Where to eat this November… in Delhi-NCR

November’s looking good for Delhi-NCR’s appetite. Aerocity has a new all-day destination where you can squeeze in a game of pickleball before settling down for a meal. Dhan Mill gets a restaurant that gives handmade pasta, coffee, and artisanal mithai equal attention, and MG Road has two new places to check out, one serving Sri Lankan hoppers and the other making a case for handmade Asian noodles.

There’s plenty happening at familiar favourites, too. The Brook in Gurugram has a new Tuck Shop cocktail menu with nostalgic flavours such as aam papad and imli making their way into the mix. Second Born in GK-2 is giving its bar snacks a fresh spin, Andrea’s is exploring Asian street food, and Kamei at Eldeco Centre is bringing ingredients such as pandan, rambutan, and Sichuan pepper into its cocktails. Meanwhile, Khi Khi in Vasant Vihar has turned to its regulars for inspiration, with a refreshed menu shaped by three years of feedback.

Here’s what’s worth bookmarking this month.

New openings and launches

Casa Dunes, Aerocity

This newly opened hangout in Aerocity brings together a pickleball court, dining, coffee, music, and wellness in a desert-inspired setting. The food menu covers all-day breakfast, with croissant sandwiches, crepes, and toasties alongside burgers, wraps, poke bowls, and hand-tossed Neapolitan pizzas for a more substantial bite. Casa Dunes will also host pickleball leagues, wellness session alongside chef-led experiences, and seasonal gatherings, giving you a few more reasons to return beyond the food.

Nama by Arq, Dhan Mill, Chhatarpur

This festive season, Dhan Mill has turned into a full-blown shopping hub, with very few F&B spots to break up a day of browsing. Thankfully, Nama by Arq offers everything from good coffee and freshly baked bread (the dough is fermented for 72 hours) to comfort dishes that make for a satisfying meal. There’s an artisanal mithai atelier here, too, given that the venture comes from Neha Lakhani and Ashay Dhopatkar, the chefs behind Arq mithai. Some of the more interesting combinations include Scarpetta & Cornicione, which pairs an Italian-style tomato salsa with pizza crusts served on the side, and Ivide Veru hummus, which layers smoked aubergine with curry leaf oil and podi masala peanuts. Mum’s Recess shrimp toast takes its cue from school lunchboxes, and the Mutton Pacher(i) pasta is handmade. Pair the food with drinks like Nama Cloud, made with iced espresso, oat-millet milk, and soft toffee cream, or the Banana Brûlée Latte with caramelised banana, cinnamon, and a brûléed cream topping. The restaurant is pet-friendly, and is working on a menu especially for its four-legged guests.

Nara Thai, Aerocity

Nara Thai brings a taste of Bangkok to Worldmark 6, Aerocity. The menu brings together Thai favourites like tom yum soup, som tam, pad Thai and Massaman curry, with plenty of options for vegetarians too. The curry pastes and sauces are made in Thailand and shipped to the restaurant, while fresh ingredients like sweet basil and lemongrass are sourced locally. If cocktails are more your thing, don’t miss the Tom Yum Twist, Bangkok Burn or Pandan & Coconut.

Nanama, The Gallery on MG, MG Road

There’s more to Nanama than its hoppers, but we’d suggest starting with them. The new restaurant takes its cues from southern Indian and Sri Lankan kitchens, serving bowl-shaped pancakes with crisp edges and soft centres, just right for mopping up its curries. The small plates bring their own mix of flavours: mini gunpowder idli with ghee podi and cashew, mutton pepper fry, prawn paniyaram with coconut chutney, and jackfruit pepper fry samosa with spicy tamarind chutney. The curries come in sharing portions, with options such as horse gram curry, raw mango curry, pulled jackfruit gassi, and Sri Lankan black pork curry. Add Kerala red rice or ghee rice, or go straight for one of the biryanis, including donne chicken and Ambur mutton.

Madam Xi Noodle House, The Gallery on MG, MG Road

If you have a thing for noodles, you’ll want to spend some time at Madam Xi. Here, handmade noodles and broths are the main draw, with options such as knife-cut noodles in dan dan broth and Flare rice noodles with Yunnan’s famous Crossing-the-Bridge broth. But don't stop there. There’s prawn truffle har gaw, chicken xiao long bao and lamb and green onion pot stickers, alongside wok dishes and robata preparations. The Thai basil stone bowl and Cantonese black pepper stone bowl deserve a look, too.

Dodicci, The Ashok, Chanakyapuri

Dodicci, a European-style restaurant and bar, brings a little drama to both the table and the glass. The menu takes inspiration from across Europe, with dishes such as shrimp with stuffed jumbo olives, lamb meatballs with orzo and shiitake, lamb pepperoni pizza and pan-seared potato gnocchi with hazelnut romesco. The Dodicci special tiramisu, finished at the table, is a good one to end the meal with. The bar has its own concept, too: The 12 Residents is a line-up of 12 character-led cocktails. Try Benito Brine, with whisky, gherkin, citrus, and maple, or Margaret Bellamy, made with mozzarella-washed vodka, tomato water, and basil-oregano syrup.

