Delhi has a fair share of fantastic restaurants that, more times than often, tend to fall on the pricier side of things. However, we understand the end-of-the-month spotty circumstances or leaping to trim your budget for a big-ticket purchase. Hence, we are here to shed light on some amazing and affordable options in the Indian capital. Whether you have a soft spot for succulent kebabs, spicy curries, crispy dosas, or healthy soups, Delhi is dotted with eateries that serve delectable goodies to meet modest budgets without compromising on hygiene or quality. So, without further ado, we bring you our top picks of the best cheap eats in Delhi.
1. Rajinder Da Dhaba
Situated in Safdarjung Enclave, this restaurant has been delighting foodies with vegetarian and non-vegetarian delicacies for over 5 decades. Once a conventional Dhaba, this food joint is now a trendy affair famed for a variety of kebabs, mutton korma, chicken burra, dal makhani, tawa paneer, kadhai paneer, makhmali fish tikka, and more. You can also sample kathi rolls and some stellar Chinese dishes here. Dine comfortably at this joint for a mere INR 600 for two people.
📍Opposite Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi
2. Indian Coffee House
This historic, no-frills eatery is the go-to place for authentic and wholesome South Indian cuisine. Conveniently located at Connaught Place, it serves everything from dosas, idlis, upma, filter coffee, and pakoras to omelettes, sandwiches, vegetable cutlets, chowmein, and finger chips. Feel free to try their delicious cold coffee with ice cream, tender mutton dosa, or spicy keema omelette. You and a friend can experience good food while enjoying heart-to-heart chats without spending over INR 500.
📍38, Bungalow Rd, Kamla Nagar, Delhi
3. Big Yellow Door
If you can stretch your budget for cheap eats to around INR 1,000 for two, consider visiting Big Yellow Door. You can relish a variety of sandwiches, burgers, pasta, and pizzas in a contemporary environment boasting quirky décor. Opting for their flavourful salads and soups for as little as INR 99 can help curb your expenditure. You can further pick from their wide set beverage menu offering variations of delightful coffees, coolers and even shakes!
📍Satya Niketan | Dwarka, Sector 9
4. Kake Da Hotel
Boasting multiple locations, Kake Da Hotel lets you enjoy the best of North Indian and Mughlai cuisine without wrecking your wallet. By shelling out around INR 400 for two people, you can dig into flavourful dishes like Saag Gosht, Keema Kaleji, meat biriyani, chicken tandoori, and dahi meat. Vegetarians can indulge in aloo matar, shahi paneer, palak paneer, and seasonal subzi. The eatery further offers roti, naan, parantha, and pulao as accompaniments.
📍Connaught Lane, Connaught Place, New Delhi
5. Rajasthali
Regarding hearty vegetarian cheap eats, Rajasthali at Connaught Place steals the show with its lavish ethnic thali. The thali is super filling, and the menu keeps changing to keep things interesting by combining different types of rotis, dals, vegetables, appetizers, chutneys, sweets, and a special dish. The spread comes equipped with pickles, salad, papad, lemon, and mirchi. Most importantly, you must shell out only around INR 400 per thali to dine like royalty.
📍C-26, Middle Circle, Connaught Place
6. Karim’s Hotel
Since 1913, this no-frills Mughlai food joint near Jama Masjid has been dishing out lip-smacking delicacies like rolls, chicken and mutton Jahangir, reshmi seekh kebab, and mutton korma. From naans, kulchas, rotis, rice, and shorbas to rich curries, gravies, tikkas, and kebabs, Karim’s thrills foodies effortlessly. You will also find vegetarian dishes like dals, paneer dishes, and tender malai kofta. Sweet treats such as gajar ka halwa, kheer blazer, or shahi tukda are popular too. Depending on your appetite and what you order, eating here can cost between INR 700 and INR 1600 for two people.
📍Gali Kababian, Jama Masjid, Old Delhi
7. Moolchand Parantha
Conveniently situated near Moolchand Metro Station in Lajpat Nagar, this low-key but ever-bustling eatery is known for its tasty, crispy paranthas. You will find all kinds here, whether you prefer the traditional ones made with potatoes and onions or something modern like chili garlic. Paranthas made with classic components like paneer, gobi, mixed veggies, keema, and chicken fly off the shelves here. Enjoy them with a flavoured lassi, raita, or chai. Moolchand is one of the top places for cheap eats, as it costs about INR 400 for two to indulge heartily.
📍Lala Lajpat Rai Marg, Vikram Vihar, Lajpat Nagar
8. Saravana Bhavan
Looking to relish traditional South Indian dishes without blowing your budget? Saravana Bhavan, with its multiple outlets, can meet your gourmet desires. Shelling out only around INR 700 can help you and a friend have a pretty scrumptious meal. This vegetarian chain of restaurants is known for preparations such as rava masala dosa, ghee paper roast dosa, dahi vada, kara dosa, rava khichdi, ghee idli, and thalis.
📍Various locations across the city
9. Khan Chacha
Present in multiple locations, Khan Chacha has been serving scrumptious Mughlai dishes since 1972. It is also one of the best options for cheap eats in Delhi, with a budget of around INR 500 enough for two people. From rolls and kebabs to curries and biryani, Khan Chacha offers something for every foodie. Whether you are partial to chicken, mutton, fish, paneer, or veggies, you will find dishes that complement them all. Popular desserts like phirni, gulab jamun, and shahi tukda are highly recommended.
📍Khan Market Walking Plaza, Khan Market, Sujan Singh Park
10. Jain Chawal Wale
If you crave simple, wholesome, and tasty food, Jain Chawal Wale is your end stop. It costs around INR 450 for two people to enjoy a decent meal at this place. Kadhi chawal, rajma chawal, shahi paneer chawal, tawa parantha, chole bhature, chole kulcha, and chur Bhateri naan platters are among the top dishes offered.
📍Baba Kharak Singh Rd, Block P, Connaught Place