If Indian food is your cuisine of choice, then Delhi is truly the food capital of the country. In terms of flavour, ambience and culinary artistry, these restaurants hand picked by our food critic will leave you spoilt for choice.
Prankster
Spread over 10000 sq ft, Prankster is India#39;s first food and brewery campus. An interesting college theme lays the foundation for fun food curated by Chef Angad from Dubai Tresind with nostalgia given a progressive twist. Dishes like Sambar Cappuccino, Dahi Bhalla Ice-cream, TT Lamb chops, Fattayeer pizzas, Lamb Bun Kebab, Podi Dusted Prawns are a must-eat. The microbrewery pub#39;s focus on signature food coupled with memories invoking ambience and unbeatable pricing makes it a must visit.
Address: Sector 29, Gurgaon
Phone: 0124-4266653/54
Tamra
This multi cuisine restaurant takes its name from the era when copper (tamra) vessels were key components in making the perfect meal. It is a vibrant, lively and fun space suited to all types of dining occasions. Their experienced chefs dish out a repertoire of world cuisine, along with a wide spread of Indian cuisine from its five interactive cooking theatres.
The buffet spread further offers various regional dishes in the “Ghar ka Khana” station featuring cuisines such as Rajasthani, Highway, Amritsari, Gujarati, Coastal, Himachali and other intriguing lost cuisines of India.
To commemorate its first anniversary, Tamra has come out with a new menu. Their Sunday brunch too, we hear is a whole lot of fun for the entire family.
Address: Level One, Shangri-La Eros Hotel, 19 Ashoka Road, Connaught Place
Phone: 011-41191010
Varq
Varq, at The Taj Mahal Hotel, is a mélange of culinary grandeur, style and panache. This award-winning restaurant provides a modern Indian gourmet dining experience offering authenticity of taste and artistic presentation created by Chef Hemant Oberoi. Visually spectacular in every way, this 76-seater elegant Indian restaurant is located at the lower lobby level overlooking the hotel#39;s exquisitely manicured gardens. It also has a private dining room for 14. The menu features sumptuous culinary delicacies like the Palak Patta Chaat (in the photo), Ganderi Kebabs, Haleem aur Kebabs and unique food-pairing with special organic teas. The signature Varqui Crab (a mille-feuille of peppered crab and tandoori prawns) and Martabaan Ka Meat-a meat curry with red pickled chillies cooked in a ceramic jar would be the connoisseurs’ choice.
Address: The Taj Mahal Hotel, No.1, Mansingh Road
Phone: 6656 6162/ 6651 3151
Masala Library by Jiggs Kalra
Counted amongst the leading contemporary Indian restaurants globally, Masala Library by Jiggs Kalra is an ode to and the magnum-opus of the tastemaker to the Nation – Jiggs Kalra. It is the world’s first sub-continental restaurant showcasing cuisine from regions comprising of modern day Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and most importantly India. The 19 courses curated Tasting Menu is the finest way to experience the restaurant, designed to make patrons feel optimally satiated at the end of this avant-garde culinary experience. With an enviable address of 21, Janpath Road, this 60-seater restaurant is truly a culinary destination not to be missed.
Address: 21 A, Janpath, Adjacent To The Le Meridian Hotel
Phone: 9205180003/4; 69400005/6
Farzi Café
Farzi Café, brainchild of the visionary Zorawar Kalra is best described as a gastronomic experience, amalgamating traditional global cuisine with regional influences. The menu here is its soul. It offers an expansive tapas style menu, with an equal balance of vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes, while also having innovated extensively with is contemporary mixology section with a dash of nostalgia incorporated in it with its version of Buntas and Margarita done in the style of a “chuski”.
Address:
7-8, Ground Floor Cyber Hub, DLF Cyber City, Gurgaon
E- 38/39, First Floor, Rajiv Chowk, Connaught Place, Delhi
Phone:
Gurgaon: 0124-4922273 /74, 8800690418 /19
Connaught Place: 9599889700, 919599889701, 011-43551028/29
United Coffee House
United Coffee House, established in the year 1942, is an iconic institution and is reminiscent of the Victorian era. UCH not only specializes in Mughlai North West Frontier cuisine but also showcases Pan Indian cuisines as its forte, highlighting regions like Rajasthan, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Konkan Amritsar. The Indian Street Food savouries have now become the most loved part of the UCH menu.
The UCH Pan Indian menu starts with Signatures, which features old treasures from the Anglo Indian Times like Raan Peshawari, Mathur Chicken Chaat, Nargis Ke Kofte and more. Further on the Indian menu are succulent kebabs like Gazab Ka Jheenga, Kaale Zaitoon Ka Murg Tikka, Lucknowi Pudina Chaampen, Rajasthani Bhatti Murg or Chinouti Soya Kebab to please your contemporary palate. For vegetarians, menu offers a wide selection of appetizers like the Bharwan Khumb Ke Soole, Amritsari Tilli Wale Aloo, Mewari Papad Paneer and many more.
