Where to eat this July… in Delhi-NCR

It’s July, and while the weather gods haven’t exactly been generous in giving the city’s residents any respite, Delhi’s dining scene continues to make up for it. This month brings a fresh crop of openings and concepts worth stepping out for—from a wellness-driven cafe in Hauz Khas to a cult UK cookie brand arriving in Meherchand Market. The city’s obsession with south Indian fare shows no signs of abating, with crowd favourites Nadoo and Café Athyeka expanding across Delhi-NCR. Add to that a host of limited-time menus and collaborations, and there’s plenty to bookmark for the weeks ahead.

New openings

Public Supply, Hauz Khas

Hauz Khas is in the spotlight. Again. Between The Drop, Soda Shopp, and now Public Supply, the neighbourhood has added several new stops in recent months. Chefs Megha Kohli and Noah Louis Barnes bring colour and vibes to the wellness-focused cafe Public Supply. There are the healthy menu staples—cold-pressed juices like Pink Glow (strawberry, kiwi, apple, and orange) and Green Stuff (kale, cucumber, coconut water, spinach, avocado, green apple, lemon, mint, and chlorella), protein-packed smoothies, alongside functional drinks infused with collagen and ashwagandha. The food includes açai bowls such as Nutty Monkey with Brazilian açai berries, banana, peanut butter, and berry jelly topped with granola; sourdough focaccia sandwiches like Caprese Energy and Tuna-cado; and salads such as Cure Me Well, loaded with grilled tofu, edamame, avocado, and pickled watermelon drizzled with tahina dressing. The real plot twist is the cinnamon roll with cinnamon butter and cream cheese frosting, because...balance.

Ben’s Cookies, Meherchand Market

The longest queues at Meherchand Market lately? They’re outside Ben’s Cookies. The cult UK brand that opened at Oxford’s Covered Market has officially made its Delhi debut through a partnership with DS Group, starting Meherchand Market’s own cookie face-off; sitting just a few steps is the homegrown favourite Fes Café & Desserts. Ben’s is serving its signature chunky, warm, gooey, and indulgent cookie creations. The menu features 13 signature flavours, including milk chocolate chunk, dark chocolate chunk, macadamia-white chocolate, and orange-milk chocolate. There are also cookie shakes and cookie ice-cream sandwiches for those looking to fully commit to the sugar rush.

Nadoo at The Kitchens, Sikanderpur, Gurugram

Following its debut in GK-3 earlier this year, restaurateur Sahil Sambhi’s modern south Indian restaurant Nadoo has expanded to Gurugram with a second outpost at The Kitchens. The new space combines contemporary design with familiar southern influences—think exposed brick walls, a porch, skylights that flood the room with natural light, and a suspended brass swing couch that has quickly become the most coveted seat in the house. A live kitchen adds to the theatre.

At the helm is Shri Bala, a food historian and the first Indian chef to feature on Gordon Ramsay’s Uncharted, the television series where he explores regions around the world, including Kannur in Kerala, in search of culinary inspiration. Her menu explores the breadth of south Indian cuisine beyond the usual staples. Highlights include the Russell Market raan layered with slow-roasted spices, green chilli chicken bao inspired by Bengaluru’s iconic Nagarjuna, Shivaji Nagar military donne biryani, and a pongal pouch dessert featuring chakara pongal.

Dave & Buster’s, Tagore Garden

Dinner and entertainment no longer need to be separate plans. The US restaurant and entertainment chain Dave & Buster’s, known for combining arcade gaming, sports viewing, and dining, has arrived at Pacific Mall in Tagore Garden after launching in Mumbai and Bengaluru. While the brand’s largest presence remains in America, it also operates internationally in markets like the Philippines, the Dominican Republic, and Australia, among others. The Delhi outlet brings with it over 40 arcade games, like Rabbids Hollywood and Jurassic Park Theatre, virtual gaming zones, and India’s first Nitro Bowling with Spark technology (an augmented reality experience). The food menu is a crowd-pleaser, with everything from chilli paneer and Mexican skewers to burgers, flatbreads, and pastas, alongside cocktails like a tequila-based blackberry margarita and Captain’s Passion (spiced rum and passionfruit) to pair with.

