How to Eat Local and Stay Healthy in Delhi
Until you have eaten in the lanes and had chai from the seller on the corner, you have not had the full Delhi experience. To really appreciate Delhi, you must know how to eat local and stay healthy.
Thousands of people eat this way every day, and you can too by following a few simple guide lines.
How to Eat Local and Stay Healthy in Delhi
I know you’ve probably been told not to eat the street food and been warned about Delhi Belly. Most visitors arrive believing this. But I live here, and it’s a huge misconception.
Sure, you can get sick – there are unhygienic places, but getting sick from street food is the exception, not the norm.
If this is your first trip to Delhi, read my complete guide and suggested itineraries for first time visitors.
What is Eating Local?
Eating local means eating from the carts and stands that abound everywhere. You will see them in Delhi’s markets, beside office buildings and attractions, next to metro stations, under highway flyovers and in parks.
Delhi is the food capital of India, and the street food scene is huge.
Eating local also means eating at dhabas. Dhabas are simple roadside restaurants where you can often see the food being prepared. These places look super humble, but the food can be excellent – and very cheap.
How to Eat Like a Local Safely
It is possible to eat local food from the streets and dhabas in Delhi and stay healthy. Once you know what to watch for you can pretty much eat anywhere in the city.
I regularly eat street food and honestly think it’s more delicious and fresher than half the restaurants in Delhi. It’s also cheap and one of the best things about Delhi.
Tips on How to Safely Eat Street Food
- Choose busy stalls with a lineup or steady traffic. Locals know where the good food is, and a busy stall means fresh ingredients.
- Avoid meat but some kababs are okay. If the kababs are cooked in front of you and it’s a busy shop it’s probably fine, but use discretion.
- Avoid lassi (the yogurt drink) or any cold drink that is not in a sealed bottle. You could safely drink these in a restaurant like Haldiram’s.
- Chai (tea) is safe since it boiled.
- Do not eat street food during summer and monsoon season. Food spoils quickly in this type of weather.
- Absolutely no ice – it may have been made with unfiltered water.
- Drink only bottled or filtered water. Delhi tap water is not safe to drink.
- Wash your hands or use disinfectant wipes before eating.
A Safe Alternative to Street Food
If you want typical street food but are still concerned about hygiene, eat at Haldiram’s. You’ll find many street food favourites like gol gappa, papdi chaat and chole at Haldiram’s, and there are numerous locations across Delhi.
Even locals who never eat street food, eat at Haldiram’s. The restaurant chain is famous for their high standard of food and hygiene. My friends and I eat at Haldiram’s all the time.
Haldiram’s restaurants are cafeteria style. You order and pay at the cash, pick up your food, then take it to your table. All food and drinks are safe to consume.
Haldiram’s also sells pre-made packaged foods, namkeen (savoury snacks), traditional Indian sweets and cookies. It’s actually one of the best sweet shops in Delhi.
Two Great Street Food Markets in Delhi
If you want to do a sort of food crawl or DIY food tour Chawri Bazaar and Amar Colony Market are good for that. Chawri Bazaar is in Old Delhi, so it’s a little crazy, but Amar Colony Market is in South Delhi and a lot calmer.
Chawri Bazaar in Old Delhi
Chawri Bazaar is one of the oldest markets in the city, and some food shops have been there for many decades. It’s basically Delhi’s street food headquarters.
This area is extremely congested, noisy and dirty. It can be intimidating, but there is some truly fantastic food. Most tourists opt for a food tour, but you can do it yourself with my Old Delhi self-guided food tour. The food really is great.
My personal favourites are: Jain Coffee House for fruit and paneer sandwiches, Hira Lal Chaat Corner for kuliya (fruit) chaat and Shyam Sweets for gajar or mung dal halwa. It’s closed on Sundays.
Amar Colony Market
Amar Colony Market is one of my favourite spots in Delhi for street food. The area was settled by immigrants, so there’s lots of variety. It’s also a lot easier to navigate and less crazy than Chawri Bazaar.
Like all Delhi markets, it gets busy in the evening, so if crowds are not your thing, go in the afternoon. Food stalls generally open from noon onward.
My favourites in Amar Colony Market are Hunger Strike for momos, Tunday Kababi for mutton galouti (soft) kababs and Aunty Momo for Tibetan dry laphing (do not confuse with Dolma Aunty Momo). It’s closed on Mondays.
What to Do If You Get Sick
Chances are if you follow my tips on how to eat local and stay healthy, you’ll be fine, but this is what to do if you do get sick:
- Rest.
- Drink water, even if it’s just sipping (bottled or filtered water only).
- Rehydrate with oral rehydration salts.
- Stick to a very bland diet, like the BRAT diet until everything is settled (bananas, plain rice, apple sauce, dry toast).
- If symptoms persist more than 24 hours go to a pharmacy and ask the pharmacist for something. They will know what to give you. Medicine is not expensive in India.
- If in doubt see a doctor (Delhi has excellent medical care).
If you have to travel while experiencing symptoms, carry tissues, hand wipes and small change for public toilets. You may want to consider taking Imodium.
The truth is if you eat street food and dhaba food enough, you will eventually get sick. It’s happened to me too. But considering how often I eat local (twice a week at least), I’ve only been ill a few times – and only one of those was from actual street food.
Last Words on How to Eat Local and Stay Healthy
Now that you are aware of how to eat local and stay healthy, go find out why Delhi is a foodie’s paradise. Great food is absolutely everywhere in the city, and the best way to experience Delhi is by seeing and tasting!
