Delhi, India
Life unfolding in Old Delhi
Our impressions of Delhi
Unreal street food: A big reason we were so excited to come to India was the food. We cook a lot of Indian dishes at home and have extensively read and watched clips about the street food in Delhi. For us, the Delhi street food and experience that came along with it was one of the highlights of Delhi and perhaps our time in India. The options are so plentiful, diverse, and delicious and markedly better than some of the other cities we visited. In particular, we loved the Delhi classics – aloo chaat, chole bhature, jalebi, etc.
Beautiful green spaces: One of the first things that struck us about Delhi was the sheer amount of parks and green spaces in the city. Given the population and size of the city, we were expecting a chaotic, crowded concrete jungle. Of course there’s plenty of that, but there is also a plethora of parks, historical sites situated on beautiful grounds, and tree-lined roundabouts throughout the city which made it a joy to travel around
Cultural melting pot: Delhi is quite diverse, historical, and culturally rich (as are most places in India, but we experienced it most here). On a macro level, Delhi has something for every type of traveler – posh shopping in Khan market, historical sites scattered around the city, street food and day-to-day life in Old Delhi. On a micro level, if you look at a street in Old Delhi you’re bound to see a Jain temple, Hindu temple, Sikh temple, and mosque all in a row
What we saw in Delhi
Rohan/Radhika’s and Mehak/Abhi’s weddings: Probably odd to write about your friends’ weddings on the Internet, but these were our main reason for being in Delhi and India! It was amazing to be introduced to Indian culture through these celebrations. Outside of traditional wedding fun (drinking and dancing galore), we had a blast learning about and participating in rituals at both of these amazing celebrations including the mehndi, haldi, sangeet, baraat, Hindu, and Sikh ceremonies. We also loved cleaning up and dressing up – it was a welcome change from our daily travel wear!
Khan market: We spent a lot (in fact probably a shameful amount) of time at Khan market which is a fun shopping area in Delhi. We had a day in Delhi before the wedding festivities started and we needed to get clothes for all of the events (we only had our backpacks… nothing that we brought is remotely wedding appropriate). Shopping for wedding clothes was an experience in and of itself. We had never been to an Indian wedding, so were a bit in the dark on the typical fashion / what was appropriate at each event. Luckily, we had recommendations from our friends and friendly shopkeepers to help us out! We shopped at FabIndia and Anokhi for the more casual events and hit up some of the higher end shops in Khan Market to get more formal clothing. We had a lot of fun bouncing around the shops in the market to find what we needed. We also ended up renting a few of the more formal outfits, which we would definitely recommend to anyone going to an Indian wedding that doesn’t already have clothing
Tuk tuk rides: Delhi was the first place we experienced tuk tuks – rickshaws that are common across most of Asia. Writing this after experiencing tuk tuk rides in many different cities, we can say that the tuk tuk rides in Delhi are an experience in and of themselves. The Delhi roads are insanely packed with cars, tuk tuks, motorcycles, people, and the occasional cow all smushed together in a puzzle that seems impossible to negotiate. It was a blast to ride in tuk tuks, observe the chaos, and somehow avoid any road incidents (despite what seemed like many close calls)
Old Delhi and Chandi Chowk: We had an amazing afternoon on this Airbnb experience led by Delhi native, JD. JD was a friendly, knowledgeable, funny and kind host that took us around on a carefully curated experience of Old Delhi. We were most excited for the street food when we embarked on the experience, but our time with JD ended up being just as much about the history and culture in Delhi as the food. From a food perspective, we tried (too) many of the Indian classics – samosas and jalebi, aloo chaat, kachori, curries galore, chole bhature (probably our favorite dish – this version had paneer in it), and lassis. JD not only taught us about the history behind the food, but also the story of each place where we tried it. Most of the places we went have a multi-generational history which was fascinating to learn about. From a sites perspective, we visited a Jain temple, a gurdwara (Sikh place of worship), mosque, and the spice market in Old Delhi. The gurdwara was our favorite site – we learned about Sikhism, sat in on prayer with music, and participated in rolling chapati in the kitchen (this gurdwara feeds 15,000+ people for free a day). The spice market was also an experience – the spices were so pungent that we immediately started uncontrollably sneezing and coughing for the entire duration we were in the market. Moreover, we loved negotiating the chaos of Old Delhi so much so that we returned back a few nights later
Lodhi Gardens: After a late night of wedding fun, we woke up and made our way to the Lodhi Gardens. The gardens are peaceful and expansive – an oasis in the middle of a chaotic city. We loved strolling around the gardens and exploring the Mughal. There are several tombs that we enjoyed walking through and reading about. It was a lovely spot to sit, relax, and nurse our hangovers
Humayun’s tomb: Humayun’s tomb (where the 16th century Mughal Emperor Humayun is buried) is one of the most renown and impressive historical sites in Delhi. Our tuk tuk driver couldn’t get all the way here as the streets were blocked, so he dropped us off and pointed vaguely in the distance to indicate which direction to go. We inevitably got lost, but walked into a really neat market nearby. There was a ton happening – food steaming in the street, people walking into nearby mosques to pray, etc. After this detour, we found our way to the site. There were a ton of people – more than we had seen at any other site in India. Lucky for us, a police officer plucked us out of the crowd (we were the only non-Indians) and ushered us over to the ticket line for foreigners. We spent about an hour walking the grounds and marveling at the historical structures from the 16th century. The biggest tomb (the namesake of the site) reminded us of the Taj Mahal and it turns out the Taj was inspired by it!
