Delhi eats in layers laid down by its rulers and its refugees. The Mughal walled city of Shahjahanabad still cooks nihari, kebabs and korma around Jama Masjid, where Karim's has fed the lanes since 1913 and paratha shops have filled Gali Paranthe Wali since the 1870s. Partition in 1947 turned Delhi into a Punjabi city: cooks from Peshawar opened Moti Mahal in Daryaganj and made tandoori chicken, butter chicken and dal makhani national dishes. Later arrivals added their own quarters, Tibetan momos at Majnu ka Tilla and Bengali fish markets in Chittaranjan Park. New Delhi's hotels built the city's dining rooms, from Bukhara at ITC Maurya in 1978 to Indian Accent, which reset modern Indian cooking in 2009, and newer rooms such as Manish Mehrotra's Nisaba and Gaggan Anand's Raga keep pushing it forward. Winter is the season to come: daulat ki chaat, gajar halwa and nihari mornings.

Peak seasonNovember to February, when the cold brings daulat ki chaat, gajar ka halwa, fresh-pea...
Dining hoursLunch 12:30 to 15:00, dinner 19:30 to 23:00
TippingMany sit-down restaurants add a service charge to the bill, which you can ask to have...

Food festivals coming up in Delhi

All Delhi food festivals
The Grub Fest Delhi restaurant and food brands, with live music at night Durga Puja in Chittaranjan Park Bengali festival food: bhog khichuri, fish fry, kobiraji, rolls, mishti doi National Street Food Festival Regional Indian street food from vendors in 27 states and union territories Ramadan Nights in Old Delhi Iftar food: haleem, nihari with khameeri roti, seekh kebabs, shahi tukda, phirni

Book food experiences in Delhi

See all 788 bookable experiences in Delhi

Signature dishes in Delhi

The plates that define eating in Delhi.

Butter chicken

Tandoor-roasted chicken finished in a smooth tomato gravy enriched with butter and cream, the Delhi dish that became the default Indian curry worldwide.

Where Moti Mahal, Gulati, Pindi Restaurant, Have More, Rajinder Da Dhaba, Aslam Chicken

Where to eat Butter chicken in Delhi →

Dal makhani

Whole black urad dal and red kidney beans cooked low and slow with butter and cream until thick and smoky, the vegetarian partner to butter chicken.

Where Bukhara, Gulati, Kake Di Hatti, Rajinder Da Dhaba

Where to eat Dal makhani in Delhi →

Stuffed paratha

Whole wheat flatbread stuffed with spiced potato, cauliflower, paneer or radish, rolled and cooked with ghee; in Old Delhi's paratha lane it is deep fried.

Where Pt. Gaya Prasad Shiv Charan Paranthe Wale, Moolchand Parantha

Where to eat Stuffed paratha in Delhi →

Nihari

Slow-cooked shank of mutton or buffalo in a thick, spiced gravy, eaten in the early morning in Old Delhi with khamiri roti and a squeeze of lemon.

Where Haji Shabrati Nihari Wale

Where to eat Nihari in Delhi →

Seekh kebab

Minced mutton or chicken mixed with onion, herbs and spices, pressed around long skewers and grilled over charcoal, then eaten with onion and mint chutney.

Where Qureshi Kabab Corner, Karim's

Where to eat Seekh kebab in Delhi →

Jalebi

Spirals of fermented batter fried crisp in ghee and soaked in sugar syrup, eaten hot in Chandni Chowk, sometimes with rabri or a glass of milk.

Where Old Famous Jalebi Wala

Where to eat Jalebi in Delhi →

Kulfi

Dense frozen milk dessert set in cones or moulds, flavoured with cardamom, pistachio or saffron, and in Old Delhi also frozen inside whole fruits.

Where Kuremal Mohan Lal Kulfi Wale, Roshan Di Kulfi, Giani's Di Hatti

Where to eat Kulfi in Delhi →

Momos

Steamed dumplings of thin wheat dough filled with chicken, pork or vegetables, served with a fiery red chilli and tomato chutney; Delhi's favourite snack.

Where Dolma Aunty Momos, Tee Dee

Where to eat Momos in Delhi →

All Delhi signature dishes →

Restaurants to know in Delhi

A handful of the places we send friends to when they are in Delhi.

Karim's

$$MughlaiOld Delhi

Karim's has served Mughlai kebabs and curries in Gali Kababian by Jama Masjid in Old Delhi since 1913, cooking from recipes passed down through generations.

OrderThe mutton burra, then mutton qorma with sheermal to mop up the gravy.

More about Karim's →

Al Jawahar

$$MughlaiOld Delhi

Al Jawahar faces Gate 1 of Jama Masjid on Matia Mahal Road in Old Delhi, a Mughlai room known for mutton qorma, badam pasanda and yeasted khameeri roti.

