15 Famous Food of Delhi You Better Don’t Miss

Delhi, the capital city of India, is not just known for its rich history and monuments, but also for food. Ask any Delhiite and they will tell you all about the scrumptious food their land has to offer. As said, to know a place, one needs to know its food and this goes the same for Delhi. To know the hidden layers of the beautiful city, travelers head out on a food hunt, understanding the culture Delhi envelopes. Are you a foodie at heart?

Delhi, the capital of the country, is a very good place to visit. The crowded Delhi is not only popular for roaming but also for different types of food items. Especially the street food here is so delicious that you will become a fan of it. Daulat ki chaat or Mughal kebab are all more than one. The secret of the cuisine here remains a mystery to the people even today.

By drinking Nimbu Paani of Ved Prakash Shop near Chandni Chowk Metro Station, your fatigue and thirst are overcome within a second.

So let us tell you about some of the famous street food of Delhi, which you must test in Delhi. Along with this, we will also tell you where all these street food can be tasted in Delhi.

Here is all about the best Indian street food and the famous dishes of Delhi, you must try on your next visit to treat your taste buds. Keep reading!

1. Rabdi Falooda

Giani Di Hatti shops are about 50 meters from Fatehpuri Mosque. Here you can taste the Rabdi Faluda with delicious sweets. You will not find sweets like here in the whole of Delhi. Here, ice is fed from the top with fruit and milk inside the Rabdi which calms the heat of Delhi. You must also taste the Gajar ka Halwa and Moong Dal Halwa here.

2. Golgappa or Pani Puri

If you have ever watched the Dangal movie, then you will feel familiar with this one culinary. Who hasn’t had Pani Puri while in India? It’s one of the must haves while on a trip to India. Don’t underestimate the size of these spicy water balls, in most cases you’ll be served 6 pieces of Pani Puri along with 1 masala Puri for a single plate.

Yes, Golgappa or Pani puri is one of the favorite North Indian snack made of a type of puffed bread which is punched in the top. Then pieces of red onion, celery, and water or seasoning sauce are added. Puri is stuffed with spicy water (Pani). It feels unique and refreshing.

The combination of the crunchiness of the dough with water is what makes this dish a true delight.

3. Nihari

If you want to eat delicious Nihari, then you have to go to Kallu Nahariwala for this. The shop is near Jama Masjid which remains open from 6 am to 7:30 pm. For non-vegetarian lovers, the place is a heaven.

4. Samosa

Similar to pastel cakes in Indonesia, Samosa has various fillings, such as potatoes, peas, peanuts, and other spices. The shape of the pyramid is a characteristic of this food item. In India, samosa is usually a vegetarian dish. But in other countries, the contents for samosa have been modified according to the taste of each place. For this reason, we can now find samosas with cheese filling, noodles and also minced meat.

They’re inexpensive, delicious and hot, filled with chicken, potatoes, and spices. One can never go wrong with a hearty samosa. Many countries like USA, Australia too have this dish served in any Indian based restaurant located in the city, but it can never be compared to having it from any local street vendor in Mumbai, Delhi or any other Indian state which is famous for serving it.

5. Momo

Momos saves a place in the list and it is too obvious. Though most popular in the regions of Assam, Darjeeling, and Sikkim, Momos are amongst the famous Delhi foods and you bet they are tempting. Besides being found in India, this dish can also be found in Nepal and Tibet. Momo is believed to have originated from Tibet and was spread to other areas around there by Tibetan traders in the past.

Momo is one of the most loved and most popular dishes among the Nepalese. The bite-sized dumpling is the common afternoon snack dishes in Nepal. Made with a spoonful of stuffing wrapped in dough, Momo is prepared with a combination of ground meat, vegetables, paneer, cheese, tofu or any vegetable and meat combinations.

Momo can be served steamed, fried or steamed-fried with dipping or Achar made with a blend of spices and flavors. Momo is served in various shapes, sizes and with all kinds of filings. Momo is served in various shapes, sizes and with all kinds of filings. Some of the common varieties of Momo are Steamed Momo, Fried Momo, Chilly Momo, Jhol Momo and Kothey Momo.

Served both in vegetarian and non-vegetarian varieties, these succulent dumplings come with a hot red sauce. You can enjoy it as street food snacks in your cocktail parties or simply get on the street side and cherish the delicacy, especially in winters with soup. Heavenly!

The best known places for momos are Nagaland Food Stall in Dilli Haat, Majnu ka Tilla in North Campus, Kamla Nagar Market and Sikkim House in Panchsheel Marg.

