While the experience of eating street food where it belongs (on the streets) is unparalleled, some restaurants have done a good job of adopting some of these dishes and making them their own. Gol guppas, vada pavs and pav bhaji are brought to tables in fancy crockery instead of being served in disposable plates. Some of these dishes are also modern takes on traditional street food, like gol guppas served with different types of water and pav bhaji flavoured with thyme butter. Whatever the dish and its iterations may be, eating street food in a restaurant that’s otherwise reserved for fine-dining can be fun. It’s an opportunity to drop the table manners and use your hands, and no one can frown upon it. We list some restaurants in Delhi that serve street food in a fine-dining setting:
Indian Accent
Indian Accent has been the darling of the culinary world ever since it opened. The restaurant has won multiple accolades and carved a niche for fusion Indian food, which has been replicated by other establishments. Indian Accent’s potato sphere chaat with white pea ragda is Chef Manish Mehrotra’s take on the aloo tikki. It’s a refined version of the street food classic, made up of crispy potato balls that come with ragda. The atta and semolina puchkas are served with five types of water and Calcutta-style jhal potatoes. Fusion food is Indian Accent’s specialty and the fancy chaat here lives up to its reputation.
Location: The Lodhi, Lodhi Road, CGO Complex, Pragati Vihar, New Delhi.
Timings: Daily, noon-2.30pm; 7-10.30pm.
Cost for two: ₹4,000
Farzi Cafe
Farzi Cafe is known for its creative take on Indian food and the street food here is no different. Think bhutte ki tart with butter popcorn and masala dust, papdi chaat nacho, ‘Farzified’ vada pav and margherita kulcha. The food at Farzi Cafe is a nod to both tradition and innovation, with most dishes being a combination of the two. Mains include pav bhaji with thyme butter and desi chowmein, among others. End your meal with a coconut and jaggery brulee or ras malai tres leches. Don’t miss the chuski margarita in the drinks section; it’s Farzi’s take on Delhi and Mumbai’s favourite barf ka gola.
Location: E-38/39, Rajiv Chowk, Inner Circle, Block E, Connaught Place, New Delhi.
Timings: Daily, noon-1am.
Cost for two: ₹2,200
Mister Chai
Mister Chai is a sophisticated restaurant located within the Shangri-La Hotel. The place specialises in Indian street food with a modern twist. Enjoy snacks like namak pare and shakkar pare with the multiple types of chai on offer, including masala chai, cutting chai and kadak chai. If you’re hungry, try the more substantial dishes like vada pav, keema pav and anda bhurji pav, or ‘petit raj kachori’, aloo chaat made with baby potatoes, kale patta chaat (a take on the popular palak patta chaat) and bread pakora stuffed with cottage cheese. Mister Chai’s butter chicken samosa is also well known.
Location: Lobby Level, Shangri-La Eros New Delhi, 19 Ashoka Road, Connaught Place, New Delhi.
Timings: Daily, 10am-8pm.
Cost for two: ₹1,300