OrderThe badam pasanda in almond gravy, or mutton qorma with khameeri roti.

More about Al Jawahar →

Moti Mahal

$$North IndianOld Delhi

Moti Mahal in Daryaganj, Old Delhi, is where Punjabi refugees from Peshawar made butter chicken famous after Partition; the room still serves it daily.

OrderButter chicken with a butter garlic naan, plus a plate of tandoori chicken.

More about Moti Mahal →

Chor Bizarre

$$KashmiriOld Delhi

Chor Bizarre on Asaf Ali Road in Delhi serves Kashmiri wazwan in a thieves-market room of antique tables and 1950s Hindi songs, near Delhi Gate.

OrderThe wazwan, or a plate of mutton yakhni with haaq and rice.

More about Chor Bizarre →

Gulati

$$PunjabiSunder Nagar

Gulati is one of the Punjabi dining rooms of Pandara Road Market in Delhi, open until midnight for butter chicken, murgh malai tikka and handi gosht.

OrderButter chicken and murgh malai tikka, with dal makhani and garlic naan.

More about Gulati →

Kake Da Hotel

$PunjabiConnaught Place

Kake Da Hotel is a dhaba-style Punjabi kitchen in Connaught Place, New Delhi, tucked into a market lane and best known for its mutton saag gosht.

OrderThe saag gosht, mutton simmered into a mustard-greens curry.

More about Kake Da Hotel →

See every restaurant in Delhi →

Where to eat by neighborhood

Old Delhi

Shah Jahan's walled city around Jama Masjid and Chandni Chowk: paratha lanes, kebab grills, century-old sweet shops and the Khari Baoli spice market.

Best for: Mughlai, Parathas, Kebabs, Chaat, Sweets

Connaught Place

The colonial-era circles of New Delhi: coffee houses from 1942 and 1957, South Indian breakfast rooms, state bhawan canteens and hotel bars.

Best for: South Indian breakfast, Coffee houses, Punjabi, Bars

Greater Kailash and Chittaranjan Park

South Delhi's market neighbourhoods: the M Block bars and restaurants of GK 2, and next door the Bengali fish market and kitchens of CR Park.

Best for: Cocktail bars, Bengali, Italian, Cafes

Pandara Road and Sunder Nagar

The green stretch near India Gate and Humayun's Tomb: Pandara Road's late-night Punjabi grills, hotel dining at The Oberoi and the Taj, and the Crafts Museum.

Best for: Punjabi, Hotel dining, Sunday brunch

Defence Colony and Lajpat Nagar

Residential south-central Delhi with a busy market core: specialty coffee and bakeries in Defence Colony, momos and parathas in Lajpat Nagar.

Best for: Coffee, Bakeries, Momos, Parathas

Hauz Khas and Green Park

Around the medieval reservoir: Hauz Khas Village cafes and late kitchens, the Northeastern and Nepali kitchens of Humayunpur, and Safdarjung Enclave's dhaba and jazz club.

Best for: Northeastern, Cafes, Live music, Dhaba food

Eat your way through Delhi

Hotels

Browse by price

Cheap Eats Mid-Range Upscale Splurge

Where to eat in Delhi: editor-picked starting points

5 institutional venues to anchor a Delhi food trip

  • Indian Accent (lodhi-colony) · Modern Indian, chef Shantanu Mehrotra
  • Raga (connaught-place) · Modern Indian, chef Gaggan Anand (Rydo Anton, head chef)
  • Baoshuan (sunder-nagar) · Chinese, chef Andrew Wong (menu creator)
  • Nisaba (nizamuddin) · Modern Indian, chef Manish Mehrotra
  • INJA (defence-colony) · Modern Indian, chef Adwait Anantwar

Signature Delhi dishes

  • Butter chicken Tandoor-roasted chicken finished in a smooth tomato gravy enriched with butter and cream, the Delhi dish that became the default Indian curry worldwide
  • Dal makhani Whole black urad dal and red kidney beans cooked low and slow with butter and cream until thick and smoky, the vegetarian partner to butter chicken
  • Tandoori chicken Chicken marinated in yoghurt and spices and roasted in a clay tandoor until charred and smoky, served with onion rings, lemon and green chutney
  • Chole bhature A spiced chickpea curry served with bhature, puffed deep-fried breads of refined flour, with sliced onions, pickle and green chillies on the side
  • Stuffed paratha Whole wheat flatbread stuffed with spiced potato, cauliflower, paneer or radish, rolled and cooked with ghee; in Old Delhi's paratha lane it is deep fried

Best Delhi neighborhoods for food

  • Old Delhi Shah Jahan's walled city around Jama Masjid and Chandni Chowk: paratha lanes, kebab grills, century-old sweet shops and the Khari Baoli spice market
  • Connaught Place The colonial-era circles of New Delhi: coffee houses from 1942 and 1957, South Indian breakfast rooms, state bhawan canteens and hotel bars
  • Chanakyapuri The diplomatic enclave, home to Delhi's grand hotel restaurants at ITC Maurya and The Leela Palace, plus Diggin's garden courtyard in the Santushti complex
  • Khan Market A compact, upmarket U-shaped market of cafes, bakeries and bookshops, with kebab rolls and chaat counters at its edges

Where to stay in Delhi

A sample of Delhi hotels from our booking partner, who list 1,925 here. Live prices and availability open on their site.

