Top 10 Affordable Restaurants in Delhi: Best Dhabas

Looking for affordable restaurants in Delhi that will delight your taste buds with traditional dishes of Indian cuisine? Don’t worry, in India’s capital city, there is lots of great food at reasonable prices!

Sure, you can spend hundreds of dollars on a meal if you want to. After all, the city of Delhi offers plenty of fine dining options and Michelin-starred restaurants.

However, the best restaurants for authentic experiences are the local favorites. And that means very casual dining at Delhi’s dhabas.

And who better to tell you about the Best Dhabas in Delhi than someone who lives in this fascinating city and frequents these eateries? So, below is an article by Suzanne, from Suzanne Wanders Delhi, to give you the inside scoop on these budget restaurants in Delhi.

Traditional Indian foods available at the most affordable restaurants in Delhi aka Dhabas — Some traditional Indian foods available at the most affordable restaurants in Delhi, aka dhabas

What is a dhaba?

In India, dhabas are casual roadside restaurants that serve simple, fresh food at budget prices.

Delicious Food

These are very humble establishments and don't look like much, but the food is usually delicious. It’s always freshly made, and often there’s an open kitchen so you can see everything being prepared.

Eat Like a Local

Dhabas are where the locals eat. At lunchtime, they are full of office workers, and on weekends and evenings they are full of families. The décor may not be much to look at, but the food will be excellent.

Best Budget Restaurants

Food trucks, food courts, cocktail bars, and dessert parlors are all known for their cheap eats in Delhi. And don’t get me wrong, you should try some Dehli street food from a food truck, a few quick bites from a food court, and maybe even french fries at a fast food restaurant.

But for frugal food lovers who want the epitome of a traditional Indian restaurant, dhabas are the perfect place. Not only is eating at a dhaba an excellent way to keep your Delhi visit on a budget, it’s also an authentic cultural experience.

Tandoori chicken from a street food vendor in Delhi

Best Dhabas in Delhi

Keep in mind that not all dhabas have bathrooms (and if they do, they may be very basic), but there is always a sink for hand washing, which I strongly recommend you use!

Also, there may not be forks and knives, but there will be spoons. Lots of Indians don’t use cutlery.

I’ve eaten at all sorts of dhabas around Delhi. They range from something you’d call a quaint little cafe to a step above a food stand. The following are the most popular and some of my favorites:

1. Rajinder Da Dhaba

Every Delhiite knows Rajinder da Dhaba in South Delhi. It started as a single stand decades ago, and now this popular restaurant takes up almost the entire market block.

For the very best prices, go in the evening when the Rajinder X-Press take out window is open. Order your food, and eat it in the parking lot like the locals. People use their motorcycle seats as dining tables!

If that’s a little too bare bones for you, stick to the downstairs restaurant where the food is the same, but the prices slightly higher.

Everything is good at Rajinder da Dhaba, but my top picks are the chicken curry and tandoori meats—they’re truly outstanding!

Rajinder da Dhaba: AB-14B, Nauroji Nagar Marg, Safdarjung Enclave, Delhi

Indian spices at the Khari Baoli market — Visit the spice market before or after your meal at the next budget Delhi restaurant.

2. Kake di Hatti

The vegetarian restaurant Kake di Hatti gained momentary fame when Jamie Oliver visited and confirmed its reputation as the King of Naan (this dhaba makes a giant naan that feeds 4 people). Despite this, you won’t see many tourists at this well-known Old Delhi eatery.

It’s located around the corner from Delhi’s famous spice market, Khari Baoli, and easy to find. It only serves vegetarian food, but the dhals (stewed legumes) are great.

In winter, get the seasonal specialty sarson ka saag and makki ki roti (mustard leaves with corn flat bread). This is one of the very best versions in Delhi, and super healthy.

Kake di Hatti: 654-655 Church Mission Road, Khari Baoli, Old Delhi

Kake si Hatti Dhaba in Old Delhi — The winter specialy at Kake di Hatti, sarson ka saag.

3. New Prem Dhaba

This longtime neighborhood favorite has lots of veg and non-veg food to please everyone. The most popular item on the menu is butter chicken—this place is famous for it.

This dhaba is on a busy road in Karol Bagh, which is a mixed residential and commercial neighborhood not far from the heart of Delhi. This is a very vibrant part of the city, full of hustle and bustle and well known for its markets.

If crowds aren’t your thing, come during the day. But if you want the full-on experience, visit the neighborhood on a Sunday afternoon for some budget shopping, and finish with a meal at New Prem Dhaba.

New Prem Dhaba: New Rohtak Rd, Block 69D, Dori Walan, Karol Bagh, New Delhi

4. Roshan di Kulfi

The name might be misleading because this local eatery serves a lot more than kulfi (Indian ice cream). Roshan di Kulfi is, in fact, one of the most legendary dhabas in Delhi.

First established in the 1950s after Partition, it grew from a stand serving ice cream with dry fruit to what it is today: an iconic part of the Karol Bagh neighborhood in Delhi.

Everything is great here: the thali trays (sampler platters), chole bhature (spicy white chickpeas with deep-fried bread), and of course kulfi faluda (an ice cream specialty). Meat eaters, be warned: Roshan di Kulfi’s menu is 100% vegetarian.

Roshan di Kulfi: No. 816, Ajmal Khan Rd, Karol Bagh Market, New Delhi

One of the legendary dhabas in Delhi, Roshan di Kulfi — One of the legendary vegetarian dhabas in Delhi, Roshan di Kulfi

5. Dhaniya Da Dhaba

It’s easy to miss Dhaniya da Dhaba. It’s a small dhaba tucked away in Amar Colony, but make the effort to find it because the food is fantastic.

One of the best things about this dhaba is the open kitchen, which allows you to see the staff making rotis (traditional, unleavened flatbreads) in the dhaba’s traditional tandoori oven.

Rotis from a tandoori oven are exceptional—crispy and full of flavor. Besides, Dhaniya da Dhaba has the best deal: They will refill your plate at no extra charge. It doesn't get much better than that when it comes to cheap eats in Delhi!

Even in the off hours, this dhaba is busy with locals. Share a table if there are no empty ones—doing so is the norm at this friendly restaurant.

Dhaniya da Dhaba: 6/41 Old Double Storey, Amar Colony, Nirmal Colony, Block 6, Lajpat Nagar IV, New Delhi

Sharing at table at Dhaniya da Dhaba — Sharing a table with a stranger is the norm at the always-busy Dhaniya da Dhaba.

6. Laxman Fast Food

If you’re visiting the Qutub Minar, one of Delhi’s world heritage sites, take an auto rickshaw to Laxman Fast Food. It’s located beside Sanjay Van Park close to several of Delhi’s most expensive restaurants.

You’ll have a real dhaba experience here, eating under a tarp roof on the roadside with all the locals.

Laxman has a great selection of veg and non-veg dishes, but the most famous item on the menu is the keema parantha—an Indian flatbread stuffed with chopped mutton.

Even one of Bollywoods’s biggest stars, Ranbir Kapoor, ate here while filming in Delhi.

Laxman Fast Food: G5PM+J96, Qutab Institutional Area Rd, Opp. IIFT Main Gate, Katwaria Sarai, New Delhi, Delhi

7. Karim’s

Karim’s is the one dhaba in Delhi you might actually see tourists in. It’s located in Old Delhi, in the windy lanes near Jama Masjid. The dhaba specializes in Mughlai cuisine and serves the same recipes that were once served to the Mughal royal household.

The original proprietor was a chef in the royal palace, and his recipes have been handed down for generations.

While there are vegetarian options on the menu, Karim’s is famous for non-veg dishes. For a main course, try the mutton khorma, tandoori chicken, or seekh kebab.

For dessert, make sure you try the kheer (Indian rice pudding). It’s served the traditional way in a small clay bowl that you can keep as a souvenir (otherwise, the bowl just gets thrown away).

Karim’s now has restaurants around Delhi, but the original location in Old Delhi is by far the best place and has a great ambience.

Karim’s: 16, Gali Kababian, Jama Masjid, Old Delhi

Naan and roti in a tandoori oven — At some of the dhabas in Delhi, you can see the naan and roti being made in a tandoori oven.

8. Kwality Dhaba

This is a very popular West Delhi eatery with good food, so it is busy all the time. It’s completely vegetarian, but it serves all kinds of soya chaap tandoori rolls (a popular meat substitute in India). There is so much variety, even meat eaters will be happy here.

A local friend brought me to this dhaba when I was living in West Delhi and I still eat here when I’m in the area.

I recommend ordering a chaat (Indian-style snack) and a thali, which is basically a buffet on a tray, so you’ll be able to try a few different things.

Kwality Dhaba: WZ38, Shri Satyapal Bajaj Marg, Meenakshi Garden, Ashok Nagar, New Delhi

9. Kake-da-Hotel

If you only eat at one dhaba in Delhi, it should be here. It’s a genuine Delhi icon. Centrally located in Connaught Place, it has served politicians, artists, and Bollywood actors. Practically everyone has eaten at Kake-da-Hotel at some point.

Kake-da-Hotel is famous for chicken curry and tandoori rotis, but the dhals and veg dishes are also good. The food does tend to be on the spicy side, so make sure you have plenty of rotis and order some raita or yogurt to cool down your palate.

As one of the top restaurants in the Indian capital, this eatery is always busy and there’s often a queue outside. Crowded and hectic, it always brims with energy. This is a fun place at which to eat if you can go with the flow.

Kake-da-Hotel: Shop No. 67, Municipal Market, Connaught Circle Connaught Place, New Delhi

Dahl splashed windows at Lake da Hotel — Dahl-splashed windows at Kake-da-Hotel

10. Lal Dhaba

For a traditional dhaba experience, Lal Dhaba is the ultimate place. It is literally roadside, with no indoor seating. It serves veg, non-veg, and Delhi’s version of Chinese cuisine at seriously budget prices. In fact, it’s one of the cheapest places to eat in Delhi.

The food is good, especially the paneer lababdar (paneer in cashew sauce) and pineapple raita. But if you’re really concerned about cleanliness, skip this one. There’s only so much hygiene you can depend on with cooking and eating on the roadside.

This is an especially good spot to come after visiting one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions, the Feroz Shat Kotla Fort: It’s only a few minutes away.

Lal Dhaba: B-3, Kotla Marg, ITO, Mandi House, New Delhi

The Wrap-Up on Delhi Dhabas

Thali, one of the best cheap eats in Delhi — When in doubt, order the thali, basically a sampler platter and one of the best cheap eats of Delhi.

Dhabas are wonderful spots for cheap food in Delhi. You might very well be the only tourist in many dhabas, but Delhiites are welcoming and will be thrilled a foreigner is trying out the local joint.

Keep your expectations in check: These are humble spots—some more humble than others! But what you can expect is fresh, authentic food at very budget prices.

You may also like these additional articles on India food travel:
Street Food in Delhi
Food in Kochi Kerala, India
Must-Try Food in Rajasthan