Delhi is the food capital of India and entices foodies from across the globe. But in the present day and age, what exactly is Delhi food? Is it the chhole bhature in Delhi or the Mughlai food in Delhi or parantha gali Delhi fare? Let us face it, the plethora of food options in Delhi is absolutely mind-boggling.

The capital of India was shifted from Calcutta to Delhi in the year 1911. This action by the British government was a milestone that charted the path for modern Delhi. Consequently, Delhi became the melting pot of culture and food. A syncretic food language evolved in Delhi and kept moving with times.

From food blogging experience, we can say that the last decade has been the age of cafes in Delhi. Be it a variety of cuisines, or themes; Delhi is home to some of the best cafes in India. New cafes in Delhi open almost every day. What we have realised is there is a shift in approach towards cafes in Delhi NCR. The focus earlier was on providing a “cool” ambience where people could hang out over food and beverages. Over time, best restaurants and cafes of Delhi, especially tea rooms,  have become another expression of creativity. Some of these beautiful places in Delhi NCR display an unabashed artistic flair. These cafes are definitely among the most romantic places in Delhi and next time you want to go out for a date – we have this list.

Beautiful cafes in Delhi

Café dining in Delhi has been a wholesome experience for us. The artful décor at a café has positively added to our dining experience. Witnessing the transformation from traditional to contemporary art and handicraft in Delhi is exciting. But when art is fused with food, it is not only about satiating the belly but also satiating the soul. In our opinion, artistic spaces are some of the best cafes in Delhi that deserve to be experienced through all the senses.

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Here is a list of artistic cafes in Delhi that are more than food. We shall be adding to this list as and when we discover new places.

Triveni Terrace Café, Mandi House

Triveni Terrace Café is located inside Triveni Kala Sangam and is run by the group that runs Lota, Roots, and Monsoon. The café has two sections. There is a room inside simply done with basic furniture. But it is the outdoor section that we are fans. More like a portico, it opens to the amphitheatre that is full of trees. The greenery around is so serene that one does not miss the air-conditioning. No wonder there is always waiting at this section.

Where is Triveni Terrace Café: Tansen Marg, Mandi House Circle, Opposite FICCI Auditorium.

Triveni Terrace Café nearest Metro: Mandi House.

Triveni Terrace Café menu: Eclectic fusion food that is Indian at heart. We love their beetroot halwa and pakoras or fritters made of apple slices. Also, do check out the day’s specials.

Café Lota, Crafts Museum, New Delhi

Café Lota is an outdoor dining space that is part of the government-run Crafts Museum, New Delhi. It is decorated with many Indian art forms like Lippan wall art done with clay in Gujarat to beautify homes. A host of plant beds, along with cooler fans, control the temperature here. They have covered the space with tin shades and chik or Indian twig blinds. Every element is in great harmony and there is always long waiting time.

Where is Café Lota: National Crafts Museum, Bhairon Marg, Pragati Maidan.

Café Lota nearest Metro: Pragati Maidan

Café Lota menu: Multi-cuisine dishes covering specialities from all over India, but with a twist. They have created interesting platters that combine dishes from 2 or more states of India. We also recommend sabudana popcorn, aam (mango) ke gol gappe, and apple cinnamon jalebi.

Carnatic Café, Lodhi Colony

Carnatic Café at New Friends Colony is a little off-route. Yet whenever we are in the vicinity we drop in. Apart from the great food, the ambience and the artful décor are alluring. The walls have modern paintings as well as colourful leather puppets from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Photographs from the beautiful state of Karnataka also create a connection. Brass vessels of yore add to the effects.

Where is Carnatic Café: India Mall, New Friends Colony.

Carnatic Café nearest Metro: Sukhdev Vihar

Carnatic Café menu: Vegetarian South Indian, especially home-style cuisine from Karnataka. Must-tries according to us are dumplings paddu, rice flour batter akki roti, ghee dosa, and filter coffee.

Rose Café, Saket

Rose Café is an inconspicuous place from outside. But when you walk in, you are transported to a tea parlour in Enid Blyton era. Mint colour walls with light pink rose bushes adorn the walls and antique lamps and festoons add an old-world festive feel. Gingham sofa and table cloth and chintz print crockery cast a romantic spell. There is a strong sense of European aesthete here that is soothing to the eyes.

Where is Rose Café in Delhi: Saket, near Garden of Five Senses.

Rose Café, nearest Metro: Saket Metro Station.

Rose Café Menu: They serve cakes, scones, sandwiches, variety or bakery, tea, and coffee.

Greenr Café, Delhi and Gurgaon

When we manoeuvred the narrow lanes of Shahpur Jat, we did not know what to expect of Greenr Café, a vegan restaurant in Delhi. Once we reached and walked up, a beautiful open space greeted us. The café, also a co-working space, sported an earthy yet contemporary décor. Naturally illuminated thanks to the glass wall, modern artwork donned the space. We loved the colourful photograph hung, not on the wall, but an easel. The simple furniture also had a quirky twist.

