13 Best Restaurants in South Delhi, Delhi

Count on this award-winning, popular joint for delicious pizza and pasta—most of Delhi does—but if you're looking for something more substantial, mains like pan-seared lamb chops are also excellent, so make sure to ask about the daily specials. With classy interiors and attentive service, the setting is suited to a wine-soaked lunch or cozy dinner for two.

In a luxe setting at one of Asia's 50 best restaurants, award-winning chef Manish Mehrotra seamlessly blends Indian and global flavors and preparation methods, creating innovative offerings such as the pork belly tikka. Choose the chef's tasting menu for six wildly modern dishes created with typically Indian ingredients and paired with complementing wines.

This is one of the few places in Delhi where you can sample the cuisine of India’s west coast, famous for its lush and bold flavors, heavy on coconut-milk curries. Well-lit, spacious, and designed for a laid-back evening, with wicker chairs, winding staircase, arches, balconies, and terrace windows, the leafy outdoor space here is particularly charming on winter afternoons.

A large and fuss-free air-conditioned space with quick service, this is a well-known stop in south Delhi for street food like chole bhatura (spicy chickpeas and puffy fried bread) and vegetarian thalis (combination platters). Plastic tables are always crammed with office goers, expats, tourists, and students looking for a tasty and pocket-friendly meal.

Set over three floors and a basement, the main gathering place for New Delhi’s large population of Korean expats is luxuriously furnished with a combination of sunken tables and little booths, though there are several stand-alone tables for those uncomfortable or unable to use traditional Korean seating. This remains one of the city's few places to sample a range of Korean grills and noodle soups.

Low-hanging lamps and delicate latticed screens set the refined mood at this upscale Indian restaurant where the extensive menu excels in its Mughlai offerings. All the lamb options are excellent, as is the okra and anything with lentils (dal).

In Khan Market, this café serves light Western salads, pastas, and desserts and refreshing cold drinks in an airy contemporary setting.

An easily accessible South Delhi outpost of the iconic Old Delhi Moti Mahal, this old-fashioned family restaurant serves Punjabi and North Indian comfort food in an old-school dining room--style setting. Loyal customers continue to flock here for the tandoori kebabs and prompt service.

This dark, soothing restaurant, with South Indian decor and gold-embossed paintings designed by artisans from the Tamil Nadu town of Thanjavur, specialzes in Udupi food, a vegetarian cuisine from a town near Mangalore. South Indian staples like uthappams and idlis are served in traditional style, on a banana leaf.

In the shadow of the Qutub Minar, this sprawling Mediterranean restaurant with elegant white-on-white decor is reminiscent of Santorini. Delhi's most fashionable congregate here for a sumptuous Sunday brunch, and it's one of the best spots for French cheese platters, hearty Italian soups, and hand-rolled pastas.

In a tony shopping mall, with dimly lit interiors, this popular restaurant draws large groups with its innovative twists on hearty Punjabi classics. For a wide sampling, order a range of chicken, mutton, fish, and vegetarian small plates.

This no-frills vegetarian family joint bustles nonstop, serving up South Indian dishes like crispy dosas (rice-batter crepes) and fluffy idli (rice cakes) with fresh coconut chutney and hot sambar (lentil soup). A long-standing favorite since the '80s, this neighborhood market delivers quick service and attracts a steady stream of locals looking for a pocket-friendly bite.

Delhi's original Mangalorean restaurant—specializing in seafood from the western coast between Goa and Kerala—is outstanding for seafood served in prim, softly lit dining rooms with good service. Choose your sauce, then decide between fish, prawns, or crab, and mop up your food with appam or neer dosa, soft South Indian rice breads.