For every good start, there must be an equally sweet ending. The dessert menu highlights fun Chuski Burf Ka Gola, the giant Kaal Jaam with its traditional Chiki Kulfi and other Indian specialities.
Address: E 15, Inner Circle, Connaught Place
Phone: 9650596114, 9650596115, 011-23416075 and 011-23411697
Ek Bar
Ek Bar, serves a new Indian menu created by Chef Sujan S along with award winning beverages made with in-house syrups and fresh seasonal ingredients. The menu brings in a selection of flavoursome Indian-inspired regional delicacies, comprising of their signature Thalis and Khameeri Pizzas. Ek Bar Kanji, Phool Bagan Phizz, Degree Kaafi are a must-try from the new menu. Would highly recommend trying out their Sunday brunch.
Address: Ek Bar, D-17, First Floor, Defence Colony
Phone: 01141688811 / 7042818122
Piali- The Curry Bistro
If you love curry then Piali – The Curry Bistro is the place for you. “Different types of curry have travelled from around the world and evolved over the ages. This is why we decided to give a little more attention to the curry by making it our concept” says the restaurant’s co-owner, Siddharth Aggarwal.
Guests can choose from over 50 varieties of curries from across the world under one roof. Some of the must-try curries include: Daab Chingri, Assamese Black Sesame Curry, Burmese Khao Suey, Bhutta Methi Malai, Amritsari Cholley (in the photo) and Dal Makhani.
The high end bar offers some very interesting drinks to unwind after a hard day at work. “We wanted to give it a classy look while making it an informal dining place for families and youngsters alike,” says co-owner, Ashish Gupta.
Book Online: Reserve a table through www.dineout.co.in
Address: K 41, Level 1, Opposite PVR Plaza, Connaught Place
Phone: 9205050971, 9205050975
Bunta Bar
The brick walls, church glass windows and tall ceilings lend the restaurant a sense of timelessness. This is the perfect place for anything from a quick snack to a hearty meal, a drink after work or a culinary experience with family.
The Classic Bunta cocktails are overloaded with flavours, especially the India Gate Bunta – a perfect mix of vodka and kala khatta that you just shouldn’t miss. Also try craft cocktails such as Babaji ki booti (concoction of gin, elderflower, amla tonic water) and the Desi cocktail (concoction of bourbon whiskey, elderflower, pomegranate, amla, orange, smoked cinnamon star anise).
The place also has much to offer for the avid foodie. We recommend trying out the jaggery chicken wings, the cheesy egg toast croquet memsahib, naga smoked pork bao, baigan bharta taco, mushroom kakori, smoked bunta dal the many varieties of desi pijjas.
Book Online: Reserve a table through www.dineout.co.in
Address: 2nd Floor, 76, Janpath
Phone: 9810747934, 9871428111 9871628111
Lazeez Affaire
Restauranteur Priyank Sukhija’s oldest restaurant, Lazeez Affaire, has always been a favourite of Lutyen Delhi’s swish set. Must tries on the elaborate menu are Chapli Kebab, Mushroom Galouti, Murgh Chargah and the Murgh lemon-grass tikka. The main course at Lazzez Affaire is definitely one of the best in Delhi. Staple north Indian dishes such as the Dal, Paneer Gravy and the Butter Chicken are just perfect. Try out their drinks too. The well stocked bar won#39;t disappoint.
Address: 6/48, Malcha Marg Market, Chanakyapuri
Phone: 9899330055
YWCA Kitchen
If you’re looking for delicious Indian cuisine at affordable prices, that too in the heart of Lutyen’s Delhi, may we recommend YWCA Kitchen. Their global cuisine too is a must-try! To capture ever more international flavours, they have weekly specials focused on specific regions and countries.
Address: YWCA Kitchen, YWCA International Guest House, 10 Parliament Street
Phone: 011-43561615
Beeryani
If you love a great draught beer to finish up a delish spicy Indian meal, head to Beeryani. Restaurateur Tripti Sinha creative menu has some remarkable signature dishes such as Palang Tod Bakra, Katakat Boti, Lasuni Makhan Jhinga, Fattehdar Paneer Tikka and Fish Molee Kurry. There is also much to choose from the vegetarian section of the menu. The SDA outlet is small and cosy but if you’re looking for buzz head to the GK2 M Block outlet.
Address: SDA Market, Outer Ring Road; GK2 M Block Market
Phone: 9999243021 (SDA Market); 9999243070 (GK2)
Here is the complete list of restaurants where you can get the best Pan-Indian cuisine: