Delhi has always been known for its culture, rich heritage and its food. If you ask a local what would they like the most doing on a lazy day, it would visiting some of the finest food places and have a scrumptious meal. Delhi is like Indian food at its best, and offers the best blend of Indian spices. Be it Mughal dishes, or be it Punjabi dishes, or be it some North Indian dish, Delhi does it best. Right from street food stalls to fine dining establishments, Delhi never compromises on taste. Such is its reputation.
In this blog we have listed some of the most popular dishes of Delhi that you can find easily across the city. These are the dishes that Delhi is known for, and you must try them exclusively in Delhi.
Chole Bhature
This has to be on the top of the list. Chole Bhature is the favorite dish of Delhi locals, though it’s a Punjabi dish, but Delhi maintains its originality in the dish. The dish comprises of spicy chickpea curry which is thick and accompanied with deep fried puffy bhature (bread made from white flour). It is served with slices of onion, pickles, and often consumed along with Lassi.
Chole Bhature is also a favorite breakfast dish of Delhi Locals. It is available easily all across Delhi. You can find food stalls serving this dish, sweet shops serving this dish, and even some of the most popular restaurants serving Chole Bhature.
The best places to eat Chole Bhature in Delhi are Sita Ram Diwan Chand in Paharganj, which has been running since ages, and Kwality in Connaught Place.
Butter Chicken
Butter Chicken is probably the most popular non vegetarian dish of Delhi. Apparently Butter Chicken was invented in Delhi in restaurant Moti Mahal post independence, which is located in Old Delhi’s Daryaganj. The story goes like, that few Tandoori chicken pieces were left by night, so on next morning the chef tossed them into tomato curry with butter to avoid spoilage. Rest is history.
The dish is still prepared in a tomato based gravy, with butter and cream as add on. The paste of cashew nuts is also added to enhance the richness of the curvy and give a pleasing taste. Today this dish is available in most of the restaurants that serve chicken.
The best places to eat Butter Chicken in Delhi are, Moti Mahal, Daryaganj, and Havemore restaurants.
Parantha
Parantha is a household name when it comes to dishes in India. It is a perfect breakfast option, and loved equally by the young and the old. Over the years Delhi has crafted its art of making Parantha in their signature style. Parantha can be a standalone dish (the types of Parantha Delhi is known for), or could be accompanied with a curry or some cooked vegetable.
Parantha is a stuffed Indian bread, and the stuffing could be of various types. For vegetarians it could be smashed potatoes, paneer (Indian cheese), finely chopped cauliflower, or Radish. For non vegetarians the stuffing could be eggs, or keema. Parantha are generally served with pickle, curd, and onions.
The best places to eat Parantha in Delhi are, Paranthe wali gali in Chandini Chowk, and Mool Chand ke Paranthe.
Chaat
Street food has a major significance in the culinary experience of Delhi, while Chaat is one of the most popular street food. The best outlets for chaat can be found in Chandini Chowk, the street food capital of Delhi. Majority of sweet shops in Delhi also serve Chaat, but you will also find some street stalls serving the same with no compromise on quality.
From fresh fruits to deep fried items, Chaat has many varieties. Some of the most common ones are papri chaat, aloo chaat tikki, and dahi bhalle. Ingredients for most of them are the same, mashed potatoes, chickpeas, wafers, curd, red sauce, sev, and some toppings. Fresh fruit chaat is another dish which is created with chopped fresh fruits topped with salt and pepper.
The best places to eat Chaat in Delhi are, Daulat ki Chaat in Chandini Chowk, Bittu Tikki Wala in Karol Bagh.
Momos
It is the most popular snack of Delhi and a street food. If you have visited Delhi and not eaten Momos then you are missing out the delight to be in Delhi. Momo stalls are very common, and you can find them easily near all crowded establishments. Momos in Delhi are so popular that they give quite a stiff competition to Chaat corners.
