Delhi is a chaotic city with its narrow lanes, bottleneck traffic jams, crazy driving skills and fast paced life – but we Delhiites know when to lighten up! In this post, I bring to you Top 12 Cafes to eat in Delhi NCR and watch the city go by while you sip your hot cuppa.
The best feeling in the world is when the plate arrives to my table at restaurants. The excitement and thrill on my face is evident and my eyes sparkle with joy. I confess, I am a foodie. I dream about food and the thought of food makes my worries go away 🙂 And may you never see me hangry [Yes, that’s a word Hungry + angry] because I am a totally different person when that happens.
See that smile, straight from the heart 🙂 
Let me click a picture first!
Food is Love!
The amalgamation of aroma, presentation of food, taste and the aesthetics of the place adds up to our sensory appeal. Food is a form of craftsmanship which communicates to the heart without words.
Over the past decade, cafes have become as essential part of the Capital’s personality. Huge french windows, garden/terrace seating, skilled baristas brewing your coffee, well planned fusion cuisine on your platter and quirky decor are characteristic of the best cafes in Delhi NCR.
12 Best Cafes in Delhi NCR
If you are searching for a cafe to have your Sunday brunch, or somewhere to dillydally with your phone, work on your laptop, meet friends over a cup of coffee – Delhi NCR’s cafes got your back. I drank a lot of coffee and ate loads of waffles around the city to bring to you the best cafes in Delhi NCR.
1. Cafe Dori
Escape the hustle bustle of South Delhi and follow the road towards Chhatarpur, on your right you will see an unnoticeable blue gate of Dhan Mill. Behind that door lies Cafe Dori, one of the best cafes in Delhi NCR region that incorporates a gift store, work space and a pet friendly Pan-European Café.
The menu has been influenced by European home style cooking, try their Mushroom baked eggs, Gambas al ajillo and winter green risotto. They offer a wide variety of locally sourced coffee menu that includes both hot and cold brews like French Press, Espresso, Matcha Latte, Affogato, Coffee Tonic etc. They also have a separate menu for your pooches.
Must Try: Garlic and rosemary fries, Mango Croffle [seasonally available] and Kombucha.
Pro-tip: If you are going for brunch, then I suggest you reach half an hour before to reserve your table. They start serving at 12 noon and specially on the weekends the place is full.
2. Hamoni: Cafe By The Greens
A picturesque place with a view of a golf course and extensive menu that includes Parsi, Bengali and European dishes makes it an ideal spot for breakfast and high tea. Hamoni: Cafe By The Greens draws inspiration from the flourishing era of golf clubs before independence. Hamoni has ample seating space inside and outside, huge french windows, a reading corner and minimalistic interiors to entice their patrons.
Must Try: Hot chocolate with marshmallow, Cheese balls and Sumac chicken platter.
Pro-tip: You can take golf lessons here. Hamoni also hosts regular ‘Wine and Paint’ events in its premises.
3. 2 Tree Cafe
Do you like good food? Good ambience? Minimalist decor? Are you environmentally conscious? Are you a coffee connoisseur? If you answered in affirmative then you have to check out ‘2 Tree Coffee Cafe’ at PVR Saket.
This cafe in Saket is a much needed space for people like me, who loves food, positive vibes, conversation and coffee. I frequent the cafe a lot and found the following the best from their menu:
- Ms.Daisy Burger
- Southern Belle Sandwich
- Cafe Bombon
- Mazagran black coffee
- California wrap with garlic fries
- Asparagus rolls (veggies and cheese stuffing)
- Dips – Basil pesto, Haideri, chilli garlic aioli, boom sauce, apple butter and garlic aioli.
The USP of 2 Tree Coffee is that they serve Conscious Coffee that believes in supporting communities and not commodities. The decor is soothing – full of positivity and I loved the choice of music (Buddhist chants). The owner, Arav knows his coffee well. If you are confused and can’t decide what to order, then just ask him. He will suggest you the best according to your taste.
Must Try: Sweet Potato Fries and The Gypsy burger.
Pro-tip: You can ask for vegan options at 2 Tree Coffee and also see the what amount of milk, espresso and hot water goes into your coffee and ask your barista to adjust it as per your preferences.
