A wandering spirit with a love for storytelling, Neera has 250+ articles in her travel playbook. She’s currently working on her latest insider guides from a secluded Mauritian beach.
Delhi street food hits different. I’ve been coming back to this delightfully chaotic city for years, and the food scene here is mind-blowing.
What makes Delhi street food so good? Well for starters, it’s not fancy. It’s just real. Many vendors have been making the same dish for 30+ years in the exact same spot. They don’t mess with the recipe because they don’t need to.
(Credit: Chanchal Tiwari)
This guide covers what actual Delhiites eat, where they go, and all the tricks locals use to get the best experience. Forget the tourist traps: this is how real Delhi eats.
Let’s start off with my favorite! Chole bhature consists of spicy chickpeas (chole) served with deep-fried bread (bhature). Locals often have it for breakfast. It’s intensely spiced with dried mango powder, pomegranate seeds, and black cardamom.
(Credit: Neera Ramdhonee)
Bhature in Delhi is also far bigger than the ones I’ve had elsewhere in India. And it’s not just plain ol’ fried dough either: the batter is prepared at least twelve hours in advance so it can ferment, then fried right before serving. Pretty fancy for street food!
Sita Ram Diwan Chand in Paharganj serves the most authentic version. I was told that the chickpeas are soaked for a full 24 hours. They’re then pressure-cooked with tea leaves until they develop that dark, signature color.
(Credit: Rohan Trehan)
2. Gol Gappas (Pani Puri): Delhi Street Food For A Quick Bite
These hollow, crispy shells are among the most popular Delhi street food – and for good reason!
The gol gappa dough is deep-fried until it puffs into a hollow sphere. The vendor punches a hole in the golf-sized puri, then fills it with mashed potatoes and boiled chickpeas. Some stalls may offer sprouted moong beans instead of chickpeas.
The whole thing is then dipped in a tangy water mixture(pani) that pools inside the puri. You’re supposed to eat it in one humongous bite for the full experience.
Here’s where most travelers get confused: after paying, you might notice the vendor handing you one measly little gol gappa in a bowl. A serving usually features 6 to 8 pieces, but they’ll actually prepare and serve you the puris one by one to ensure maximum freshness. As such, they’ll put another one in your bowl as soon as it’s empty.
I noticed that most vendors in Delhi offer at least two or three varieties of flavored water: mint-coriander, tamarind-jaggery, and sometimes cumin-jaljeera.
(Credit: Prerita Chugh)
My favorite spots for gol gappa in Delhi are GK Prince Paan and Rasili Chaat. Not only do they use mineral water for the pani, but their puris are always crispy.
3. Dahi Bhalle: Yogurt Laden Delhi Street Food
Here’s a Delhi street food that few international travelers know about!
Dahi bhalle (also known as dahi bhalla) basically refers to spongy lentil dumplings. After being deep-fried to golden brown perfection, they’re soaked in water, then gently squeezed to remove excess moisture. They’re then soaked in creamy yogurt and topped with heaps of chutneys and spices.
(Credit: Neera Ramdhonee)
What makes dahi bhalle doubly special are the garnishes. Some vendors add sweet tamarind chutney, roasted cumin powder, mint chutney, pomegranate seeds, red chili powder, black salt, and (of course!) the iconic chaat masala. It wouldn’t quite be street food in Delhi without chaat masala!
If you ask me, one of the best stalls for dahi balle in Delhi is Natraj Dahi Bhalla Corner. This place is something of a legend in the city since it dates all the way back to 1940.
(Credit: Shradha Hedgire)
Local Tip: If you’re visiting Delhi in the summer, you can always ask the vendor for “thandi dahi”. They’ll serve it with extra-chilled yogurt kept in clay pots that maintain a refreshing temperature even on hot days.
4. Aloo Tikki: Delhi Street Food For Indian Style Veggie Burgers
Aloo tikki is so popular in India that you’ll even find it on the local McDonald’s menu!
These deep-fried potato patties are flavored with herbs and a whole lot of spices like garam masala, dried mango powder, and finely chopped green chilies. Many vendors also add boiled peas, corn, or finely chopped carrots to the mix. The patties are dusted with a thin layer of breadcrumbs, then fried.
(Credit: Shradha Hedgire)
While still hot out of the fryer, the patties are slightly flattened, then topped with whipped yogurt, sweet tamarind chutney, spicy mint-coriander chutney, and a sprinkle of chaat masala.
Whenever I’m in Old Delhi, I always head to Ashok Chaat Corner near Chawri Bazaar. This stall is especially known for its chaats, but I’ve always been a huge fan of their aloo tikki. Unlike other places, they usually double-fry their patties to create an exceptionally crispy texture.
(Credit: Puneet Sharma)
8. Jalebi: Super Moreish Delhi Street Food
Well, I’m sure this one needs exactly zero introduction!
Easily recognizable by its bright orange, spiral shape, jalebi is an insanely popular sweet treat that consists of deep-fried batter soaked in sugar syrup.
(Credit: Alisha)
The yogurt and flour batter is fermented for a day, which may explain its distinctive tangy undertone. The batter should be thick enough to hold its shape but fluid enough to be piped into the characteristic spiral pattern.
