“I felt completely safe and though it is a busy, intimidating place, I still got to let my guard down and enjoy the hustle and bustle fully.”
— Sara, 2026
01 Food tours
Original food tours, curated with our local tastemakers to showcase the neighbourhood kitchens, markets and family-run eateries that define Delhi.
02 Meet the tastemakers
The local food experts who help us research, refine and lead every A Chef's Tour.
Tandoor charred kebabs, slow simmered Mughlai curries, kachori snacks, saffron in the biryani. Delhi still cooks the last great Mughal table.
04 The pantry
- Ghee, clarified butter that carries Mughal richness
- Basmati rice, long-grained aromatic rice for biryani and pulao
- Kasuri methi, dried fenugreek leaves finished over curries
- Saffron, imported Kashmiri strands for kebabs and biryani
- Amchur, dried mango powder for the sour edge in chaat
05 In the kitchen
- Roasting seekh kebabs in a clay tandoor at fierce heat
- Layering dum biryani in a sealed pot for slow steam cooking
- Slow-simmering dal makhani overnight with butter and cream
- Pounding fresh spices in stone mortars for garam masala
- Pulling rumali roti paper thin over an inverted iron dome
06 Eat this first
- Butter chicken, tandoori chicken bathed in a tomato and cream gravy
- Chole bhature, spiced chickpeas with a puffed fried bread
- Dal makhani, black lentils simmered overnight with butter
- Paratha, ghee-flaked flatbread stuffed with potato or radish
- Jalebi, coiled batter fried and soaked in saffron syrup
What happens inside a hammam kitchen
A morning with the cooks who feed the neighbourhood before dawn. Charcoal, dough, the smell of a bakery working its second oven.
10 Field Notes
Quick field notes to help you get accustomed to Delhi.
Weather
Extreme continental. Hot summers (45°C plus in June), cool winters (near freezing in January with heavy smog), and short, pleasant spring and autumn windows (October–November, February–March).
Currency
The Indian rupee (INR). Cash for auto-rickshaws, markets, and street food. Cards in restaurants, hotels, and malls. UPI (Paytm, Google Pay) dominates for locals.
Language
Hindi and English are both official. English is widely spoken in business and tourism. Punjabi and Urdu are also common.
Etiquette
Modest dress at religious sites. Cover shoulders, knees, and (in Sikh gurdwaras) hair. Remove shoes before entering temples, mosques, and homes. Use your right hand to eat.
Getting around
The metro is clean, cheap, and covers most of the city. Signage is bilingual and women-only carriages are marked. Uber and Ola both work; auto-rickshaws require haggling or a metered fare.
Prayer
Deeply pluralistic. Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Jain, and Buddhist communities all have major sites. Fridays quiet the Muslim quarters. Sundays fill the churches.