Dvara, Kailash Colony

If your idea of a good hangout involves conversations over cocktails instead of bar hopping between three different places, add Dvara to the list. The new bar in Kailash Colony is designed around the idea of slowing down. Read: earthy tones, mood lighting, and multiple nooks, from quieter corners and a private cigar room for small gatherings to a lively central bar and a breezy balcony for when you need a break from the action.

The cocktail menu features drinks like the Peru Picante, Thai Pornstar, Punch Berry LIIT, and Ward 36, while the food menu skips predictable bar snacks in favour of dishes like prawn tom yum golgappas, Asian ramen chaat, chong qing chicken, and truffle mushroom dim sums.

Café Athyeka, Meherchand Market

How can we tell that Meherchand Market is becoming a serious food destination? Its other new arrival—the Noida crowd favourite Café Athyeka, a contemporary south Indian restaurant founded by Sheetal Saxena.

The space takes cues from south Indian homes, art, and textiles, with warm lighting, Madras-check upholstery, and plenty of old-world charm. The menu celebrates the region’s diversity through dishes like Karimnagar wings, Chicken 65, vegetable stew with appam, Andhra pulao, and Chettinad chicken curry paired with flaky Malabar paratha. If you’re the kind of diner who struggles to pick just one thing, go straight for the Athyeka Plate, which brings together regional favourites such as palak pappu, rasam, pachadi, and biryani or pulao, alongside a choice of starters and curries. Round it off with one of their filter coffees, available with additions like chicory and cinnamon.

The Window at Hotel Diplomat, Chanakyapuri

A Dumbo sandwich in one hand and a Perch coffee in the other is no longer a two-stop plan. At The Window inside Hotel Diplomat, Chanakyapuri, the pairing now exists under one roof. On one side, Dumbo Deli brings its cult-favourite sandwiches, from the Florentine to newer additions like the halloumi-filled Lola and burrata-loaded Bella. On the other, Perch Wine & Coffee Bar handles the drinks—specialty coffee, ceremonial-grade matcha, cold brews, smoothies, and a lineup of wellness-forward sips. There are breakfast jars, fresh bakes, and bowls in the mix too.

Atmanam at Galleria, Gurugram

Considering Delhi-NCR’s current obsession with podi, filter coffee, and everything in between, you should have seen this coming. With outlets in Elan Miracle in Sector 84 and AIPL Joy Central in Sector 65. Atmanam now arrives at its newest address in the popular Galleria Market. The menu sticks to what it does best: serving comforting south Indian food without unnecessary reinvention. Think mini podi idlis drenched in ghee, crispy dal vada, fluffy benne dosa, and payasam for dessert.

San San, Gurugram

Gurugram’s Golf Course Road has a new Asian spot on the block, San San at AIPL Masterpiece, and it keeps things refreshingly unfussy. It’s a modern Asian menu that moves from cold plates to small bites and larger mains, with dishes like lychee carpaccio, spicy tuna tartare, no-nori sushi with Vietnamese asparagus, truffle corn ribs, gochujang chicken yakitori, and bird’s eye chilli prawns. The space keeps things fairly understated with soft lighting and warm textures. It’s the kind of place that works well for a weekday dinner or one of those meals that ends up stretching a little longer than planned.

Limited menus and pop-ups

‘Nazm-e-Nizam’ at Qavalli, Nehru Place

Some food festivals are really just an excuse to eat more biryani. ‘Nazm-e-Nizam' is one of them. Running till the end of this month at Qavalli in Nehru Place, the limited-edition menu draws inspiration from the dastarkhwans of Hyderabad’s nizams. The spread moves between Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, and West Bengal, bringing together dishes like Hyderabadi lukhmi, Shikampuri kebab, Talawa gosht, Guntur chilli paneer, and chenna matar pasanda. The mains include bagara baingan and Andhra mutton pepper fry to Dak Bungalow chicken curry and chingri malai curry, alongside two biryanis: a Hyderabadi chicken biryani cooked in the kacchi style and a Kolkata mutton biryani with potato and egg. Whichever side of the biryani debate you’re on, you’ll leave happy.

‘Hong Kong Festival’ at Royal China Delhi, Chanakyapuri

If a trip to Hong Kong isn’t on the cards this summer, Royal China brings a slice of the city’s culinary landscape closer to home. Running till July 10, its ‘Hong Kong Festival’ menu draws from familiar street-side flavours and Cantonese staples that define the region’s food culture. The limited-edition menu features dishes like English cucumber salad, chilli mushroom, prawn wonton noodle soup, crispy lotus salt and pepper, steamed chicken with mushrooms, and chopped crispy fried pork.