The cooking process is a spectacle in itself. You’ll see vendors piping the batter directly into hot oil in circular motions to create those funnel-cake-like shapes. Once they crisp up, the hot jalebis are fished out of the fryer, then plunged in a huge vat of rose, cardamon, and saffron sugar.
(Credit: Neera Ramdhonee)
In my opinion, the best jalebis have a crisp exterior with a soft, syrup-soaked, slightly chewy interior. The sweet syrup does tend to ooze out with every bite. It’s messy to eat, but I promise it’s totally worth it!
I’ve had a few different variations in Delhi:
Regular Jalebi: The standard version that you’ll find just about everywhere.
Imarti: A more intricate variation made from urad dal (split black gram) batter, with a flower-like pattern.
Rabri Jalebi: Jalebis topped with thick, sweetened reduced milk.
Local Tip: While this is more of a Nepalese thing than Indian, I suggest wrapping your hot jalebi in a puri (you’ll find this fried flatbread all over Delhi as well). There’s something about the salty-savory flavor that just elevates the experience!
(Source: Nanda Mithai Bhandar)
9. Momos: Delhi Street Food With A Nepalese Twist
Okay, momos may be one of the most popular Nepalese street food, but it’s quickly one of the most popular Delhi street food as well. They’re basically flour dumplings stuffed with meat or vegetables. Once pleated and shaped, the momos are steamed in a metal steamer until the wrapper becomes translucent. Some vendors also pan-fry their momos.
(Credit: Neera Ramdhonee)
Now, if you’ve had momos in Nepal or Tibet, you’re probably familiar with the mild tomato sauce that’s served with them. In Delhi, though, they’re served with a fiery red chutney made from chilies, garlic, Sichuan pepper, and tomatoes.
I’m also a huge fan of tandoori momos that are often marinated in yogurt and spices, then finished off in a tandoor. On a cold winter’s day, nothing hits the spot better than a plate ofjhol momos served in a delightfully comforting, tangy soup. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, I strongly recommend chocolate momos, which were apparently invented right there in Delhi!
(Credit: Ravi Singh)
If you’re visiting Lajpat Nagar Market, be sure to check outDolma Aunty’s stall. This spot is something of a legend in the area. The stall was apparently started by a Tibetan immigrant (Dolma Aunty) who apparently created the famous red chutney to suit Delhi palates.
10. Kachori: Delhi Street Food For Fans Of Fried Snacks
Kachori is a deep-fried pastry filled with a spiced mixture. The filling varies, but most of the kachoris I’ve eaten contain a mixture of mashed potatoes, yellow split lentils, and black gram. The mixture is usually flavored with coriander, red chili powder, ginger, and cumin.
(Credit: Neera Ramdhonee)
In Delhi, you’ll also find a variety known as ‘pyaaz kachori’. This usually refers to kachori stuffed with fried onions instead of potatoes and dal. I noticed that pyaaz kachori tends to be juicier and way more flavorful than the dal counterpart.
Both varieties are traditionally served with a sweet tamarind sauce that you can dip the kachori in. One of the best places to try it in Delhi is Jung Bahadur Kachori Wala that’s been operational since 1971. It was even recognized by the Hindustan Times as serving the best street food in Delhi.
(Credit: Prashant Gupta)
Local tip: Even if it’s not on the menu, most vendors will be happy to serve your kachori chaat-style if you ask them. This is my favorite way of eating kachori. They’ll break it up and cover it with the sweet tamarind chutney, a dollop of whipped yogurt, and crunchy fried sev.
11. Kulfi: Delhi Street Food To Beat The Heat
Unlike Western ice cream, kulfi isn’t whipped with air. As such, you can expect a far richer frozen dessert that’s got an almost chewy quality to it.
(Credit: Neera Ramdhonee)
Traditionally-speaking, kulfi is made by slowly reducing full-fat milk to about one-third of its original volume. A vendor told me this process that can take four to six hours, and they need to keep stirring the whole time to keep the milk from burning. This reduced milk concoction (locally known as khoya) is then sweetened with sugar. It’s also flavored with cardamom, saffron, rose essence and nuts. Then, it’s poured into conical molds and frozen.
Once set, the vendors remove the kulfi from its mold, then place it in a leaf bowl and cut it into discs. Some places top their kulfi with chopped almonds or pistachios.
(Credit: Amit Grover)
One of the oldest kulfi establishments in Delhi is Kuremal Mahavir Prasad Kulfiwale, established in 1908. They’re especially known for their stuffed fruit kulfi, where various fruits are hollowed out, stuffed to the brim with kulfi, and frozen again.
Local tip: For the ultimate experience, ask if the vendor can make you a kulfi falooda, another popular Delhi street food. A special rose-saffron milk is poured over the chopped-up kulfi. The whole thing is then topped with sweet vermicelli noodles and basil seeds to create a thick, refreshing drink.
(Credit: Nafisa)
Now that you’ve munched your way through its eclectic street food scene, how about planning a fun evening out in Delhi?
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