River Front Hotel Delhi When you stay at River Front Hotel Delhi in New Delhi, you'll be near the airport, within a 5-minute drive ... Check dates Snow white DX at New Delhi Railway Stn Located in New Delhi (Paharganj), Snow white DX at New Delhi Railway Stn is within a 5-minute drive of Rama... Check dates Airport Hotel Delhi Aerocity With a stay at Airport Hotel Delhi Aerocity in New Delhi (South West), you'll be within a 10-minute drive o... Check dates OYO 7634 Hotel Delhi Continental With a stay at OYO 7634 Hotel Delhi Continental in New Delhi (Paharganj), you'll be within a 5-minute drive... Check dates Hotel Delhi Aerocity A stay at Hotel Delhi Aerocity places you in the heart of New Delhi, within a 5-minute drive of Central Mal... Check dates Hotel Golden Oasis Delhi With a stay at Hotel Golden Oasis Delhi in New Delhi, you'll be 2.5 mi (4 km) from Chandni Chowk and 2.6 mi... Check dates Moustache Delhi A stay at Moustache Delhi places you in the heart of New Delhi, within a 5-minute drive of Fortis Escorts H... Check dates goSTOPS Delhi A stay at goSTOPS Delhi places you in the heart of New Delhi, within a 15-minute walk of Kabuli Khuni Darwa... Check dates Arihant Inn Delhi With a stay at Arihant Inn Delhi in New Delhi (Karol Bagh), you'll be within a 15-minute walk of Ajmal Khan... Check dates Hotel Avtar At New Delhi Railway Station With a stay at Hotel Avtar At New Delhi Railway Station in New Delhi (Paharganj), you'll be within a 5-minu... Check dates OYO 49221 Hotel Lemonade With a stay at OYO 49221 Hotel Lemonade in New Delhi (South West), you'll be within a 5-minute drive of Dad... Check dates Zostel Delhi With a stay at Zostel Delhi in New Delhi (Paharganj), you'll be within a 5-minute drive of Ramakrishna Miss... Check dates

Also compare: Booking.com in Delhi · Expedia in Delhi

Stays are listed by our booking partners, not editor picks. We earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you.

Map of Delhi

Every restaurant, cafe, market and bar we cover in Delhi, pinned. Click a pin for the page.

Trip planner

Plan your Delhi trip

Pick your dates: we line up the festivals on, what is in season, where to eat on the days you are in town, and experiences you can book for those dates.

When to come hungry in Delhi

Peak food season: November to February, when the cold brings daulat ki chaat, gajar ka halwa, fresh-pea kachori and nihari breakfasts to Old Delhi. The Mango Festival runs in late June or early July, and Durga Puja fills Chittaranjan Park with Bengali food in October.

Local dining hours: Lunch 12:30 to 15:00, dinner 19:30 to 23:00. Old Delhi breakfast stalls start by 08:00, many Mughlai kitchens around Jama Masjid run until midnight or later, and hotel coffee shops stay open around the clock.

Tipping: Many sit-down restaurants add a service charge to the bill, which you can ask to have removed; if none is added, 5 to 10 percent is usual. Street stalls and sweet shops do not expect tips.

Delhi food, FAQ

What food is Delhi known for?

Delhi's signature dishes include Butter chicken, Dal makhani, Tandoori chicken, Chole bhature, Stuffed paratha. See our signature dishes chapter for where to eat each.

What are the best food neighborhoods in Delhi?

TableJourney editors map Delhi by district. Old Delhi, Connaught Place, Greater Kailash and Chittaranjan Park, Pandara Road and Sunder Nagar are among the strongest for food, each with its own guide.

Where should I eat fine dining in Delhi?

Editor picks in Delhi include Indian Accent, INJA, Baoshuan, plus the full fine dining chapter on TableJourney.

Are there food tours in Delhi?

TableJourney covers 5 editor-picked food tours in Delhi, with what each shows you and how much to budget.

Does Delhi have good vegetarian or vegan food?

TableJourney's Delhi dietary chapter covers vegetarian, vegan, gluten_free, halal, kosher venues, each editor-picked with what to order and how to ask.