When in Delhi, where to eat? #6 restaurant tips

We’ve spent almost two weeks in the capital of India. In the middle of a cold(!) winter, so our main concern with finding a place to eat was the – pleasant – temperature inside (first question: do they have a front door..?).

In this article you find six of the restaurants in Central, Old, and New Delhi that we visited and find worth mentioning. Because of the location, ambience and staff, and the food ofcourse!

#1 OpenHand Cafe & Gallery in Paharganj

^{Hidden in a small alley this cute cafe, with the best coffee, art and handmade souvenirs}

Coming from Sri Lanka, the touristic and crowded neighborhood Paharganj where we were staying, felt like a big transition. So when we discovered this cozy cafe Open Hand in a small alley around the corner of our hostel, it became our main hang out ;).

You find the best coffee here, and tasty homemade bread and pastries as well. The perfect place to wind down from the busy city around. Other than that, they also sell these handmade postcards, art and souvenirs. Worth to check out!

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#2 The rooftop restaurants in Paharganj

^{Colorful Paharganj seen from above}

Another way to escape the hectic and crowded streets of Paharganj is to go up!

Go to one of the rooftop restaurants, for example Singhs, Exotic Cafe (just a place to have food, other than the name might suggest ;)), Bistro 55 or Krishna Cafe. And enjoy the peace and wide view over the market area. Always something going on!

#3 Restaurant Everest in Paharganj

^{Trying Nepali thali for the first time}

This place we found through the internet and had a couple of really good reviews. When we were there in the winter of 2019, the family was in the middle of some personal changes. Because of that the place didn’t look very fancy or maintained. But the food was really tasty – the first time we tried delicious, Nepali thali! – and the family very friendly and hospitable. And a wall full of travel ideas.

#4 The revolving tower restaurant Parikrama in Connaught Place

^{360 Delhi view during dinner}

Also up in the air and quite an experience – the highest revolving restaurants in India, – but this time in the neighborhood Connaught Place. At restaurant Parikrama, where you get a 360° panorama view over Delhi.

First you have to find the tall building in the midst of all other flats and skyscrapers (the entrance when we visited, fully decorated for Christmas), and then you’re being escorted with the lift to the top floor.

Every 360 turn takes around 90 minutes, and with clear weather (and during the day) you seem to be able to spot many Delhi highlights, like the Red Fort and Jama Masjid. But the night view with all the city lights looked quite spectacular (and romantic) too!

#5 Veda and Rajdhani Thali in Connaught Place

^{Fine dining in Connaught Place}

And in the Connaught Place area, famous for business, finance and shopping, there are ofcourse more nice restaurants. Two placed that we tried and recommend, are Veda and Rajdhani Thali Restaurant.

Veda is both a bar and a restaurant, and a bit more expensive. We decided to have our Christmas dinner there. Apart from the food Veda is also worth the visit because of the luxurious interior with dark wood furniture, black-and-white portraits on the wall, and beautiful lightning coming from the chandeliers.

When we entered Radjhani Thali we didn’t quite know what happened. We were escorted to our seats and from there the staff took over. Without specific order we just got all this delicious thali dishes, diffent kind of rotis and desserts. Our first introduction to the north Indian thali! It’s a popular restaurant chain we found out later, serving for over 30 years already.

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#6 Haveli in Old Delhi

^{Beautiful restaurant, beautiful food, in the middle of Old Delhi}

And last but not least, before leaving Delhi for Rajasthan, we went to the area Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi. And in the middle of all the small alleys (we almost got lost), with some help of Google Maps, we found this old haveli Dharampura turned into a modern hotel and restaurant.

The Haveli is over a 100 years old (dating back to 1887) and beautifully renovated in Mughal style. Behind the reception there are still old pictures taking you back in time.
The restaurant Lakhori is again a bit more expensive, but dining there makes for an unforgettable experience, because of both the food and the ambience.

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#12 Tips Restaurants Delhi – shortlist to screenshot

1. OpenHand Cafe & Gallery (Paharganj, Central Delhi)
2. Rooftop restaurants Singhs, Exotic Cafe, Bistro 55, Krishna Cafe (Paharganj, Central Delhi)
3. Everest Kitchen, Tadka , Fiesta (Paharganj, Central Delhi)
4. Parikrama Revolving Restaurant (Connaught Place, New Delhi)
5. Veda Restaurant & Radjhani Thali Restaurant (Connaught Place, New Delhi)
6. Lakhori restaurant (Haveli Dharampura in Chandni Chowk, Old Delhi)

_{^{Tips @Breuhuys}}

Delhi, India

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