New Delhi: Indian center of the best foods

Bukhara has been a culinary institute in New Delhi’s dining landscape for nearly 40 years. Housed inside the luxurious ITC Maurya Hotel, it offers a unique experience with its authentic North-West Frontier cuisine. The ambiance of the restaurant is warm and inviting, made up of long wooden tables, comfortable stools with cushioning, bare stone walls, and an open kitchen of clay ovens.

Bukhara is the pioneer of tandoor culture, renowned for its traditional clay oven style of cooking that adds a smoky touch to each dish. The menu consists of the holy trinity of its iconic oven specialties – kebab, roti, and dal (lentil). The recipes were created by Head Chef J.P Singh and have been unchanged from the place’s inception. Diners can enjoy succulent signature dishes like Sikandari Raan (marinated whole leg of lamb), murgh malai kebab (creamy chicken kebab), tandoori jhinga (prawns), tandoori chicken, paneer (cottage cheese) tikka, and their world-famous dal makhani (black lentil stew) with massive garlic naan (bread).

The brainchild of famous Indian restaurateur Zorawar Kalra, Bo Tai is Delhi’s trendiest new rooftop restaurant and bar situated in the stylish Mehrauli district. It offers its guests a modern Thai-Italian fusion cuisine along with a signature bar menu consisting of a special drink for each day of the week, curated by Dino Koletsas – London-based mixologist. The restaurant features an al fresco seating with a casual lounge vibe and an elegant indoor dining space with a centralized bar. The decor is opulent, complete with a lavish stairwell, picturesque walkway, and black-beige-gold interior with high chairs and leather furnishings.

At Bo Tai, you can relish scrumptious dishes like crispy soft shell crab with raw mango, smelted rice flour dumpling with chili sampalok (tamarind), scallop carpaccio, duck sausage with mashed potatoes, tamarind crab cakes, and crispy prawns in a silky peanut sauce. End your meal on a sweet note with decadent desserts, including kabocha (squash) custard tart with mango ice cream and coconut crème brulée with coffee mousse. Bo Tai is a celebration of oriental cooking techniques combined with Indian ingredients.

Established in 2014, Town Hall is a premium fine dining destination located in the lively Khan Market area of New Delhi. Housed inside a retro 1950s-style building, it has a colonially curated ambiance made up of plush couches, vintage leather chairs, high ceilings, stacked library books, and old-school room dividers. The key highlights of the decor are the energetic sushi bar, outdoor patio seating, and a fun island bar made up of glass, wood, and metal elements.

The menu of the restaurant is defined by Chef Augusto Cabrera, who is famous for his sushi and distinct Asian flavors. You can find spectacular Chef Augusto’s signature creations: rainbow roll, unagi sashimi, and smoked kampachi (amberjack fish); followed by Filipino barbequed pork belly, pepper-crusted Chilean sea bass, roasted spring chicken with jasmine rice, and grilled tenderloin with sautéed prawns. Town Hall also offers an exhilarating bar experience since a considerable number of its mixology ingredients – syrups, infusions, and bitters – is made from scratch by the bar team. Guests can enjoy international wines, craft cocktails, and Japanese sake and shōchū with their meals.

Sagar Ratna is a chain of vegetarian casual dining restaurants which specializes in South Indian cuisine. They are a local favorite place that has over 90 venues in the capital city and the northern region of the country. But our recommendation would be to visit the outlet in the Lajpat Nagar district in New Delhi. Hidden on the second floor of a mini shopping plaza, it is a popular place to start your day with a breakfast or brunch meal.

Some of the must-try signature dishes at Sagar Ratna are mini idlis (steamed white dumplings) dipped in sambhar (a spiced South Indian lentil stew), crispy paper-thin dosas (savory crepes) stuffed with potatoes, medu vada (deep-fried savory donut balls) with coconut chutney, and crunchy rava (semolina) onion masala dosa. The quaint little eatery is simple and minimalist in decor, complete with wooden chairs, diffused lighting, and packed tables. You can start your meal or end it with their specialty – Madrasi filter coffee mixed and served tableside in a traditional steel tumbler.

Nestled in the busy lanes of Saket district in New Delhi, Burma Burma is an award-winning restaurant and tea room specializing in authentic Burmese cuisine. The interiors capture the essence of Myanmar with its bamboo walls, rattan chairs, hanging wicker light fixtures, and dolls representing different ethnic groups of the country. The place boasts a pleasant and welcoming atmosphere where guests can relax and enjoy the comfort foods of Burma.

Most regular visitors to the restaurant rave about khao suey – a well-spiced coconutty, curry-soaked noodle served with fried onion, peanuts, spring onion, and lemon. Other unique dishes worth trying include spicy avocado tea leaf salad, steamed buns with curried mushrooms, soba noodles with tea leaf pesto, and mustard edamame sticky rice with tofu lemongrass curry. Burma Burma also has an extensive beverage menu made up of a fine range of drinks like Siphon tea – exclusive to the region, pomegranate & mandarin spritzer, kaffir lime cooler, bubble tea, and oolong black tea.

New Delhi is a bustling metropolis famous for its enriched culture and lip-smacking street foods. It is a place of traditions, festivals, history, cuisine, and people. The Indian capital is thrillingly multicultural with quality food at every corner which is best enjoyed with friends. From heritage museums to historical architecture, it is a travel destination that you would not want to miss.

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