What to do
Delhi
If you have the time, energy and stomach for bargaining, Delhi is a paradise for shoppers. But the city is also a living museum, full of temples and monuments in various stages of ruin and use, scattered all over. Eating in Delhi is a highlight, whatever the budget, and there are plenty of drinking and nightlife options, especially around Central and South.
Eat & Drink
Aap Ki Khatir – Lodi Road & Hauz Khas Enclave
One of the best kebab places in the city, with a kakori kebab in roomali roti to die for. The original outlet, a tough place to find, is hidden near the Nizamuddin Dargah on Lodi Road. There’s another more accessible outlet in Hauz Khas Enclave.
Indian Accent – The Manor Hotel, Friends Colony West
Daring, high-class fusion cuisine in the gorgeous The Manor hotel, this is modern Indian at its most experimental. Aside from the standard menu there’s a 3-course menu plus a chef’s tasting menu of 11 dishes. An example of the ingenuity employed here can be seen in the dish of silken tofu kofta, wok-tossed quinoa pulao and goji berry curry.
Bukhara – Maurya Sheraton Hotel, Chanakyapuri
North Western frontier food that deserves its place at the top of the table. The menu is constant as is the quality. You have to taste their dal before you die, it’s that good.
Khan Chacha – Khan Market, Middle Lane
A student favourite, expanded from its old hole-in-the-wall to a full-sized, well-organised and hygienic fast food restaurant without losing any of the flavour. The chicken kathi roll is phenomenal.
Karim’s – Old Delhi, near Jama Masjid
This used to be first on the list in any travel guide. Things have moved on and the city has an incredible array of cuisine and quality, but this Old Delhi institution still has what it takes and still remains something of an adventure for the foreign traveller. Their Mughlai food, with a lineage back to the ancient courts, is heavy, hearty, rich and flavourful. Kebabs and biryani abound.
Olive – Hotel Diplomat, Chanakyapuri
The name is a legend in itself. Moorish décor, fine food and excellent drink come at a hefty price, but it’s well worth it.
Flavours – Defence Colony
A tried and trusted mainstay of Delhi, one of the first proper Italians around, it may have lost some of its shine in recent years but it’s always dependable.
Swagath – Defence Colony market
Very reliable South Indian coastal food, a real delight for fish-lovers in this land-locked city.
Andhra Bhavan Canteen – Hyderabad House, Ashoka Road
Anyone who knows food in Delhi knows that the Andhra Bhavan is the place to come for an exceptional South Indian thali. The canteen setting is unglamorous, certainly, but the food cannot be beat.
Oh! Calcutta – International Trade Tower, Nehru Place
For Bengalis that crave a taste of their homeland but more so for the rest of the city that craves a taste of Bengal. The fish preparation is always excellent and regulars swear by the smoked and steamed hilsa in a mustard-chilli marinade.
Chandni Chowk street food – Old Delhi
A variety of must-eat street food lines Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi. From Natraj Dahi Bhalla to Jai Hind Paratha Bhavan with the Old & Famous Jalebiwala in between, this stretch is full to bursting with calorie-rich flavour.
Moolchand Parathawala – Moolchand Metro
One of Delhi’s famous streetfood vendors, the parathawala by Moolchand Metro churns out some of the tastiest, most distinctive plates around.
Yeti – Hauz Khas Village
Wonderful north-eastern, Tibetan, Nepalese and Bhutanese food.
L’Opera – Khan Market & Select City Walk Mall, Saket
This French bakery was a revelation when it appeared in Delhi, and it remains the best in town. Coffee, croissants and a huge range of cakes and pastries in an elegantly European but accessible atmosphere.
M I Food Center – Meharchand Market
Ignore the unappealing name and go by your nose. Many a passing soul has been lured in by the smell of meat on hot coals. The mutton seekh kebab is one of the finest in the city, while the roast chicken and chicken tikka are not far behind.
See & Do
Hauz Khas Village
You could easily pass a whole day (and night) in Hauz Khas Village – a 13th-century urban village once famous for its Islamic architecture, water tanks, tombs and mosques – now transformed into hipster central with bars, cafes, restaurants, art galleries, design studios and antique shops crammed into its narrow streets and walkways.
Start with an early morning stroll at Deer Park on the outskirts of the village; in the midst of exercising uncles and aunties you may also occasionally spot some deer, peacocks and parakeets. Later, walk through to the historic quarters of the village, where young lovers lurk in the old stone and beautiful ruined pavilions of the madrassa and baoli.
