What to Eat in Delhi: Street Food, Kebabs and Sweets
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If you only have a few meals in Delhi, spend them in Old Delhi and Connaught Place: kebabs near the Jama Masjid, stuffed paranthas in Chandni Chowk, hot jalebi on Dariba Kalan and butter chicken in Daryaganj. The capital of India eats in layers, with Mughal court cooking, Punjabi restaurant food and street snacks all within a metro ride of each other.
How Delhi eats
Delhi's food culture was shaped by the Mughal court, by the Punjabi families who arrived after 1947 and by traders who came from every corner of the country. That is why the same city serves rich meat dishes cooked over charcoal, vegetarian snacks fried in iron pans and syrup-soaked sweets that you eat standing on the pavement.
A simple way to plan is to divide the city into three food zones. Old Delhi is for historic institutions and street stalls. Central Delhi, around Connaught Place and Daryaganj, is for classic restaurants and old cafes. The southern neighbourhoods, such as Hauz Khas and the markets near Khan Market, are for modern restaurants, bars and a calmer sit-down meal. Our Delhi food guide lists these places on a map.
Old Delhi: kebabs, paranthas and sweets
Karim's near Jama Masjid
Karim's has served Mughal kebabs and korma since 1913 from a lane just beside the Jama Masjid. It is the obvious first stop for first-time visitors. Order the mutton burra kebab with fresh roti, share a korma and expect a busy dining room at lunch and dinner. Walking there through the lanes is half of the experience, so arrive with some patience.
Paranthe Wali Gali
In the Chandni Chowk area, Paranthe Wali Gali is a narrow lane known for stuffed, deep-fried paranthas, a tradition that dates back to the 1870s. The shops fill the flatbreads with potato, paneer, lentils and other vegetarian fillings and serve them with chutneys and pickles. Go in the morning or before noon, because the lane becomes crowded later in the day.
Jalebi and chaat
Close by, Old Famous Jalebi Wala on Dariba Kalan is the place to try jalebi, the orange spirals of fried batter dipped in syrup. Eat them hot, ideally with rabri, a thickened sweet milk. A short walk away, Natraj Dahi Bhalle Wala is known for dahi bhalla, soft lentil dumplings in yoghurt, and for aloo tikki. Go during the day, because the stall may close early in the evening.
A good rhythm for a morning in Old Delhi is parantha first, then a walk past the spice market and the mosque, then jalebi as dessert, and kebabs for a late lunch. Do not try to eat everything: share plates and stop when you are full.
Central Delhi: butter chicken and coffee house breakfasts
Moti Mahal Delux in Daryaganj is credited as the birthplace of butter chicken and dal makhani. Order the butter chicken with tandoori roti and a plate of dal, and notice how mild and creamy the sauce is compared with the versions you may know from abroad. It is a good evening meal after a day of sightseeing around the Red Fort.
In Connaught Place, the Indian Coffee House is the opposite kind of experience. It is an old-style cafe with uniformed waiters, cheap coffee and snacks, and a very slow pace. Pair the filter coffee with a masala dosa and spend an hour watching the city drift by. It is a relaxing way to break a hot day.
Markets and restaurants in the south
Khan Market is the stylish option, full of bookshops, boutique cafes and restaurants. It is very crowded on weekend afternoons, so visit on a weekday if you want a quiet table. In Hauz Khas Village, Hauz Khas Social is a young bar-restaurant known for cocktails and live music; arrive early on weekends because tables fill up.
Dilli Haat INA is a good choice if you want to sample regional dishes from different Indian states in one open-air market. There is a small entry fee, and you should carry some cash. For a special occasion, Bukhara at the ITC Maurya is an award-winning fine-dining restaurant known for North-West Frontier tandoor dishes. Book well in advance.
Eating street food without getting sick
- Choose busy stalls where food is cooked fresh in front of you; turnover is the best safety signal.
- Eat food that is served hot, and be careful with raw salads, cut fruit and ice.
- Drink sealed bottled water and check that the seal is intact.
- Start gently on the first day, and carry hand sanitiser and tissues.
- Ask for less spice if you are not used to it; the word to learn is mild.
- Carry small notes, because many stalls do not accept cards.
Delhi also has a lively vegetarian culture, so vegetarians eat very well, and many places clearly mark vegetarian and non-vegetarian menus. Opening hours and prices change often, so check recent reviews or ask your hotel before travelling across the city for a specific stall.
A sample food day
Begin with parantha in Paranthe Wali Gali, walk through the bazaar to the Jama Masjid, and share kebabs at Karim's for lunch. In the afternoon take the metro to Connaught Place for filter coffee at the Indian Coffee House. In the evening either go to Moti Mahal Delux for butter chicken or to Dilli Haat for a tour of regional dishes. This is a full day, so leave out anything that seems like too much.
If you are building a longer trip across continents, you may enjoy our Sydney 3-day itinerary and our guide to the best things to do in Cape Town, which show how different harbour cities approach food and sightseeing.
Plan your own Delhi food route
Delhi rewards slow eating more than ambitious lists. Pick one area per meal, keep your walking short in the heat and leave room for sweets. Read more about the city in the Delhi guide and the page on India, or build a day-by-day route in the Delhi planner that includes your favourite stalls and restaurants.