My cousins are coming to Delhi and 99% we would be having lunch and dinner outside as they love eating out but only like North Indian food. I don't eat much just once a while from the local place, so I would need the help of users to tell me about the best North Indian restaurants in Delhi. I know there are a few dhaba style restaurants too, please also mention those as well as there are some famous ones which I once heard about on the TV but can not recall which ones they were.
Hello, welcome to the forum! (Images from Jain Rasoi, Fast Bread and Chef Kunal Kapur) Overview North Indians have a huge variety when it comes to their food. The influences of Mughal and Persian empires are also evident in the dishes served in the northern part of India. Unlike the south, breads are more staple as accompaniments, as compared to rice. The use of ghee and even dairy products in many North Indian dishes is also apparent. Meals are quite heavier but not as spicy, as compared to the dishes of the south though. For the curries, you'd find that they are usually thicker in the north than the south too. And lastly, meals usually end with a drink of Lassi or even tea, in contrast to the usual filter coffee of the south. Luckily, Delhi has an assortment of restaurants that can satisfy the cravings of a pure North Indian. Best North Indian Restaurants in Delhi 1. Sanadige - Sanadige is known for its Coastal cuisines and even the motif of the restaurant is coastal itself. But want to know one little secret? They also serve authentic North Indian cuisine. Everything about Sanadige is spell-binding, from the well-thought of interiors, up to the restaurant's name, which means brass lamp in the language of Kullu. And yes, as soon as you enter the restaurant, a brass lamp would greet, sparkling along with the flowers around it. Still, their North Indian dishes aren't as talked about as their Coastal dishes. Their North India menu is not that extensive but it has the usual dishes like Hara Bhara Kabab, Tandoori Aloo Chat and Dal Makhani. Their Mutton Seekh is worth trying out, it has that soft texture, not gummy at all and infused with just the perfect amount of spices. Their Paneer Tikka Lawabdar is also a must try, the creamy goodness of the paneer is accented by the cottage cheese. And lastly, their Dal Makhani is creamy but not too heavy for the palate. If ever you have that craving for both North and South Indian cuisines, Sanadige would come to your rescue and truth be told, they won't disappoint when it comes to the authenticity of their meals. Best Sellers - Mutton Seekh, Paneer Tikka Lawabdar and Dal Makhani. Address - No. 22/48, Commercial Centre, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi. Contact Number - 011 33105742. Sanadige (Image from Amit Chauhan via Zomato) 2. Dum Pukht - Transporting you back to the royal Mughal era is Dum Pukht, a restaurant in the famed ITC Maurya Hotel. The overhanging chandeliers, the traditional cutlery, along with the live piano music takes you back to the bygone era. Their menu is a mixture of North Indian, Biryani and Mughal cuisines. The cooking style, Dum Pukht, is that of the Awadh region, which means that meals here are cooked slowly, with a better infusion of flavours in them. One of their best-seller dishes is the Murgh Chandi Tikka, bits of chicken pieces dipped in a cumin marinade before being grilled in a tandoor. It tastes very succulent, perfectly spiced, soft and every bit makes you want more. There's also the Dum Pukht Kakori, kabab of softly cooked lambs, not that spicy yet full of flavours. It offers that exquisite melt in your mouth experience. Along with these delectable dishes, they have an assortment of breads to accompany them. Cult favourites are the Tara Naan and Warqi Paratha. Dum Pukht is on the higher end of restaurants though and you do have to spend a bit more to dine here. Think of it as an experience worth having when in Delhi as this is one of the finest restaurants in the capital. Best Sellers - Murgh Chandi Tikka, Dum Pukht Kakori, Tara Naan and Warqi Paratha. Address - ITC Maurya, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi. Contact Number - 011 33106449. 