6. Chaat

Undoubtedly, chaat is one of the most famous dishes of Delhi and it has to be on the list. Yes, there are many other cities famous for their delicious street food, but Delhi is no less than a competition to them. Every form of chaat is available in the city. You can activate your taste buds with the spicy aloo tikki, papri chaat, raj kachori and just keep naming them.

There are lots of different versions of chaat, but basically it’s like crunchy snacks with potato, spices, some something fresh like mint, coriander and something sweet and tangy like tamarind etc. It’s an awesome mix of spices, sweet, salty, tangy, and textures, crunchy, soft, fresh, cold, and hot.

If you just want to have papri chaat or gol gappe, Delhi has vendors at every corner and there is no doubt it won't be fantastic! That green chutney, yoghurt and meethi chutney on top is the best part of the dish.

7. Daulat ki Chaat

Delhi has this ethereal dish called daulat ki chaat found in the narrow by-lanes of Old Delhi, particularly in and around Chandni Chowk. Folklore has it, that it’s a very ancient dish, probably as old as the city of Delhi itself, having undergone bit changes in it’s recipe, texture, and the process of making. This is a melt in your mouth soft fluffy subtle winter dish, rich In flavour enjoyed only during November to January.

If you want to lick your fingers, then try Daulat ki Chaat. No one has known the secret of the process of making this chaat till date. Here, spices of chaat are prepared overnight. After this, saffron and silverwork are applied in milk here in the morning. When you eat the Daulat chaat, you can feel the wonderful taste of it.

This lightly-sweetened-with-a-touch-of-salt confection has its heritage firmly rooted in the Mughal era. It’s like the lightest, airiest, most foamy, most ethereal souffle or meringue you would have ever eaten. Actually, souffle and meringue aren’t in the same league. Daulat ki Chaat is luxurious. While eating it one feels like one is enjoying something of high value, something regal, but it is surprisingly just humble old milk.

The charm of Daulat ki Chaat is its very ephemerality. One realizes the labour that went into it, and the fact that it will soon be gone and another tryst with it will be hard to find. The vendors themselves don’t stay in one place - they move about with their wares on a bicycle, and the dish is all gone in a matter of hours.

While eating Daulat ki Chaat, one is given a very important lesson in humility and mortality - and that is why it needs to stick around and not be lost in the pages of history.

8. Kebab

True, kebabs found its origin in Turkey, the grilled meat chunks tastes no lesser delicious when marinated in Indian spices and Delhi proves that quite honestly. Kebabs are one of the various other things Delhiites thank Mughals for. If you are a non-vegetarian and got the advantage of being a foodie, do treat yourself with the Karim's delicious seekh kebab near the Red Fort and Sutli Kabab at Kale Baba ke Kebabs in the front lane of Jama Masjid.

Alkakori Alkauser in RK Puram, Galouti at Kainoosh, Salim's Kebabs in Khan Market, Ghalib Kebab Corner in Nizamuddin and MI meat shop in Meherchand are some of the famous eateries for Kebabs in Delhi. For best galauti kebabs you can visit Rajinder Da Dhaba at Safdarjag Enclave and Ganesh and Karol Bagh will introduce you to their majestic fried fish pakodas.

By reaching here, you can get the perfect taste of Mughlai food. Every dish has different prices here. Kareem's famous dishes are kebabs, mutton korma, chicken mughlai, brain curry, chicken jahangir, etc.

9. Paratha

For a healthy start of the day, Parathas serve to be the best breakfast for Delhiites. From plain butter parathas to the varieties of stuffed parathas (aloo, mooli, onion, gobi, keema and you name it!), there are places serving delicious parathas anytime you want it - morning, evening or for a tummy filling dinner.

Ask any locals or students to know the best places serving parathas in Delhi and Chandni Chowk's Parathe Wali Gali and Moolchand ke Parathe would be on top of their lists. Near the end of this street, near a shop, you will see a list of various varieties of all parathas. After seeing this list, you will not be able to decide which parathas to be tried.

These shops were built around 1872. Whoever comes to Delhi definitely eats parathas in this Paranthe Wali Gali. Paneer Paratha, Gajar Ka Paratha, Aloo Paratha, or Pyaj Ka Paratha are all served with different kinds of vegetables, yogurt, and pickles.

10. Chole Bhature

Here is some free advice. Have this delicious Punjabi dish on an empty stomach to enjoy it to the fullest. Chole Bhature has to be on the list for its mouth-watering, spicy and rich taste. Every Delhi food joint have this food delicacy on their menu for its popularity among Delhiites.