Jama Masjid: After seeing lots of beautiful Islamic architecture around India, we were excited to see Delhi’s largest mosque. The tuk tuk to the mosque was an adventure as we drove through the chaotic streets of Old Delhi. Once we got to the mosque, a man escorted us to a tourist area (we were again the only non-Indians), threw a robe on Jessie to cover up, and collected an admission fare. When we walked inside, we were surprised at all of the activity. The mosques in Central Asia were quiet, sparsely populated, and seemed to be reserve for praying. Jama masjid was a totally different scene – more like a community gathering place – kids running around, adults sitting and chatting, and even youngsters (we heard many Indians refer to young people as youngsters which we are adopting) filming music videos. Very quickly, a crowd swarmed around us asking for pictures and selfies (something that frequently happened to us in India). We took a few pictures, walked around, and made our way back to the hectic Old Delhi streets
Where we ate and drank
Wedding buffets: The vast majority of what we ate in Delhi came from the weddings we attended. Indian wedding food puts American wedding food (and I’d bet every other country’s wedding food) to shame! Each event had an amazing selection of passed appetizers and buffets (that require a strategy) with some of the best food we had in India. The wedding food may have contributed to a slight weight gain in India, but we don’t regret it for a second
Khan Cha Cha: After our early morning flight and checking into our hotel, we were very hungry. We set off for Khan Cha Cha a fast casual spot where we could get a quick bite (and our first taste of Indian food in India). We each ordered a kaathi roll and split a daal makhani – it was all delicious. The daal especially was a highlight. This meal gave us the fuel we needed for a Khan market shop-athon
Anglow: We originally walked into this spot because we thought they would have WiFi and we wanted to call an Uber back to our hotel (Jessie’s SIM card wasn’t operational yet), but we ended up staying for dinner and drinks. At $25 USD, it was one of the priciest meals we had in India, but at least it was delicious. We rewarded ourselves with drinks after a long day of shopping/travel and watched the World Cup. For dinner, we split the fish and chips and deccan paneer. The paneer was spicy and amazing. We probably wouldn’t come back here given all of the amazing restaurant options in Delhi, but it made for a nice impromptu meal
Imperial breakfast buffet: We don’t normally eat breakfast, but it would have been impossible to say no to the breakfast at the Imperial (hotel we were staying at for Rohan/Radhika’s wedding). It was breakfast fit for a maharaja – everything from made-to-order omelettes, a bakery’s worth of fresh pastries and typical American breakfast to Indian classics. We opted for the Indian breakfast and an unexpected highlight: the dim sum. Towards the end of our stay at the Imperial, we forced ourselves to come down to breakfast (we were still full from the night before) just so we could have the vegetarian dumplings. It was special…
McDonald’s: Beef is illegal in many parts of India (Hindus consider the cow sacred), so no McDonald’s cheeseburger for Doug this time around. Upon seeing a McDonald’s very close to our hotel, we decided we needed to try the local offerings. The menu in India is nothing like the one in the US (or we’d gander at any McDonald’s that is not in India). It was full of Indian dishes with a McDonald’s twist (rather than McDonald’s dishes with an Indian twist): paneer, aloo tikki, etc. We sampled a few dishes – they were good! Though trying McDonald’s in India was more of a fun activity than a deep culinary journey – there are certainly better places to eat than McDonald’s in Delhi
Azam’s Mughlai: Azam’s was one of our favorite food stops in Delhi. Conveniently located in Khan market (we really spent too much time there…), Azam’s is a no frills stand with ample space and eat your food once it is ready. Right as we were about to order, a kind woman asked if we wanted recommendations (we quickly learned to always take recommendations) to which we enthusiastically replied “yes!” She recommended the gulati and paneer tikka, so that’s exactly what we ordered. After a few minutes, one of the cooks handed us our order. It was gone in less time than it took to cook. We still talk about the gulati and almost went back, but decided we needed to branch out from Khan market
Tadka 4689: We had one of our laziest days of travel after Rohan/Radhika’s reception (we stayed up until 4am and were exhausted), so we wanted something quick and easy for dinner. This place was just what we needed. It was a short walk from where we were staying, cheap, and delicious. We tried daal fry for the first time here which became one of our favorite daal dishes
