Delhi Restaurants

1. Chor Bizarre

Delhi's best-known Kashmiri restaurant is also one of its most beautiful, an art deco enclave with a tile floor, a spiral staircase leading nowhere, and antique furniture and mirrors from various chor ("thieves'") bazaars. Kashmiri food, which is milder than many Indian regional cuisines, is exemplified by mutton yakhni (in a sauce of yogurt, cardamom, and aniseed) and mutton mirchi korma (in cardamom and clove gravy).

2. Dum Pukht

Like the nawabi (princely) culture from which it's drawn, this restaurant has a food selection and style that are subtle and refined. Chef Imtiaz Qureshi, descended from court cooks in Avadh (Lucknow), creates delicately spiced meals packed with flavor: dum ki khumb (button mushrooms in gravy, fennel, and dried ginger), kakori kabab (finely minced mutton, cloves, and cinnamon, drizzled with saffron), and the special raan-e-dumpukht (a leg of mutton marinated in dark rum and stuffed with onions, cheese, and mint).

3. Indian Accent

In a luxe setting at one of Asia's 50 best restaurants, award-winning chef Manish Mehrotra seamlessly blends Indian and global flavors and preparation methods, creating innovative offerings such as the pork belly tikka. Choose the chef's tasting menu for six wildly modern dishes created with typically Indian ingredients and paired with complementing wines.

4. Lala Duli Chand Naresh Gupta

A Delhi summer isn't complete without one of the famous kulfis—the frozen milk–based treats similar to ice cream made here. What makes this spot unique is that you'll get your kulfi served in the fruit that it's flavored with: order apple, for instance, and you'll get an apple (it looks like a frozen candy apple) that splits open to reveal the delicious kulfi inside.

5. Bengali Sweet House

This is a classic spot for evening golgappa outings. Also on offer are other Delhi snack staples: chole bhatura (also known as chana bhatura—spicy chickpeas with fried, airy puri bread), stuffed parathas, paneer fritters, and raj kachori (spicy chaat bowl with assorted fillings).

6. Bikanervala

This is a reliable place for typical street food in an indoor, seated setting. Apart from chaat and snacks like kachori and dhokla, options include North Indian thali meals and South Indian food.

7. Bukhara

Served amid stone walls, rough-hewn dark-wood beams, copper urns, and blood-red rugs, Bukhara's menu hasn't changed in years, and its loyal clientele wouldn't have it any other way. The cuisine of the Northwest Frontier, now the Pakistan–Afghanistan border, is heavy on meats, marinated and grilled in a tandoor (clay oven).

8. Coast Cafe

This is one of the few places in Delhi where you can sample the cuisine of India’s west coast, famous for its lush and bold flavors, heavy on coconut-milk curries. Well-lit, spacious, and designed for a laid-back evening, with wicker chairs, winding staircase, arches, balconies, and terrace windows, the leafy outdoor space here is particularly charming on winter afternoons.

9. Dastar Khwan-e-Karim

10. Evergreen Sweet House

A large and fuss-free air-conditioned space with quick service, this is a well-known stop in south Delhi for street food like chole bhatura (spicy chickpeas and puffy fried bread) and vegetarian thalis (combination platters). Plastic tables are always crammed with office goers, expats, tourists, and students looking for a tasty and pocket-friendly meal.

11. Fire

Seasonal ingredients and unexpected flavor combinations update and transform Indian classics, making the Park Hotel's flagship restaurant a real standout. Regional classics with a twist, such as the coconut-milk-based Malabar prawns, are consistently delicious menu mainstays.

12. Kainoosh

Low-hanging lamps and delicate latticed screens set the refined mood at this upscale Indian restaurant where the extensive menu excels in its Mughlai offerings. All the lamb options are excellent, as is the okra and anything with lentils (dal).

13. Karim's

This is an Old Delhi institution dating to 1913, and here, mutton (which generally means goat in India) is king, especially in thick, rich gravies, accompanied by tandoor breads. The no-frills decor belies its atmospheric charm, highlighted by the large cauldrons of meaty concoctions and smoking kebabs on spits that are on display in an open kitchen.

14. Khan Chacha

Hot-off-the-grill kebabs are the specialty at this small, self-service eatery tucked into an upper level in Khan Market's busy lanes. Expect melt-in-the-mouth mutton, chicken, and paneer tikka roomali rolls in a no-frills setting.

15. Moti Mahal Delux

An easily accessible South Delhi outpost of the iconic Old Delhi Moti Mahal, this old-fashioned family restaurant serves Punjabi and North Indian comfort food in an old-school dining room--style setting. Loyal customers continue to flock here for the tandoori kebabs and prompt service.

16. Naivedyam

This dark, soothing restaurant, with South Indian decor and gold-embossed paintings designed by artisans from the Tamil Nadu town of Thanjavur, specialzes in Udupi food, a vegetarian cuisine from a town near Mangalore. South Indian staples like uthappams and idlis are served in traditional style, on a banana leaf.

17. Nathu's Sweets

This city institution with several branches offers quick-service vegetarian snacks and meals in a clean, fuss-free setting. There's a very wide selection of breads and sweets, with more than a dozen options in parathas alone; go for the ones filled with mint or cauliflower.

18. Punjabi by Nature

In a tony shopping mall, with dimly lit interiors, this popular restaurant draws large groups with its innovative twists on hearty Punjabi classics. For a wide sampling, order a range of chicken, mutton, fish, and vegetarian small plates.

19. Sagar Ratna

This no-frills vegetarian family joint bustles nonstop, serving up South Indian dishes like crispy dosas (rice-batter crepes) and fluffy idli (rice cakes) with fresh coconut chutney and hot sambar (lentil soup). A long-standing favorite since the '80s, this neighborhood market delivers quick service and attracts a steady stream of locals looking for a pocket-friendly bite.

20. Swagath

Delhi's original Mangalorean restaurant—specializing in seafood from the western coast between Goa and Kerala—is outstanding for seafood served in prim, softly lit dining rooms with good service. Choose your sauce, then decide between fish, prawns, or crab, and mop up your food with appam or neer dosa, soft South Indian rice breads.