. Something a bit light that you must try is their Neer Dosa, crunchy yet fluffy on the inside. It serves as a good mid-meal snack or even a meal on its own. Peninsular Kitchen has it all, ambience, good food and quality service that would keep you coming back for more. Best Sellers - Seafood Platter, Onam Sadya Special Thali and Neer Dosa. Address - Level 3, Ambience Mall, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi, India. Contact Number - 011 33105823. Enjoy food tripping in Delhi!