4. Hale and Hearty Cafe
Found this really amazing place called ‘Hale and Hearty’ at Hauz Khas. If you are a health freak and wants to eat clean and fresh ingredients then your search ends here. The menu is loaded with gluten free, dairy free, even on demand vegan dishes. They use a lot of fresh avocados, kale, quinoa, Ragi and fresh fruits in their recipes.
The owner is a dietitian herself and makes sure that every meal is perfectly balanced with fibre, protein and good carbs. We sampled their Kale, spinach, banana and pineapple smoothie (who knew green smoothie could taste soooo good), Nutella gluten free brownie (just melted in the mouth), Burrata berry rocket salad (my favourite), quinoa and grapes salad with balsamic glaze, hummus bowl with arugula salad and crispy quinoa, pumpkin spiced soup, avocado chorizo with goat cheese, and wheat cookies. Phew it was such a treat, a riot of flavours and visually appealing to the senses.
Must Try: Burrata Berry Rocket Salad, Green Goddess Smoothie and Gluten free brownies.
Pro-tip: They have limited seating space but the food makes up for it. You can make changes to the dish you order as per your liking. For any health related food suggestions ask the chef to recommend you what to eat.
5. Fat Jar Cafe and Market
Good Conversation. Soul Food. Elegant Ambience. The menu at Fat Jar Cafe And Market keeps changing everyday according to the fresh available produce. The food plates offers variety and fusion of veggies with sea food/meat. I loved the fact that everything here is freshly prepared from scratch with the best available organic ingredients. You can see the portion size and visually get an idea of what you are ordering as they have a display cabinet of their main course platters and small plates. We loved the the following dishes from they menu:
1. Alfanso mango shake
2. Cauliflower and broccoli rice with bell peppers and chicken – tried it on the recommendation of the chef.
3. Freshly baked bread with sesame seeds
4. Spicy chicken sun dried tomatoes sandwich
5. Sticky dates pudding was gooey and had the right amount of sweetness in it.
Must Try: Sticky dates pudding.
Pro-tip: A must visit place if you are looking for a quiet place to work on your laptop or want to have a conversation with your loved one. Try their healthier options and ask the chef for recommendations.
6. Patta Cafe
I am a fan of cosy cafes, good vibes, delectable food and soothing music. I heard about Patta Cafe from a friend who loves Tibetan cuisine. Patta Cafe opened its doors almost a year back serving Tibetan, Naga and Nepali cuisine.
As you enter the compound of Champa Gali at Saidulajab, you will see prayer flags flattering and Tibetan knots – Patta on your left. The ambience of the Cafe was very soothing, they were playing Tibetan/Nepali folk music, the servers were courteous and knew the dishes on the menu well. They also shared with me the recipes of a few dishes. Patta cafe has all my favourite elements at one place – mountain vibe, music and momos 🙃. I tried the following from their menu:
- Tsampa shake which is made up of roasted barley flour.
- Mokthu Momo is basically steamed momos dipped in vegetable soup. It was my favourite, the soup was tangy with loads of veggies in it and the momos were simply delicious.
- Shabhalay is a deep fried pie filled with green vegetables, onions, garlic and grounded meat. Who doesn’t love deep fried? 😁 This was basically a Godzilla deep fried momo served with chillies dip.
- Sha Datshi is a spicy cheese gravy with vegetables and chicken. Loved the creamy texture of this dish, it went perfectly with tingmo. In Bhutan this is usually prepared with a lot of chillies but I asked the chef to tone down a bit as i don’t eat spicy food. I even took down the recipe, will try making it soon.
- Tingmo is a savoury and spongy steamed yeasted bun.
Must try: Shabhalay and thakali.
Pro-tip: The servers know the dishes well, if you have not tried Nepali and Naga cuisine before then its a good idea to enquire in advance.
7. Beyond Designs Bistro and Home
Everything was perfect about the evening when we went, from people to food, decor to conversations and the service was perfect. The first thing that strikes you as you enter the Beyond Designs is their rustic decor and the earthly collection of furniture and lamps. The seating area has lovely tones of white, blue and grey which gives it a very eclectic look.
The use of fresh ingredients adds to flavours and one could taste it in their food. Everything was cooked to perfection. My personal favourites were the flaky pumpkin and goat cheese rolls, cherry tomatoes stuffed focaccia buns with sour cream and the hummus platter with strawberries on the side. I didn’t try the broccoli sandwiches but my friends said that it was superb in taste.