Leo’s Pizzeria: In anticipation for Bukhara (more below) and another slew of wedding buffets, we decided to take a one-meal break from Indian food. Doug read about this spot in an article and we considered going the first time we were in Delhi, but decided it was too far. This time, we decided to make the trek and it was definitely worth it. We had two delicious wood fired pizzas that had a nice kick to them. We were also served by one of the most impressive waitresses/jack-of-all-trades we’ve ever seen. She helped make the pizza, take orders, serve pizza, make drinks… it was crazy to see her in action! And made us wonder what the other waitstaff were doing
Amritsari Lassi: We had our first lassi at this place when we were exploring Old Delhi with JD and decided to come back for “dinner”. We were in the general vicinity at Jama Masjid, so made an adventure out of it and set out to find this place with a vague idea as to where it was situated (it wasn’t on any of the map apps). We walked through the winding alleyways and small lanes of Old Delhi which were full of people cooking street food, selling chai, and going about their daily lives. When the evening call to prayer came, the streets suddenly became much emptier which was neat. After 30 minutes, we came across the lassi place (victory!) We ordered two rose badam lassis (lassis with almonds and rosewater) and were very satisfied at our endeavor and with the lassis
Bukhara: Our most anticipated meal of our travels to-date (we made a reservation a month before!), Bukhara did not disappoint. Bukhara is one of the most famous restaurants in Delhi – it touts its patrons as Bill Clinton (apparently one of his top 5 favorite restaurants) and many other heads of state and global personalities. Though Bukhara is situated in the ITC Maurya (a five-star hotel in Delhi), its vibe is intimate and relaxed. Each diner sits on a stool (surprisingly comfortable) at a table that is quite low to the ground and there is no silverware provided (you eat with your hands as is tradition). All of the tables have a remarkably private feel despite how popular the restaurant is. We decided to order a bottle of wine with dinner (special occasion) and ordered the dal bukhara, tandoori phool, and paneer tikka. The meal was delicious! We loved the dal bukhara and breads (paneer and cauliflower were just okay especially at their price point) and had a fun experience. For dessert, we ordered kesari phirnee (a rice pudding-esquire dish served in a small terracotta pot). We each took one bite and immediately knew we wanted another… When at Bukhara!
Where we stayed
The Prime: We stayed here our first few days in Delhi before moving to the Imperial and one day after the wedding. The hotel was fake nice – it had the appearance of being nicer than it was (marble in the lobby), but it seemed like it was falling apart. Our first room had no windows, paint that was coming off the walls, and a bathroom sink on its last legs, but it was comfortable and clean. We got luckier with our room when we got back for the wedding – it was in much better shape. The area around the hotel was fun and somewhere we likely wouldn’t have gone had we not stayed here
The Imperial: After two months of primarily staying at guest houses, Airbnbs and cheap hotels, staying here was such a treat! The Imperial is a five-star hotel near Connaught Place and Khan market (thankfully for us) and has the most exceptional service we’ve ever experienced. We’ll probably never be treated that nicely in our lives again! The hotel grounds are beautiful and our room was comfortable and spacious. We enjoyed hanging out in our room, walking around the beautiful grounds, and exploring everything the Imperial had to offer (even the highly overpriced cappuccinos)
BloomRooms at Janpath: We stayed here for two nights upon returning to Delhi from our tour around Rajasthan and it was a nice home base. Our room was clean and had everything we needed, but nothing more. It almost felt like staying in a college dorm room (we mean that in a good way)
Taj Vivanta Surajkund: We stayed at this awesome hotel for Mehak/Abhi’s wedding and, again, it was such a treat! Located outside of the city, the Taj Vivanta is beautiful, modern, spacious, and quiet. Our room was great – super spacious with a balcony for morning coffee. We spent a lot of time relaxing around the hotel (and particularly the outdoor spaces) in between wedding events and felt lucky to spend our last few days in Delhi here
I love your descriptions of the food and your first experience of the tuk tuks. Sorry I wasn’t there to tour with you. Xo, Mimi