Upside, Basant Lok, Vasant Vihar

Asian small plates are the focus at Upside, where chef Vikram Khatri takes a more adventurous route through Japanese and southeast Asian flavours. The rambutan ceviche, with its mix of fruit, vegetables, and a punchy sauce, the kanpachi tiradito and the bread and brie with hot honey and saffron miso were among our favourites when we visited. Robata dishes add another dimension to the food, while the cocktails are grouped by flavour profiles. Here’s our review.

New menus and specials

Nostalgic cocktails at The Brook, Cross Point Mall, Gurugram

Take a walk down memory lane with The Brook’s new Tuck Shop cocktail menu, which brings back the flavours of childhood with a grownup twist. The eight new drinks include Aam Aadmi, a spicy, savoury take on aam papad made with tequila, clarified tree tomato, and dalle chilli tincture, and PG Coke Float, which reimagines the classic cola-and-ice-cream combination with white rum, house-made Coke reduction, and vanilla liqueur foam. There’s also Kabootar, a tequila-based take on the Paloma with notes of imli, while The Naga Firecracker pairs Naga pineapple with chilli, with the heat kicking in towards the end. For a little more nostalgia, try Narangi Sour, which comes with an orange goli on a wooden stick to drop into your drink.

A bar snack makeover at Second Born, GK-2

The snacks at Second Born have got a makeover. There’s crispy patatas bravas with spicy tomato salsa and garlic aioli, karaage chicken tossed in Sichuan chilli oil and served with lemon mayo, and chorizo on toast layered with fig and pepper jam and finished with whipped feta. The more playful combinations include guacamole papad with garlic chutney and khechiya papad, and onion rings made with dosa batter and served with sambar masala and podi mayo. This is a menu best enjoyed with a group—order a few plates and pass them around.

Asian specials at Andrea’s, multiple outlets

Green papaya salad with chilli soy dressing, chicken drumsticks marinated overnight in Indonesian spices, and corn grilled with ponzu butter and togarashi give you a taste of what to expect from Andrea’s latest menu. Called Asian Street Food Culture, the special selection takes inspiration from Thailand, Indonesia, China, and Japan. The Thai dishes include som tam, yum woon sen with your choice of prawns, chicken or pork, and grilled Thai chicken with nam jim jaew. Then there are spicy Szechuan wontons, chicken wonton noodle soup and cumin lamb with roasted cumin and dried red chillies. Ayam goreng, served with a spicy tomato sauce, rounds off the Indonesian offerings. The menu is available à la carte across Andrea’s restaurants until November 30.

New cocktail menu at Kamei, Eldeco Centre

Kamei’s new cocktail menu is a good reminder that there can be more to a drink than your usual citrus and fruit combinations. The second edition of Indigenous Asia takes inspiration from the bar team’s travels across east Asia, particularly Korea, and brings together 12 cocktails, including eight new creations and four returning favourites. Expect ingredients such as pandan, black rice, jackfruit, rambutan, bonito, shoyu, and Sichuan pepper to show up in rather unexpected ways. Sake Cha mixes vodka and mirin sake with apricot, white tea, and shiro miso, while Island Sour brings together pandan whisky, black rice, coconut, and jackfruit. Midori Highball takes a more refreshing route with whisky, limoncello, Green Chartreuse, yuzu, and makrut soda. Then there’s Bonito Bay, where bonito flakes lend tequila an umami edge, and Shoyu Martini, which pairs gin with soy sauce, watermelon, and tomato. This one’s for anyone who likes a little adventure in their glass.

A regulars-inspired menu Khi Khi, Vasant Vihar

Three years after opening, Khi Khi has turned to its regulars to help shape its next menu. Founder Navdeep Singh Sethi and chef Megha Kohli have worked on a new selection that brings together dishes like dosa waffle aloo chaat, Delhi 6 chicken with a chilli-butter and cream emulsion, and Bombay Keema Flatty. Pulled jackfruit nihaari comes with khameeri, while potli fish is paired with kasundi and coconut bhetki. Colonial Mutton Curry served with Malabar parotta rounds off the more substantial plates. The cocktails have a few surprises of their own. Kathal Highball pairs jackfruit with bourbon, while the Fancy Martini is a savoury take on the classic, made with Tanqueray and carrot pickle. Aari Aari combines tequila with spiced jamun and khatti-meethi candy, thought of during a screening of Dhurandhar. Corn Star has sustainability at its heart, using every part of the corn, including the leaves, to make the foam. Non-drinkers have a dedicated thirst quenchers section, too.

Local flavours reign at Ziya, The Oberoi, Gurugram

Gurugram may be better known for its high towers than its food traditions, but Ziya’s new menu looks beyond the skyline. Curated by Michelin-starred chef Vineet Bhatia, it takes inspiration from the area’s journey from a village to a global hub, bringing together flavours from Haryana, Delhi, and Punjab with a contemporary Indian touch. Start with the Amritsari Satpura samosa, murgh chapli kebab or tandoori avocado, before moving to Black Gold Mutton, dum aloo guchi or Chowk ki Nalli. The Tandoori tangdi changezi is another one to look out for. For dessert, there’s mango malai tres leches and an avocado popsicle.