Must Try: Spinach stuffed chicken breast and winter Nutella & chocolate almond calzone.
Pro-tip: They also have a home decor section inside the cafe premises, check out their collection of lamps and quirky curios for your home.
8. Fig at Museo
Team a world class camera museum with an extraordinary cafe, and you have got Fig at Museo Camera Museum in Gurgaon. The cafe is filled with natural light throughout the day and at night it becomes a cosy corner where you can enjoy time with loved ones.
The menu features some oriental dishes like Sambal prawns, Soba noodles salad with tofu, Pumpkin Massaman curry. They also have some middle eastern delights like Mezze platter, Lamb kibbeh, Turkish Kofte Kebab etc. The flavours are bang-on in all the dishes that they serve. They make their pasta from scratch and pizzas are baked on wood fire and topped with fresh mozzarella, now who wouldn’t like that!
Dishes like “Sicilian Burrata Salad” with locally grown wild arugula topped with charred tomatoes and homemade pesto served with a drizzle of Balsamic with sourdough toast, is worth the trip to Gurgaon. “Sacher Torte” and “Chocolate pear and hazelnut cake” are another standouts in the menu.
Must Try: Thai Krapao [Jasmine Rice with soy and jaggery dressing with Thai basil chicken] and Bailey’s Tiramisu.
Pro-tip: You can give the Hot Chocolate a miss. They also serve Keto and gluten free options.
9. Cafe Tesu
Located at Adhchini, inside Essex Farms, Cafe Tesu is one of my favourite places for dinning. Food is delicious, drinks are great, L’Opera’s desserts are to die for and the service is always on time. This tastefully designed cafe serves one of the best coffees in town sourced from India’s finest roasters – Devi Coffee Roasters from the farms of South India.
White and blue dominates the colour platelet inside the cafe with a high ceiling and abundant natural lightening. The white walls gives depth to the room and the murals on the walls adds quirk and a sense of unity.
Must Try: Old Rum Barrel Coffee, Ivory Coast Mocha coffee, Tomato, bacon, Mozzarella & mushroom pizza and apple & cinnamon iced tea.
Pro-tip: They have a special menu for Navratas, so if you happen to visit them during those holy 9 days, do give it try.
10. Ricos Cafe
Ricos offers multi-cuisine dishes with a sophisticated spin from its spacious setting in Kamla Nagar Market. The cafe is quite popular with college going kids as its located at the heart of North Campus in Delhi University area. If you are looking for comfort food with great ambiance then Ricos is one of the best cafes in Delhi NCR area.
Must Try: Nachos crusted fish fingers with wasabi mayo, greek yogurt croquettes and Captain fish & chips.
Pro-tip: Avoid going on weekends as getting a place to seat will be a challenge.
11. Cafe Lota
Serving contemporary regional Indian dishes with a twist is a trademark of Cafe Lota. Their menu is inspired by local dishes that are made in our homes and changes depending on the season and availability of fresh produce. On the menu you will find dishes from across India, from Maharasthra to Odisha and Kerala to Ladakh. The decor is simple yet straight-up stunning, with natural light filtering in from the ceiling, terracotta murals on the wall and plants kept at every nook and corner.
Must Try: Palak Patta Chat, Aam Panna, Tandoori Fish and Keema Pav.
Pro-tip: You a before 5 pm so that you can spend some time exploring the adjoining Crafts Museum.
12. Red Bricks Cafe
Tucked down the lanes of Champa Gali near Saket Metro Station, it’s a cosy spot, with open seating space, plenty of potted plants and probably the best shakes in South Delhi. Red Bricks Cafe is a quaint place where you can spend you afternoons working from your laptop or evenings amidst the beautifully decorated cafe with ferry lights with your girl-gang.
Must Try: Caesar Salad, Fish Burger and shakes.
Pro-tip: During winters they do bonfire at night. Its also a very instaworthy cafe with fairy lights and wall art.
So, if you are craving for a good cup of coffee or desserts in Delhi NCR region then your search ends here.
What are your favourites? Share some of your best cafe memories with us around Delhi.
Wowww! So vibrant and such quirky cafes! Loved the suggestions Suman and I am surely visiting at least some of these when I come to Delhi next.
So helpful for my next trip to Delhi NCR.
Let me know which ones you try and how you like them 🙂