Delhi eats in layers: Mughal kitchens in the walled city, refugee recipes carried in at Partition, state canteens feeding every region of India, and a bar scene distilling kokum and jaggery. Three days of spice markets, nihari pots and banana-leaf thalis.
Asia's largest wholesale spice market fills the lane behind Fatehpuri Masjid — sacks of Kashmiri chilli, cardamom and dried Afghan fruit. Traders work 10:00–19:00, closed Sunday. Climb into the Gadodia Market courtyard for rooftop views.
A 1950s counter serving one thing: chole bhature — two puffed fried breads with white-chickpea curry, pickled carrot and a green chilli. Open 08:00–17:00 daily, cash preferred, and standing-room only from noon onwards.
The diplomatic quarter's grocery market, where embassy cooks buy curry leaf, river fish, imported cheese and freshly ground masala. Spice sellers blend garam masala to order while you wait; open 10:00–20:00, closed Sunday.
A 1930s ring of sweet shops near Mandi House: Nathu's and Bengali Sweet House face each other selling matar kachori, aloo tikki chaat, rabri and warm gulab jamun. Counters run 08:00–22:00, busiest at dusk.
Opened in 1913 off Matia Mahal and still run by the founding family. Breakfast here is mutton nihari — shank stewed overnight in marrow gravy — mopped up with tandoori roti. Doors 09:00–00:00, kitchen pauses for Friday prayers.
The state guest-house canteen off Ashoka Road serves an unlimited Andhra meal on banana leaf: rice, sambar, rasam, gongura pickle, three vegetables and curd, with mutton fry charged extra. Lunch 12:00–15:00, expect a queue.
Delhi's oldest coffee roaster, trading since 1962, roasts and grinds Chikmagalur and Coorg beans in the shopfront. Take a South Indian filter coffee at the counter, then buy 250g of the house blend to carry home.
The tasting menu reworks Indian home cooking — daulat ki chaat, blue-cheese naan, meetha achaar pork ribs. Dinner seatings at 19:00 and 21:15; book two to three weeks ahead. Vegetarian menu matched course for course.
The Tibetan settlement north of Delhi University wakes early: steamed and fried momos, thukpa noodle soup, laphing chilli jelly and salted butter tea in alley kitchens. Stalls open around 08:00 and stay quiet before 11:00.
A crafts-and-food bazaar with state-run stalls: Nagaland pork with bamboo shoot, Sikkimese phagshapa, Rajasthani dal baati churma and Bengali fish curry, each priced by its state government. Open 10:30–22:00, ticketed entry.
The alleys around the 14th-century dargah cook for pilgrims: Ghalib Kabab Corner's seekh and shami kababs, biryani served from the degh, and firni set in clay cups. Kitchens run 12:00–23:00 through the week.
Yangdup Lama and Minakshi Singh's bar above M-Block market, a regular on Asia's 50 Best Bars list, builds cocktails on Indian ingredients — kokum, gondhoraj lime, jaggery, curry leaf. Doors at 17:30, roughly forty seats.