Where is Greenr Café: They have now opened at Basant Lok, Vasant Vihar, New Delhi, and 32nd Avenue, Sector 15, Gurgaon

Greenr Café menu: They serve vegan food, that is food that does not contain any animal produce even milk. We loved the faux meatballs they made out of jackfruit and also vegetarian sausages.

Garvi, Gujarat Bhawan

Garvi, Gujarat Bhawan is a sprawling palatial building covering over 7000 square metres. It has been constructed using marble and stone from Agra and Dhaulpur. The lobby has a host of artistic furniture and accessories that reflects the rich craft heritage of Gujarat. Carved swing benches, ornate mirrors, and a lattice partition wall give the space a royal feel. Gujarat’s celebrated weave, the Patan Patola is used as furnishing.

Where is Garvi, Gujarat Bhawan: Akbar Road, New Delhi.

Garvi, Gujarat Bhawan Metro: Race Course Metro Station.

Garvi, Gujarat Bhawan menu: Garvi Gujarat Bhawan serves vegetarian Gujarati Thali that comprises many kinds of dal, vegetables, chutneys and pickles, roti and other Indian breads and khichdi.

Potbelly, Delhi NCR

Potbelly is a Bihar food chain with restaurants inside Bihar State building, Bihar Niwas; another one at Shahpurjat, and the latest outlet is in Gurgaon. The décor is modern rustic yet colourful. Quirky art pieces dawn these spaces. Madhubani paintings from Bihar have been used generously. We love the Madhubani-painted ceiling lamp at the Gurgaon outlet. The restaurant inside Bihar Niwas opens up to a garden that enhances the artfulness inside so many folds.

Where is Potbelly: Bihar Niwas, Tikendrajit Marg, Chanakyapuri; another one at Shahpurjat and latest one at 32nd Avenue Gurgaon.

Potbelly menu: They serve vegetarian and non-vegetarian Bihari food that is much more than Litti-chokha. Do try the Bagiya Basket that comprises rice dumplings and host of chutneys and relishes.

Chaayos, Connaught Place

There are innumerable Chaayos outlets in Delhi NCR now. We are partial to the CP outlet because of their artistic approach. The walls are adorned with quirky colourful maps and digital prints that go beyond the concept of tea. Delhi is a common theme in the wall art and at times, we wish these were up for sale here. Additionally, this outlet is like a maze with rooms in all directions and many cosy corners. We love peeking into the various rooms before deciding where we want to sit.

Where is Chaayos, Connaught Place: First Floor, M Block Radial, Connaught Place.

Chaayos M Block Metro: Rajiv Chowk.

Burma Burma, Gurgaon, and Delhi

Burma Burma, as you can guess, is about Burmese food. Not only food, the place is all about Burmese art. The restaurants are tastefully done up with Burmese handicrafts, dolls, prayer beads, Buddhist wheels. They have neat Mandala paintings on the walls and oversized wood bells hang from the ceiling. In fact, we saw copious use of wood and bright colour lacquer. The washroom in the Gurgaon outlet is made with wood and cane. It is almost like a museum of Burmese art. Ambient lighting and well-thought wall colours make the artefacts stand out. Yet, no element is out of place and does not distract one from the dining experience.

Where is Burma Burma: CyberHub, Gurgaon, and Select City Mall, Saket.

Burma Burma nearest Metro: Cybercity Rapid Metro Station Gurgaon and Malviya Nagar Metro Station respectively.

Burma Burma menu: Burmese food with a twist – it is vegetarian. Their tea leaf salads, stuffed pao bread, coconut jaggery combination dessert and green tea varieties are must-tries.

Café Staywoke, Gurgaon

This has to be one of the prettiest spaces in Gurgaon. It is a white and turquoise colour scheme with cool graffiti and paintings on the walls. A swing bench hanging from the ceiling and other pieces of wood furniture adds earthy tones. It is subtle, not on your face, décor, and when we entered, the whole space looked like a Mario Miranda painting. The cafe transported us away from the traffic on the Golf Course Road and the buzz in the mall in a jiffy.

Where is Café Staywoke: South Point Mall, Golf Course Road, Gurgaon.

Café Staywoke nearest Metro: Sector 53-54 Rapid Metro Station.

Café Staywoke menu: They serve continental, Italian, and Asian food. Their fusion fare – beet and coconut soup, Chai Parle G Kulfi are must-tries.

Spezia Bistro

Spezia Bistro is a visual delight with its cozy, artsy vibe and a stunning Sakura tree right in the center. This tree is practically an invitation for selfies, making it a hotspot for photo enthusiasts. Adding to the café’s charm are the neon signs that give it a glamorous touch. The dishes here aren’t just Insta-worthy but also surprisingly delicious. Without a doubt, Spezia Bistro ranks high on our list of the most Instagrammable cafes in Delhi NCR.

Pro-tip

There is a single common factor among all these places. The above places have a relaxing ambience created with the aid of art. In addition to the dining experience, you may need some time to absorb the artwork as well. Plus these cafes often have waiting. To make the most of the experience, do have sufficient time on hand.
Some of these places do not have proper parking arrangement. It may be wise to use public transport such as metro rail or radio taxi.