3. Zaffran - Featuring glass-panelled walls, wooden furnitures and bamboo accents, Zaffran has this ethnic and traditional vibe to it. The restaurant is best visited during the day, when it is lit by natural lighting due to the large glass windows. They have a small but varied menu, with mixtures of North Indian and Mughal cuisines. Whether you're a vegetarian or non-vegetarian, you have options when dining here. But for both, either try the Vegetarian Platter or the Non-Vegetarian Platter, they are good starter meals, which has kababs that are soft and mildly spiced. Another must try here is the Chicken Biryani, with soft pieces of chicken, aromatic rice and overall, a very satisfying main meal. Their Laal Maas is also worth mentioning, boneless mutton pieces that come with a heavy but tasty gravy. Having been in the industry for over many years now, Zaffran is a pioneer when it comes to North Indian cuisine and dining here is an experience that you won't regret. Best Sellers - Vegetarian Platter or the Non-Vegetarian Platter, Chicken Biryani and Laal Maas. Address - N-2, Greater Kailash (GK) 1, New Delhi. Contact Number - 011 33105215. Chicken Biryani of Zaffran (Image from Zaffran Restaurants) 4. Kama - Indulge in the very best of meaty dishes with Kama, a fine dining restaurant located in the Radisson Blu Hotel in Ghaziabad in Delhi NCR. Kama has this elegance to it, marble flooring, eccentric overhanging lamps and wooden furnitures are the main features of its interiors. Their menu is that of the North Indian and Mughals but recently, they have introduced the Peshawari Food Festival too, which features dishes from this region of Pakistan. In the past, they have also featured other food festival themes, like a Hyderabad one and a Lucknow one. With regards to their North Indian dishes, they have a variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian ones. They also indicate whether the dish is spicy or not, a good feature for those who are not fans of spicy dishes. For starters, try out their Dhaniya Murgh Tikka, perfectly soft chicken bits along with onion and a mint chutney. Their Laal Maas is a bit on the spicy side, yet the mutton pieces are very tender and almost melts in your mouth. And lastly, there's also their Dal Baati Churma which is a signature dish of Rajasthan, theirs is as authentic as any roadside food stall yet you have that assurance of hygiene at the same time. Best Sellers - Dhaniya Murgh Tikka, Laal Mass and Dal Baati Churma. Address - Radisson Blu, Kaushambi Delhi NCR, H-3, Sector 14, Kaushambi, Ghaziabad. Contact Number - 0120 4736200. 5. Gulati - Gulati is located in Pandara Road, which in itself is a place where a variety of North Indian restaurants are located. Gulati is one of the oldest restaurants in the area and in the city. It has its fair share of loyal patrons and it's rare to see the restaurant uncrowded. In fact, it operates until midnight and is actually one of the best late night North Indian restaurants in the city. The interiors are very simple, with just a bricked wall showcasing numerous framed pictures. They have a buffet section for lunch too, priced at Rs. 699 per person, which is a good option for those who want to sample a lot of their dishes. Their signature dish is the Butter Chicken, it isn't too spicy nor bland, it has a perfect blend of flavours in it. Another must try here is the Murgh Gulati Bemisal, with wonderful soft chicken pieces but the real star is the curry. The curry is good even on its own that you might need another batch of bread just to finish it all off. If you have space in your tummy, there's also the heavenly good Dum Aloo, potato balls along with a succulent gravy, yet not too heavy at all. Gulati is a well-known restaurant when it comes to the dishes of North India and if ever you have that late night hunger, it sure would cater to your needs. Best Sellers - Butter Chicken, Murgh Gulati Bemisal and Dum Aloo. Address - No. 6, Pandara Road Market, New Delhi. Contact Number - 011 33105051. 6. Rang De Basanti Urban Dhaba - Dhaba-style restaurant, you say? Well, there's the Rang De Basanti Urban Dhaba, located in the trendy Hauz Khas Village. Its ambience is very laid-back but at the same has this uniqueness to it. There are brightly coloured walls, hanging bottles and framed funny quotes which add some quirkiness to the restaurant. They have mainly North Indian dishes, with separated vegetarian and non-vegetarian ones. The prices here are more affordable as compared to the former restaurants but certainly not as cheap as a dhaba. A must try in the starters is the Tilla Hara Kabab, which is uniquely presented in a bamboo stick. It is very soft, flavourful and would certainly set your appetite for more meals. Their Kukkad Makhanwala tastes a bit different from the usual Butter Chicken, it has a slight sweetness to it but the chicken is well-cooked as well. Also, do try their Chuski Nalli Meat, lamb shanks in creamy curry. It is a bit on the lighter side, but would do well as a meal on its own. The curry is worth mentioning as it is very flavourful and yet doesn't feel as heavy as compared to other variations of this meal. Best Sellers - Tilla Hara Kabab, Kukkad Makhanwala and Chuski Nalli Meat. Address - 1-A, 1st Floor, Hauz Khas Village, New Delhi. Contact