This Tibetan delight is both Vegetarian and Non Vegetarian. The Vegetarian ones are stuffed with cabbage, carrots and onions, while the Non vegetarian ones are stuffed with mostly chicken. It is served with hot red sauce, and mayonnaise. Mostly they are steamed, but in Delhi you will also find deep fried momos, and even Tandoori Momos.
The best places to eat Momos in Delhi are, Dolma Aunty Momos in Kamla Nagar, Dilli Haat, and in Majnu ka Tila.
Biryani
Biryani is one of the most favorite dish of Delhi locals. This Mughal cuisine is so popular that there might not be one non vegetarian who hasn’t eaten Biryani in their lives. This dish is a combination of rice, chunks of meat or chicken, and spices. In Biryani the spices that are added to the dish, play an important role in giving it its taste. Every good chef has their own combination of it.
The traditional process of making Dum Biryani, comprises of adding all the ingredients in a pot and sealing the lip with dough, which enables the slow cooking of the dish in a way that steam inside mixes the aroma in every bit of it. The most popular ones are Chicken Biryani or Mutton Biryani.
The best places to eat Biryani in Delhi are, Dum Pukht in Chanakyapuri, and Nizam’s in Connaught Place.
Kebabs
Thanks to Mughals who were instrumental in popularization of Kebabs in Delhi. If anything competes with the popularity of Biryani then it has to be Kebabs. The aroma of spices and slowly cooked flavor caught by the burning coal, gives Kebabs a taste that is irresistible. Kebabs can be enjoyed as a standalone dish, or are served often with Rumali Roti or other Indian flatbreads.
The most popular types of kebabs are galouti kebabs (made with finely minced meat in a form of a patty), boti kebab (chunks of meat slowly cooked in tandoor), and seekh kebab (paste of minced meat that is wrapped around barbeque rods and cooking over coal).
The best places to eat Kebabs in Delhi are, Khan Chacha in Connaught Place, and Alkauser in Chanakyapuri.
Nihari
Nihari is one of the dishes which you will find in Old Delhi in its truest flavors. It was once the favorite morning meal of the royals, and still is consumed to kick start the day with some good dose of nourishment. This dish was originated in Lucknow but also is popular amongst the locals of Delhi. It is a slowly cooked meat dish that is spiced with pepper.
Nihari is mostly consumed with Tandoori Roti, or also with Khameeri Roti. Many restaurants also serve Nihari along with Naan. Ideally this dish was made for working class, so they could energize their day with a hearty meal. The name Nihari comes from Arabic word which means morning.
The best places to eat Kebabs in Delhi are, Karim’s near Jama Masjid, and Kallu Nihari on Asaf Ali Road.
Jalebi
Delhi is not only spicy but sweet too. The king of such sweet snacks is Jalebi, which can be found in literally every sweet shop in Delhi. It is a popular dish that people resort to, especially in mornings. IT is consumed along with Samosas, or Khaste, or Puri. The combination is just perfect, and can give you eternal joy. Jalebi are also often topped with curd or with Rabri.
Jalbi is prepared by deep frying dough made from white flour and then soaking it in sugar syrup. The crunchier the deep fried and entangled Jalebi is, the better it is. Jalebi is so sweet that you can never have enough of it, which goes by all the means.
The best places to eat Jalebi in Delhi are, Jalebi Wala in Chandini Chowk, and Bangla Sweet House in Gole Market.
Kulfi
No food list can be completed without a dessert. So here is Kulfi, the Indian frozen dessert, the traditional ice cream of India. Popularization of Kulfi in Delhi has been since the Mughal times. Be it summers or be it winters, Delhi locals will always be found heading to grab a stick of Kulfi. Kulfi is much denser form of ice cream and it’s not whipped before it is frozen.
Kulfi is generally served with sweetened Faluda which is glass noodles, or it can also be served wityh Rabri, or sometimes even both. In the making cardamom is also added for taste. Now a days it has many flavors, like Vanilla, Kesar Pista, mango, rose and others.
The best places to eat Kulfi in Delhi are, Kuremal Mohanlal Kulfiwale in Chawri Bazaar, and Ravi Raj Di Kulfi in Karol Bagh.
Nothing beats good food!
