Where to Eat in Delhi If You Don’t Like Indian Food
Not everyone that comes to India likes Indian food. I once travelled with an American couple who lived on peanut butter and grilled cheese sandwiches for three weeks. Thankfully the food scene in Delhi has evolved since then. Now there are lots of places in Delhi where people who don’t like Indian food can eat.
How do I know about all these restaurants? I usually cook Indian food at home, so when I go out I like to try different cuisines.
In addition to my personal non-Indian food restaurant choices, I polled a large group of expats to find out what their favourites were.
Where to Eat in Delhi If You Don’t Like Indian Food
Delhi has a good international food scene now, so you won’t starve or have to live on peanut butter like my friends did.
Most of these restaurants are located in areas expats and tourists frequent: Connaught Place, Khan Market, Malcha Marg, Vasant Vihar and a few in the burgeoning restaurant scene at Malviya Nagar.
Use the map I created (link above) to help you figure out which ones are close to you.
Here are my favourite non-Indian restaurants in Delhi:
International & Continental Restaurants
- Social: popular casual franchise with several locations – menu is a mix of Indian and international
- Big Chill: another extremely popular chain of restaurants with a varied international menu
- Diggin Cafe: casual cafe with nice outdoor spaces and good pasta
- Plats: international cuisine, casual chic restaurant – excellent
- Qla: innovative European food, very nice restaurant
- Perch Wine & Coffee Bar: several locations but I think Vasant Vihar is the best
- Amour: cafe with great food and nice atmosphere, one of the best places in Delhi for breakfast
- Rose Cafe: very pretty upscale cafe
- Grammar Room: I think this is the best cafe in Delhi
- Dos: inventive menu, very nice
- Fig at Malcha: super popular all day cafe near the American Embassy
- Lavonne Cafe: bakery and cafe connected to the Lavonne Academy of Baking Sciences and Pastry Arts
- L’Opera: Indian high end bakery chain, serves light meals also
- PAUL: international high end bakery/cafe has a couple of locations in Delhi
- Cafe Dori: all day breakfasts and pet friendly
- Sly Granny: well liked restaurant with varied menu
- Colocal Chocolates: chocolate store that also has a cafe, Delhi has two locations
- Atrium at the Imperial Hotel: excellent high tea buffet in Delhi
American Restaurants
- Mission Bay: higher end restaurant with focus on California cuisine
- Chard: excellent burgers
- Pete’s Delhi: New York City deli style sandwiches (or pretty close to it)
Italian/Pizza Restaurants
- EVOO: excellent pizza and pasta
- Leo’s Artisan Pizza: long regarded as Delhi’s best pizza, several locations
- Olive: upscale Italian restaurant
- Cafe Dali: fine dining restaurant meant to feel like Nonna’s
- Sorrento: Italian upscale dining at Delhi’s luxurious Shangri-La Hotel
- Diva – the Italian Restaurant: many expat’s favourite Italian restaurant in Delhi
Asian Restaurants
- Dalgrak: authentic Korean food at the Korean Cultural Centre
- Guppy: fun vibe with excellent Japanese style foods
- Bo Tai Qutub: high end Asian restaurant that becomes more of a club after 9 pm
- Shang Palace: possibly Delhi’s best Chinese restaurant at the 5 star Shangri-La Hotel
- MKT: menu is mix of Indian and Asian, located in Delhi’s luxury brand shopping mall, the Chanakya
- Boya: Japanese and Peruvian fine dining
- Ping’s Cafe: fun restaurant with a variety of Asian foods
Mexican Restaurants
- Miss Margarita: casual vibe, decent Mexican food
Middle Eastern Restaurants
- Layla’s Shawarma and Middle Eastern Cuisine: the best casual eatery with Middle Eastern food in Delhi
Restaurant Food Delivery
Many of these restaurants offer delivery through food delivery services Swiggy or Zomato. These are both apps you can download to your phone.
I’ve never used Swiggy, but I do use Zomato. I don’t know if Zomato works with an international number (they send you an OTP), but Swiggy is supposed to. Both should accept international credit cards. I’ve used mine with Zomato.
Last Words on Where to Eat in Delhi If You Don’t Like Indian Food
As you can see there are plenty of places in Delhi where you can eat if you don’t like Indian food. Not only is there a lot of choice, it’s also excellent.
