Delhi’s culinary landscape is simply unbelievable. For decades, historians and foodies have navigated the city to experience its timeless heritage. Beyond modern restaurants and cafes, the city has been home to some legendary old restaurants that have been serving the taste buds of Delhiites for decades. Eating at these restaurants is not just about satisfying your hunger but also about traveling back in time. So today, let’s take a look at the 10 oldest legendary restaurants in Delhi.
Legendary Restaurants In Delhi
1. Karim’s
No culinary exploration in Delhi can ever be complete without visiting Karim’s. It is an old eatery that is deeply intertwined with royal history. The restaurant was founded in 1913 by Haji Karimuddin and traces its roots directly back to the royal kitchens of the Mughals. It has been serving delicious Mughlai cuisine since 1913. This restaurant has a very rustic ambiance with wood-fired clay ovens. It is loved for its tender meat and aromatic, slow-simmered gravies, which have made it a global destination for relishing meat. Every dish here carries the complex and rich flavor of a bygone imperial era.
Dishes to try: Chicken Jehangari, Khameeri roti, Mutton Stew and Mutton Bara Kebab
Address: Gali Bhairo Wali, 16 Gali Kababian, near Jama Masjid, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi, Delhi 110006
Timing: 9:30 AM to 12:30 AM
Cost for two: INR 1,600
2. Kake Da Hotel
Kake Da Hotel has been serving comforting and robust authentic Punjabi cuisine since 1931. The restaurant started its journey before the partition and has maintained a wonderful dedication towards traditional open-pot cooking methods. The interiors are no-frills, simple but inviting without any modern fine-dining pretenses. Their focus is entirely on the depth of the flavors of their clay-oven curries. The chefs working here have mastered the art of slow-cooking for their gravies with the perfect blend of spices to bring in deep flavors. It is a well-known culinary haven for people who are seeking comforting Punjabi flavors even if it’s late at night.
Dishes to try: Saag Meat, Keema Kaleji, Saag Meat, and Chicken Curry.
Address: Shop No. 67, Municipal Market, Connaught Cir, Connaught Lane, Connaught Place, New Delhi, Delhi 110001
Timing: 12:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Cost for two: INR 1,200
3. Moti Mahal
Moti Mahal was established in Daryagunj in the historic year of 1947, and it completely revolutionized the global Indian cuisine scene. It is believed to be the literal birthplace of world-famous Dal Makhani and Butter Chicken in India. The founders invented these dishes very cleverly to save chicken and lentils from drying out,t creating a rich gravy. This simple culinary invention changes the perception of Indian food on a global level, el attracting international leaders to this site. With no-frills interiors, this place focuses more on the quality of food than fancy interiors.
Dishes to try: The original Butter Chicken, Slow-cooked Dal Makhani and Tandoori Chicken
Address: 3704, Netaji Subhash Marg, Old Dariya Ganj, Daryaganj, New Delhi, Delhi, 110002
Timing: 11:30 AM to 12:30 AM
Cost for two: INR 1,300
4. Kwality Restaurant
Kwality Restaurant has been a part of Delhi’s Regal building since 1940. It is celebrated as one of the chief pioneers of fine dining culture in Delhi. The restaurant has over 80 years of culinary excellence, offering a vintage nostalgic atmosphere with top-notch hospitality. The space is actually adorned with many black-and-white pictures of Connaught Palace. The menu here offers a huge variety og Continental and North Indian delicacies. Their Punjabi and Anglo-Indian hybrid creations are also amazing! It is one of the multi-generational favorite restaurants in Delhi where the recipes have not altered for decades.
Dishes to try: Chicken A La King, Kwality Chana Bhatura and Katori Kebab
Address: No.7, Regal Building, Sansad Marg, Hanuman Road Area, Connaught Place, New Delhi, Delhi 110001
Timing: 12:00 AM to 11:00 PM
Cost for two: INR 4,000
5. The Embassy Restaurant
The Embassy Restaurant was founded in 1948 by two friends who migrated from Karachi to Delhi. They took over a space which was occupied by a British-run beauty salon in Connaught Palace and created an oasis of food. It has hosted legends like Prime Minister I.k Gujral, actor Raj Kapoor, and Lord Mountbatten. The menu has fascinating dishes blending British colonial favorites with Punjabi classics. A major fire forced the restaurant to undergo a renovation,n but the spice blends and the recipes used still remain strictly unchanged despite various modern trends.
