Among the shops, offices and houses in Old Delhi 's crowded streets, simple, grubby, unadvertised hole-in-the-wall food halls serve surprisingly good, and invariably fiery, Indian dishes for less than Rs20. There are few upmarket places in the heart of Old Delhi, but a number of larger, cleaner restaurants on the outskirts offer surroundings more conducive to leisurely and relaxed eating.

 

Chor Bizarre , Hotel Broadway , 4/15 Asaf Ali Rd. Pure, but pricey, Kashmiri tarami and wazwan , made all the more enjoyable by imaginative decor and a servery made from a 1927 vintage Fiat.

Karim's , Matya Mahal. In a side street opposite the south gate of the Jami Masjid, with the best and widest range of meat dishes (as well as the usual veg) in the city. Four eating halls round a courtyard all serve delicious fresh kebabs, hot breads and curries. Has been a favourite of Delhi-ites for years; there are other branches in Delhi including the more expensive one in Nizamuddin.

Moti Mahal , Netaji Shubash Marg, Darya Ganj. On the noisy main road south of Jami Masjid, this once smart restaurant, established in 1947, may have seen better days but is still renowned as the home of tandoori chicken.

Natraj Bhalla Corner , Chandni Chowk. Right next to the Central Bank, midway along Chandni Chowk. Cosy first-floor snack bar with a few window seats and a limited menu comprising Indian, Western and Chinese options.

Paratha Wali Gali , Chandni Chowk. Opposite the Central Bank, down an alley that leads behind Kanwarji Raj Kumar Sweet Shop. Follow the smell of rich ghee (the lane's hallmark from more than a century dedicated to paratha -making) to any of the several tiny rooms squeezed behind counters displaying pure veg food. Here you choose a paratha to go with standard veg dishes, filled with anything from paneer and gobi to mutter and mooli, all cooked to order, a culinary treat that will set you back around Rs30.

Soni Bhojnalaya , Nai Sarak. First-floor restaurant at the top of a yellow staircase opposite Bina Musical Stores, 30m off Chandni Chowk. Great thalis in typically Indian unfussy surroundings.

Vig Coffee House , Chandni Chowk. A small snack stall just over from the Red Fort serving excellent coffee, cold drinks, samosas, toasties and veg burgers.