Best Restaurants in Delhi: The Complete 2026 Guide

Quick answer: Delhi's best restaurants span from ₹100 street food stalls to ₹6,000+ fine dining rooms. For heritage Mughlai food, head to Karim's or Gulati. For fine dining, Indian Accent and Bukhara are the two most internationally recognized names. For budget-friendly variety in one place, Connaught Place covers everything from century-old bakeries to rooftop bars.

Delhi isn't one food city, it's several stacked on top of each other Mughlai kitchens that have run for generations in the old city, a fine dining scene ranked among Asia's best in the south, and street food corners that locals will argue about for hours. This guide is organized by area and budget, so you can find what actually fits your trip, your evening, or your price range not a generic top-10 that mixes a ₹150 chaat stall with a ₹6,000 tasting menu and calls it a day.

Best restaurants in Old Delhi (Mughlai & heritage food)

Old Delhi is where the city's food history is most concentrated, and it's almost entirely built around Mughlai cuisine and street food rather than sit-down fine dining.

• Karim's (near Jama Masjid) the definitive Old Delhi Mughlai experience; mutton korma and seekh kebabs have been a fixture here for generations.</cite> Cost for two: roughly ₹500–800.
• Chandni Chowk street food — The area is best known for parathas, kebabs, jalebis, and the distinctive Daulat Ki Chaat Budget: under ₹300 for two, spread across multiple stalls.

Best for: first-time visitors wanting an authentic taste of pre-independence Delhi. Skip if: you're not comfortable with crowded, informal seating.

Best restaurants in Connaught Place (every budget)

Connaught Place is Delhi's most concentrated dining district and genuinely spans every price point in a single area, which makes it the easiest place to eat well without a plan.

• Wenger's — Running since 1926, known for its chicken patties (which sell out by 2pm) and a fruit cake recipe that hasn't changed in decades. Cost for two: under ₹250.
• Saravana Bhavan — A reliable, affordable South Indian chain with outlets across Connaught Place, Janpath and Saket, known for filter coffee, dosas and thalis at fair prices Cost for two: ₹400–800.
• Farzi Cafe — The top pick for a more elevated CP night out creative food, strong cocktails, and a rooftop section when available. Cost for two: ₹1,500–3,000.
• United Coffee House — a long-running Western-style institution, good for a classic sit-down meal in the same district.

Best for: anyone who wants options without committing to one cuisine or price bracket in advance.

Best fine dining restaurants in South Delhi

South Delhi is where the city's top fine dining rooms are concentrated, led by Indian Accent at The Lodhi chef Manish Mehrotra's modern Indian menu is consistently ranked among the best in Asia.

• Indian Accent (The Lodhi) — widely considered Delhi's top fine dining destination. Cost for two: ₹6,000+.
• Olive Bar & Kitchen (Mehrauli) — set in the shadow of the Qutub Minar and known as one of the most romantic dining settings in the city, with a European-leaning menu.Cost for two: ₹4,000–6,000.

Best for: anniversaries, celebrations, or anyone who wants Delhi's most internationally recognized tasting menus. Book ahead both are reservation-only most nights.

Best restaurants inside Delhi hotels

Some of the city's most awarded food isn't in a standalone restaurant at all.

• Bukhara (ITC Maurya, Chanakyapuri) — world-renowned and host to guests from Bill Clinton to major Bollywood names, famous for serving without cutlery and its 18-hour slow-cooked Dal Bukhara. Cost for two: ₹4,000–6,000.

Best for: guests staying at a hotel property who want a destination-worthy meal without leaving, and anyone who assumes hotel restaurants are an afterthought  Bukhara is the counter-example.

Best butter chicken and North Indian food in Delhi

Gulati, on Pandara Road, has been serving rich North Indian curries since 1959 and is where Delhiites specifically go for butter chicken, dal makhani and galouti kebab Cost for two: ₹1,500–2,500. A Sunday-lunch institution rather than a quick stop.

Best street food areas across Delhi (by neighbourhood)

Different neighbourhoods have their own street food specialties: Chandni Chowk for parathas and jalebis, Connaught Place for rajma chawal and chole kulche, Lajpat Nagar for momos and shawarma, Karol Bagh for aloo tikki and chole bhature, and Majnu Ka Tilla for Tibetan momos and thukpa.</cite> Nearly all of these run under ₹300 for two.

Luxury Dining Experience at The Grand New Delhi 

For guests looking for a premium dining experience in South Delhi, The Grand New Delhi offers elegant restaurants featuring exceptional cuisine, refined ambience, and warm hospitality. Located in Vasant Kunj, the hotel provides an ideal dining destination for business lunches, family celebrations, romantic dinners, and special occasions.