Dishes to try: The Giant Embassy Samosa, Classic Chana Bhatura, Tomato Fish
Address: D Block, Connaught Place, New Delhi, Delhi 110001
Timing: 12:30 PM to 11:00 PM
Cost for two: INR 1,500
Also Read: Best Ramen Places In Delhi You Must Try This Monsoon
6. Dhaba – Estd 1986 Delhi
Originally, this restaurant was opened inside the ultra-luxury corridors of the Claridges hotel in 1986. This restaurant actually completely disrupted the fine dining scene of Delhi. It beautifully blended the rustic, raw charm of a Punjabi highway truck stop with a five-star luxury setting. The restaurant features quirky kitsch interiors with a colorful mock truck facade, a lively Theka-style bar,r and energetic Bollywood music. The kitchen here still uses traditional clay tandoors and open-fire pots to replicate the robust smoky flavors of roadside dhabas.
Dishes to try: Butter Chicken 1986, Dal Dhaba, Stuffed Amritsari Kulchas
Address: B 42, 1st Floor, Connaught Place, New Delhi
Timing: 12:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Cost for two: INR 3,000
7. Al Jawahar Restaurant
Al Jawahar has been a pillar of authentic Mughlai cuisine in Delhi since 1948. It was famously inaugurated by India’s first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. The founding family was moved by this honor and hence named the establishment Al Jawahar as a tribute to his legacy. This unpretentious and multi-generational landmark has rivalled other culinary giants by focusing on intense flavor for seven decades. Its fame completely rests securely on its quality, highly rich gravies, time-honored recipes, and old-school techniques of cooking.
Dishes to try: Chicken Changezi, Mutton Qorma, Khameeri Roti
Address: Shop no. 8, opposite Gate No. 1, Bazar Matia Mahal, Jama Masjid, Old Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi, 110006
Timing: 8:00 AM to 12:00 AM
Cost for two: INR 1,100
8. Minar Restaurant
Minar Restaurant is one of the legendary restaurants in Delhi and was established in 1970. For more than half a century, this beloved spot has been the go-to spot for locals for old-school Delhi dining. It has been preserving a vintage, no-fuss 1970s aesthetic with linen-draped tables and classic fine-dining service. It relies completely on traditional tandoors, heavy copper pots, and an in-house blend of secret masalas that has not changed since day one. The restaurant has a multi-generational following because of its amazing and rich Punjabi and Mughlai flavor profiles.
Dishes to try: Rahra Gosht, Chicken Pakora, Mutton Kofta
Address: L-11, Connaught Cir, Block L, Connaught Place, New Delhi, Delhi 110001
Timing: 12:00 PM to 11:30 PM
Cost for two: INR 1,500
9. Sita Ram Diwan Chand
The inspiring legacy of Sita Ram Diwan Chand began in 1950 when two partition refugees started selling food from a pushcart and a bicycle. Over the decades,e their unique recipe transformed their tiny venture into a legendary culinary empire. This restaurant has captured the hearts of industrialists, generational Delhies, and many Bollywood stars alike. The restaurant has carefully preserved its original post-partition flavors, which is why it is one of the most favorite ones among the locals. They use a secret khada masala and an uncompromising stance on quality are their only secrets to success even today.
Dishes to try: Signature Paneer-Stuffed bhature with Lahori Chole, Spice Aloo Sabzi
Address: 2243, Rajguru Marg, Chuna Mandi, Paharganj, New Delhi, Delhi 110055
Timing: 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Cost for two: INR 400
10. Khidmat Restaurant
Khidmat Restaurant was established in the year 1992 and was the brainchild of legendary Indian celebrity chef Davinder Kumar. This upscale culinary institution was created to elevate exotic Mughlai and traditional North Indian cooking into a fine art form. For over three decades, the restaurant has drawn multiple-generational foodies, various Indian personalities,s and affluent diners alike. The chefs here use expert techniques and deep culinary heritage to create slow-cooked gravies, delicious tandoori items, and a foodie relationship with guests like no other.
Dishes to try: Kalmi Kebab, Mutton Rogan Josh and Murgh Makhani
Address: E-9, Main Rd, near Deshbandhu College, Block E, Kalkaji, New Delhi, Delhi 110019
Timing: 11:00 AM to 11: 00 PM
Cost for two: INR 1,800
Summing Up
Delhi’s oldest eateries are way more than just commercial kitchens. They are living museums of taste that have survived many historic moments and also rapid modernization. So the next time you visit Delhi, apart from visiting the most trending cafes, make sure you also visit these legendary spots!
If you are looking for new restaurants to visit in Delhi this July or best restaurants in Delhi, do visit our website.
