Eat On The Street – Delhi’s Roadside Food Scene

‘Delhi belly’ is feared by any visitor to India. It’s a real shame that this sobriquet for traveller’s diarrhoea has stuck – the food scene, and in particular the street food scene in India’s capital is simply fabulous. Guidebooks and others may warn you away from street food, but it’s a question of going by recommendation, and following the crowds.

Old Delhi’s street food stalls or shops are all about super specialisation. Generations of unchanged recipes, and a knowing clientele whose taste buds these shops have defined make for a smorgasbord of memorable dishes. Delhi being the capital of a hugely diverse, multicultural subcontinent means that you can find an enormous variety of food from all over the country – stuffed roti from the north, spicy fish curries from Kerala, delicious Bengali sweets, to name a few. Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi has a very large number of such shops.

A guided street food tour is a great way to experience all of this – start shortly after breakfast, and slowly wander the stalls and shops, grazing as you go with the advice of an expert guide. There’s something for all tastes, spicy and non-spicy, and even the most worldly of foodies is bound to taste something they’ve never tasted, or heard of, before.

Make it happen

Check out our India holiday pages for more details of what do and see, as well as itinerary ideas. All our trips are private and can be tailor-made to your requirements and dates.