Budget
Haldiram's
1454/2 chandni chowk just west of the fountain and other outlets around town, (http://haldiram.com). this is a famous manufacturer of indian snacks and sweets that has now gone global. this always-packed, two-story outlet in the heart of chandni chowk was its first in delhi and dates back to 1924. the ground floor houses a vast array of sweet and sticky indian confections, while the first floor has a popular vegetarian restaurant. this is a great place to try authentic and hygienic delhi chaat and other indian snack foods. try the raj kachori, a mixture of different types of stuffing with sweetened yogurt and chutneys in an oversized hollow dough shell. all chaat is under rs 50, or you can get a full daily thali for rs 90. choley bhature, and the various dosas are great options to try as well from their southern indian selection. be sure to save room for dessert, as haldiram's offers some of the best rasmalai, rasgullah, gulab jamun, and other tasty delights in india.
Bitto Tikki Wala
also known as btw, netaji subhash place, pitampura. the best aloo tikki potato and vegetable burger available in town. it has a branch in sarita vihar, near apollo hospital and badarpur border. it has branches all over the city now, in shopping areas.
Amritsari Kulcha Wala
Paschim vihar red light, near jwala heri market. if you are into amritsari kulcha, you probably can't miss this. people on dieting beware: the amount of butter that the vendor puts in is huge. however, without it you will not enjoy the amritsari kulcha so much. it is kind of a road side dhaba or shack. rs 60 for two kulchas is what he charges. it is actually on outer ring road, adjoining to a park wall. you can ask anybody about the kulcha wala and they will be able to tell you the direction in paschim vihar/meera vihar outer ring rd.
Egg parantha Wala
Lajpat nagar, opposite to surya hotel. this guy owns a shack and has been running the parantha business for ages.
Chaat
If you want to eat chaat, the North Indian street side snack food, Delhi is the place to be. Like Spanish tapas or Greek mezze, chaat can cover a vast variety of things, but Delhi style tends to mean a deep-fried pastry shell, stuffed after cooking with potatoes, lentils or almost anything else. They're then topped with yogurt, chutneys and chaat masala spice mix and eaten fresh.
Some typical chaat items are paapdi chaat a mix of small round fried crispy things with yogurt and other sauces, paneer tikka cubes of cottage cheese baked in a tandoor with spices, pani puri or golguppa small round hollow shells filled with a potato-based filling and a spicy sweet blend of sauces.
The best place to go for chaat is the Bengali Market near Mandi House Metro Stn near Connaught Place in the center of town. The restaurants are high quality and the food is great. There are ATMs as well. One of the best known restaurants there is Nathu's. But for the really good chaat you have to make your way to Old Delhi, and particularly to Ashok's near Chawri Bazaar. While connoisseurs insist that the best chaat is prepared on the street, most travellers try to find a comfortable middle ground between hygiene and authenticity.
Andhra Pradesh Bhavan Canteen
Ashok road near man singh road. open for lunch and dinner this is a favorite of local delhi foodies who are looking for an authentic andhra meal. they serve all you can eat veg/non-veg thalis for rs 80-150. for carnivores, you have a variety of non-veg options chicken/fish/mutton but the mutton fry is recommended. the service is quick and efficient slipshod and aggressive, and the joint crowded and noisy. another favorite is the karnataka bhavan canteen beside ansal plaza near mool chand offering all possible south india food.
Nangarg
Rajgur marg road side road off of main bazaar, paharganj. a really good hole-in-the-wall restaurant that serves vegetarian and non-vegetarian food for about rs 60. the workers there are genuinely good people, which can be hard to find in this area. you'll have more luck finding a sign that says "veg-nonveg" than their actual restaurant sign.
Midrange
Karim's
Jama masjid, gali kababian, â +91 11 2326 9880, (http://karimhoteldelhi.com/). as you'd expect from a restaurant on kebab lane, the name of the game here is mughal-style meat mutton and chicken, served up since 1913 and still going strong. get here down a little alley just south of the jama masjid southern entrance past the auto supplies market. favorites include badam pasanda boneless mutton cooked with yogurt, almonds and spices and chicken noor jahan, but if you're really hungry, try tandoori bakra; an entire stuffed goat for rs 4,500, 24 hr notice and down payment is required. and a style tip, some of the dishes have huge puddles of oil on top, which you're supposed to drain off before eating. under rs 200 at the original; more at the branches.
Nirula's
L-block, connaught place, +91 11 2332 2419, (http://nirula.com/). india's answer to mcdonald's, this serves both indian and western fare. has many other branches throughout the country.
Sagar Ratna
Shop no 24, defence colony market, defence colony. â +91 11 2433 3815, +91 11 2155 1097 â considered by many to be the best place for authentic south indian food, sagar does justice to the reputation. the menu features dosas, idlis, vadas, uttapams, rasam and thalis. a/c. there's likely to be a queue for seats during peak hours and definitely on tues nights. the upmarket version at sagar ratna, ashok hotel, 50-b chanakyapuri, â +91 11 2611 0101, is quieter, better laid out and more expensive. both also have many other branches.
Saravana Bhavan
46 janpath, â +91 11 2331 7755, +91 11 2331 6060, (http://saravanabhavan.com). a good south indian joint located in janpath very close to connaught place. they are a chennai chain operating in delhi. if you go at lunch time, prepare to wait a while. the various dosas are recommended, as well as the thalis meals and the sweet dishes.
Sri Balaji Restaurant
17a/41, w.e.a. gurudwara road, karol bagh, serves north and south indian food for good prices, but offers only vegetarian food.
Khan Chacha
50 khan market. a roomali rolls and kababs restaurant serving chicken, mutton, paneer cottage cheese and also rolls. very popular with local people.
You will find McDonalds, KFC, Subway and Pizza Hut scattered at various locations in malls and throughout the city. The Indian menu without beef and with lots of veggie options can be interesting even if you would otherwise steer clear. Rs 100 for a full serve.
Moti Mahal Deluxe
#37, central market, punjabi bagh west, f-15, district center, janak palace, and other outlets. famous for their tandoori chicken and north indian food. their family-sized naan is delicious and the size of a 4 year old child. home of where the original dal makhani, butter chicken, and many of the other dishes now highly popular in the uk were first created.
Top end
Naivedyam
East patel nagar, opposite jaypee siddharth hotel, offers quality south indian meals and service at great prices.
Punjabi by Nature
Rajouri garden, mgf city square mall lifestyle. one of delhi's best-known punjabi restaurants. rs 800 or so, more if you order seafood.