Afterwards, step into Elma’s Tea House for a cup of tea and some cake, and then spend the rest of the day idling in the village visiting its myriad shops. Lunch, dinner and drink options are plentiful and will suit every kind of palate and budget. Our top picks are Diva Piccolo for thin crust pizzas, Naivedyam for authentic South Indian thalis and lemon rice, Grey Garden for Parisian interiors and quality food, and Yeti for Nepali and north-eastern food.
Sightseeing
If you want a quick and easy way of seeing the more famous sights of the city, try the touristy but fun bus-service Hoho. Short for ‘Hop On Hop Off’, it starts at Coffee Home on Baba Kharak Singh Marg and stops at 18 tourist destinations on a 65 km loop of Old and New Delhi. The bus stops at both historic and cultural sights such as Purana Qila, The National Gallery of Modern Art, Lotus Temple, Hauz Khas Village, National Museum, Dilli Haat and Qutab Minar, among others. There is a tourist guide on board, the buses are air-conditioned and have large windows for big, unobstructed views of the city.
Old Delhi
No serious visitor to the capital leaves without at least one stop in Old Delhi. Its crumbling, chaotic streets are home to old ruined forts and settlements (Lal Qila), grand mosques (Jama Masjid), markets of all size and shape (Kinari Bazaar, Chandni Chowk), fancy restaurants (Chor Bizarre) and street shacks in tiny gullies that serve up some of the best north-Indian food in the country.
Navigating Old Delhi can be a harrowing experience for a visitor unfamiliar with the city, so if you’re loath to do it alone try to get on a walking or bicycling tour. Highly recommended are the Old Delhi Bazaar and Food Walk by Masterji Kee Haveli and the Shahjahan, Yamuna or Haveli bicycling tours of Old Delhi run by the excellent DelhibyCycle group. Just outside the walls of Old Delhi, the Street Life of Delhi City Walk by the Salaam Baalak Trust offers tours of Pahar Ganj run by street kids from the area.
Lutyens’ Delhi
If you’re interested in New Delhi’s history and architecture, there’s nothing better than spending an early morning or late evening driving (or, in the winter, walking) through Lutyens’ Delhi. With its bounty of trees and wide boulevards, grand presidential and parliamentary buildings and white bungalows, the administrative heart of Delhi creates an image of the city as cohesive, orderly and thoroughly civilised.
Shop
Dilli Haat
Artisans, craftsmen, potters and weavers from all over India come here to display their wares. There is no middleman so prices are often a steal, though you should still bargain with enthusiasm. Great for bamboo products, stoles and sarees, artificial jewellery and small souvenirs. Also has food stalls representing India’s regional state cuisine; it’s both authentic and cheap and the best food is from Sikkim and Manipur.
Khan Market
It may not look like much but Khan Market’s cracked and cobbled pavements are home to some of the most expensive designers and branded stores in the country. Look out for: Landmark Jaipuri institution Anokhi, which sells pretty block-printed cotton tunics, pants and light Jaipuri quilts, Dayal Opticals for a free eye test and designer sunglasses, Bahri Sons for books and foreign magazines and the small shops in the inside lanes for shoes and bags.
Malls
Giant glass and steel encased malls are sprawled all over the city. They range from high luxury – such as DLF Emporio in Vasant Kunj, home to Dior, Chanel, Prada, Gucci and Indian couture designers – to more modest malls with high-street labels like Mango and Zara to low-cost behemoths like Big Bazaar where the middle-class of the city go to satiate their shopping needs.
Hauz Khas Village
Easy to amble through its streets and gullies; best for vintage film posters and jewellery, designer clothes and bags, ornate Indian wedding wear and other curios.
Shahpur Jat
Since the price of real estate in HKV has soared, a lot of the smaller designers have relocated to Shahpur Jat. Just five minutes away, this old former Islamic village has some very cool shops.
Le Parisiennes
A French-owned store with a café inside, housed in an old haveli in Shahpur Jat; it is becoming well known in the fashion world for its vintage ensembles (dresses, jackets, scarves, skirts) and cool home accessories.
Chandni Chowk
The original shopping destination and still the very best for silver, spices, kitchenware, old lamps, brocade saris and street food to fuel your mission.