If you could not make to it for the breakfast, have hot, crispy bhature and rich, spicy chole for dinner or just as a snack in the evening. Paharganj's Sitaram Diwan Chand, Chache di Hatti in Kamla Nagar and Lajpat Nagar's Baba Nagpal Corner are some best known places for yummy Chole Bhature in the city.

If you are in Noida, do stop by Sagar's Special Paneer Chole Bhature in Sector 18 or for a pav bhaji, misal pav or South Indian vada pav with coconut chutney.

11. Butter Chicken

For all the Chicken lovers out there, here is something you need to know about one of your favorite dishes - Butter Chicken. In Delhi, this delectable non-vegetarian dish was first originated in 1950s by Kundanlal Gujral at the Moti Mahal Restaurant in Daryaganj. However, Moti Mahal is not the only one stop point for Butter Chicken today.

The dhabas in Delhi serve you the real version of butter chicken, try out Rajindar da Dhaba in Safdargunj Enclave. Some other well-known places for butter chicken are Kainoosh and Gulati at Pandara Road. You can best enjoy the famous Delhi food with naan or rice.

12. Chole Kulche

Chickpeas in a thick gravy served with a flat bread. People who love their Chole Kulcha REALLY love it. This is a Punjabi quintessential breakfast! Lotan Kulcha Wala has its branch in Daryaganj and another in Chawri Bazar. These shops are famous for Chole Kulche. In the Chole here, you will get a great taste of sour and chili with an excellent combination.

You have to pick it up a little early to taste their Chulche Kulchas. The shop remains open only from 7.30 am to 10.30 am.

13. Aloo Paratha

A potato-stuffed flatbread which is packed with savory flavors served with pickle, curd and green chutney. It's a known fact that North India is crazy about parathas. Butter laden and nothing short of spectacular. Aloo paratha is Indian bread stuffed with masala aloo. It is a calorie rich dish and keeps you full for a very long time. It is eaten with curd which helps in digestion.

14. Dahi Bhalla

There is a shop of Natraj Dahi Bhalle Wala behind the Paranthe Wali Gali. People line up to eat Dahi Bhalla of this shop. Its taste is very different. This shop remains open from 10:30 AM to 11 PM all week.

15. Kulfi

Like Food is incomplete without a dessert, so would be our list of Delhi's famous food without a mention of the most-loved dessert Kulfi. Finding its name origin from Persia, Kulfi is a creamier and denser version of ice cream and is believed to be first introduced by the Mughals in some place in North India.

Be it a house party with your friends, kitty party or a wedding, it is only the yummy Kulfi stick that completes the dinner. You will definitely find a Kulfi stall in Delhi weddings. Look out for the best Kulfi corners in the city such as the Defence Colony Market, Chandni Chowk, Karol Bagh's Roshan di Kulfi and some more.

If you want something more special, take a halt at Chandni Chowk and visit Kuremal Mohanlal Kulfiwale that introduces all new version of the dessert by adding real fruits like custard apple, mango, etc. to the mix before they freeze it.

The shop is located near the Chawri Bazar metro station. At this place, you can enjoy all kinds of kulfis. The famous stuffed mango kulfi here costs Rs 200. This shop remains open from 9 am to 10:30 pm.

16. Aloo Tikki

Literally meaning potato croquette, Aloo tikki, one of the famous foods of India is made from mashed mashed potatoes, and then deep fried. The fried boiled potatoes are then blended together with green chilies, shallots, radishes, and other spices. It tastes like rujak, with a denser texture. In Bengal it is eaten with puffed rice.

17. Pakora

These fries are made from vegetables, such as spinach, which is fried in flour and can be eaten directly or with green chutney. Although it looks similar to fried foods in Indonesia, but it doesn't taste as good as bala-bala, et al. The texture is also not too crisp. But if you are lazy to cook yourself, the pakora can be a substitute.

18. Dahi Puri

Don’t confuse it with Pani Puri. This delicacy consists of curd, sev, ragda and a couple of other fillings. It’s delicious! It has puri, stuffed with mashed potatoes or chickpeas, turmeric, chili powder, sweet tamarind sauce and spicy green sauce, and finally, sweetened yogurt (dahi) is generously poured over the rind, and the final product is garnished with sev (chips of fried potato) and a little bit of chopped cilantro.

Delhi’s food scene is a huge entity in itself and it requires multiple visits for the real food lovers to relish the majestic cuisines of this city. Planned your trip to the capital city of India? Now that you have the knowledge of the most famous dishes of Delhi, do plan your food hunt before you reach!