Number - 011 33106206. Rang De Basanti Urban Dhaba (Image from Phoktees via YouTube) 7. Dhaba By Claridges - Another dhaba-themed restaurant is the Dhaba By Claridges. The interiors are very bright and there's even a huge truck in the corner to mimic an authentic road-side experience. The walls are lined with humorous quotes as well to entertain the guests. Furthermore, the menu is not an average one, as it features dishes that have a slight twist on them. For example, the Highway Chicken Tikka has this slight tanginess to it which actually puts the meal in the next level, as compared to the usual Chicken Tikka. There's also the Chitta Butter Chicken, their version of the usual Butter Chicken. The chicken was marinated in curd before being baked in a tandoor and finally being cooked in an onion and yogurt gravy. And finally, there's the Dhabhe Di Aloo Gobhi, yet another twist on the original Aloo Gobhi, it was made using curd and has a slight spiciness to it. Unlike dhabas that have the usual meals, Dhaba By Claridges takes on the usual meals and puts their own twist in it. Best Sellers - Highway Chicken Tikka, Chitta Butter Chicken and Dhabhe Di Aloo Gobhi. Address - R-5, Upper Ground Floor, West Wing, TDI South Bridge, Epicuria Food Mall, Nehru Place, New Delhi. Contact Number - 011 30806457. 8. Indian Grill Room - For a North Indian buffet, the Indian Grill Room is a must try in Delhi. The ambience is very elegant, with an outdoor seating area as well. Their buffet is unlike other buffet restaurants though, the meals are served right at your table. They have a wide variety of non-vegetarian and vegetarian kababs, which are perfect as starter meals. Worth mentioning are the starters of Gosht Galawat and Subz Galawat, both are perfectly soft and spiced just right. For the main course dishes, there's the Butter Chicken, which is already boneless and very deliciously addictive. Their Murgh Dum Biryani is also a must try dish, it is aromatic and flavourful, it can rival the Hyderabadi Biryanis any time of the day. Best Sellers - Gosht Galawat, Subz Galawat, Butter Chicken and Murgh Dum Biryani. Address - No. 315, Suncity Business Tower, Golf Course Road, Gurgaon. Contact Number - 011 33105144. Gosht Galawat of Indian Grill Room (Image from Shivangi) 9. National Highway 44 - The National Highway 44 is another dhaba-themed restaurant, but it has this elegant vibe to it. The yellow and red bricked walls add that touch of rustic appeal to the place. The tables are wooden as well as the seats, but have cushions for a more comfortable experience. The overhanging lamps and the dim lighting mimic the authentic dhaba-style experience. Aside from North Indian dishes, the restaurant also has South Indian ones. For starters, they have different platters depending on a specific region, like Ludhiana, Punjab or Amritsar. A must try though is their Punjab Platter, with a range of kababs from the city, taking you to the further region. Their signature dish is the Dal Makhani, it has the right balance of creaminess and flavours. Also worth trying is their Paneer Malai Tikka, again, it has a perfect balance of flavours, the cheese doesn't overpower the dish at all. Best Sellers - Punjab Platter, Dal Makhani and Paneer Malai Tikka. Address - 1st Floor, C-13, Vishal Enclave, Rajouri Garden, New Delhi. Contact Number - 011 33106179. 10. Aromas of Pind - Last on the list is Aromas of Pind, which is a bit of an underrated North Indian restaurant in the city. It has a traditional vibe to it, with simple but comfortable couches, along with bricked walls. The restaurant has a variety of North Indian and Chinese dishes. Their Amritsari Mutton is a must try, it's not too spicy so perfect for those who cannot take spicy foods too well. The Honey Chilli Potato is also a must try, it can be a side dish or even a dish on its own. To go with your meals, they also have a variety of breads, but their Garlic Naan and Plain Naan are the best sellers. You won't need to spend more than Rs. 600 for one person here too, so it's on the mid-range end of restaurants. Best Sellers - Amritsari Mutton, Honey Chilli Potato, Garlic Naan and Plain Naan. Address - No. A-38, Mohan Cooperative Estate, Near Sarita Vihar Metro Station, Opposite Metro Pillar 302, Mathura Road, New Delhi. Contact Number - 011 33105670. Conclusion Delhi caters to the very best of the food critics and it even has wider options when it comes to North Indian cuisine. If you reach Delhi and suddenly have that pang for North Indian delights such as Kachori, Paneer, Tandoori or Chicken Tikka Masala, don't worry as you can definitely find a restaurant that serves authentic versions of such dishes. Good luck and enjoy your food trip adventure in Delhi!