There's a special cocktail menu too, with drinks inspired by Hong Kong’s landmarks and traditions. The Victoria Sparkler combines plum- and galangal-infused vodka with Aperol and sparkling wine, while The Fire Dragon brings together cayenne-infused tequila, clarified watermelon, and wasabi. Round things off with a Hong Kong egg tart, one of the city’s most beloved sweet treats.

Summer menu at Mira’s, Defence Colony

With mango season nearing its end, Mira’s has launched a new summer menu built around seasonal flavours and lighter plates. Start with the compressed watermelon-feta salad or opt for the Vietnamese summer rolls filled with tofu and avocado, chicken or prawns. If you want something more filling, there are comforting bowls of khao suey, Japanese katsu curry, and a lineup of sandwiches, including a prawn sando, blackened chicken sandwich, and smashed mushroom sando. The drinks menu is equally summer-ready, featuring cocktails like Mira’s Picante and Paloma alongside specialty coffee and a zero-proof espresso martini for those skipping the alcohol.

‘Ponté Di Grammie’ at Grammie, Sangam Courtyard, RK Puram

A new cocktail menu, ‘Ponté Di Grammie’, is giving Grammie’s bar programme a Mediterranean twist this summer. The 15-drink menu is organised into four themes—Forest, Garden, Orchard, and Sea—and experiments with ingredients such as jamun, vetiver, curry leaf, miso caramel, celery, and even palo santo.

Standouts include the jamun-forward Wild Canopy, the papaya- and curry-leaf-laced Curry Up, Papaya, the kokum-infused Mandarita, and Low Tide, a savoury blend of whisky, miso caramel, and coconut. The cocktails span a wide spectrum of flavours, from bright and tropical to smoky and savoury, making it easy to find something that suits your palate.

À la carte menu at Pendulo, Mehrauli

Until now, dining at Péndulo meant settling in for one of its tasting menus and letting the kitchen lead the way. The restaurant in Ambawatta One has introduced its first à la carte menu, giving diners a more flexible way to experience its distinctive blend of Indian and Mexican flavours.

The menu features dishes like habanero butter chicken, chipotle lobster, mulato chilli raan, and lamb birria taco, which has quickly become one of its most talked-about plates. Vegetarians are equally well catered to, with options such as yam tostada chaat, Himalayan gucchi cottage cheese, makhani mole artichoke, and rasam quesadillas. The agave-forward cocktail programme continues to be part of the experience.

Summer menu at Pour Over Coffee Roasters, Chanakyapuri

Pour Over Coffee Roasters is making a strong case for extended coffee breaks this season. The cafe at Santushti Complex, Chanakyapuri, has rolled out a new summer menu built around refreshing brews, lighter meals, and seasonal flavours. Coffee remains the star, with drinks like the Orange Americano, Orange PO Tonic and Raspberry ETC bringing a citrusy twist to your usual caffeine fix. There are also cold brews in multiple avatars, including vanilla sweet cream cold brew, cold brew lemonade, and cherry brewade.

On the food front, expect everything from Shokupan French toast and Mediterranean shakshouka skillet to quinoa salads, burrata, empanadas, and sourdough sandwiches. If you're in the mood for something more substantial, there are pastas, pizzas, and burgers too. And because no cafe visit is complete without dessert, the tiramisu, lemon mousse, and baked cheesecake are all waiting in the wings.

‘Taste of Thai’ at Nara Thai, Gurugram

Weekday lunches don’t have to be at your desk. Nara Thai’s new ‘Taste of Thai’ menu, available Monday to Friday from 12 pm to 3:30 pm at Godrej GCR, brings together a five-course Thai meal for ₹1,250 plus taxes. The idea is simple: diners can mix and match their way through soups or salads, small plates, mains, staples, dessert, and a beverage, making the experience feel a lot more personal than your average set menu.

The lineup includes some of Nara Thai’s most popular dishes, from tom yum and tom kha soup and raw papaya salad to chicken satay, crispy betel leaves, Thai red and green curries, phad Thai noodles, and tub tim grob for dessert.