Delhi’s restaurant scene is constantly evolving, with new venues opening every fortnight. Yet, a few iconic spots endure as favourites among diners; these are places that stand the test of time, with an appeal that lasts year after year. In 2025, despite the emergence of new cocktail bars, experimental fine-dining restaurants, and speakeasies that took the city by storm, some restaurants continued to be loved despite their years.
Some offered refined, chef-driven menus that kept evolving, while others built a loyal following through comfort, familiarity, or an unmistakable sense of place. These were the restaurants people returned to again and again, filling up without trying too hard, and reigned as the city’s most sought-after tables.
Below are some of Delhi’s long-standing restaurants that continue to shape weekend dinner plans, regardless of the occasion.
Indian Accent
Indian Accent at The Lodhi tops Delhi’s dining scene for a reason. By 2025, it remained essential to people’s plans. No longer defined as “new” or “trendy,” Indian Accent has become a restaurant people trust.
The best of contemporary, gastronomic Indian food in all of the capital. (Credits: @indianaccent)
At its core, Indian Accent’s allure lies in how confidently it reimagines Indian flavours without ever distancing them from memory. The menu reads familiar, but nothing arrives predictably. Dishes like the meetha achar pork ribs, glazed in a sweet-sour pickle reduction, or the blue cheese naan, now almost legendary in Delhi, exemplify the restaurant’s philosophy. The slow-cooked daal makhani is a labour of love and patience, flawlessly executed and remaining one of the most popular dishes on the menu.
Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian tasting menus draw crowds. Highlights include khakra with duck pâté, stuffed morels, and soy keema with quail egg, plus desserts that cleverly modernise sweet-shop classics. The menu remains fresh, introducing new dishes while retaining beloved signatures to keep diners coming back.
Indian Accent also launched a luxe after-hours bar earlier this year—Upstairs by Indian Accent. What sets Upstairs apart is its curated cocktail list that reinvents Indian classics through innovative techniques, a focus on small-batch Indian spirits, and bar snacks that mirror the main restaurant’s inventive use of local flavours.
This new sibling space extends the brand’s ethos into the world of cocktails and late-night drinking. Upstairs, as the name suggests, sits on the first floor and feels like a well-kept secret—moody lighting, plush décor, and an intimate bar programme that channels old-school glamour with a distinctly modern twist. They’re especially popular for their contemporary spins on Indian flavours, incorporated seamlessly into the bar’s menu. Visit—if you can get a table!
Address: The Lodhi, Lodhi Rd, CGO Complex, Pragati Vihar, New Delhi, Delhi 110003
Tucked inside a restored colonial bungalow near the Qutub complex, Olive Bar and Kitchen boasts a dedicated following. It’s not just a restaurant; it’s an experience diners seek out, for the simple luxury of a mouth-watering, consistently excellent meal.
Olive Bar & Kitchen is one of Delhi’s long-standing culinary marvels. (Credits: @olivedelhi)
The menu at Olive has always featured Mediterranean flavors with a distinct Italian core, and its enduring popularity stems from its reliability. Dishes like the fresh burrata, often paired with seasonal produce, remain favorites, while wood-fired pizzas—thin-crust, blistered, and balanced—anchor the menu. Pastas such as lamb ragù, pappardelle, or risotto, prepared with restraint and precision, reflect mastery of classic technique. Desserts, especially the tiramisu, are cherished classics that regulars rarely skip.
What truly keeps Olive bustling year after year is its atmosphere. The candlelit courtyard, stone walls, and warm, ambient lighting evoke an escape few restaurants can replicate. Evenings here unfold at a leisurely pace—drinks at the bar often lead to dinner, and dinner inevitably lingers. The bar program enhances this cadence, with a curated selection of wines and classic cocktails that perfectly suit the mood.
It’s also impossible to ignore Olive Group’s experimental spirit—most notably with the arrival of The Love Hotel on Lodhi Road earlier this year. The concept brings a refreshing sense of intimacy, playfulness, and curated escapism. Here, the focus shifts toward cocktails, mood, and immersive storytelling, rather than established dining conventions.
This willingness to innovate signals the Olive Group’s readiness to push boundaries and explore formats the city hasn’t quite seen before. Yet, despite these newer ventures, there’s something about Olive Bar and Kitchen that remains entirely unmatched. Even after 25 years, Olive continues to be one of Delhi’s most loved dining rooms—irreplaceable for its long, languid Sunday brunches and perennially reliable as a date-night classic.
Address: Mile 6, One Style, 8, Kalka Das Marg, Seth Sarai, Mehrauli, New Delhi, Delhi 110030
Timings: Monday to Sunday (12:30 pm–12 am)
Price for two: INR 5,000
Bukhara
Bukhara at ITC Maurya, Delhi, is a restaurant so iconic that even decades after its opening, it remains one of the most sought-after tables in the city. Over the years, presidents, royals, and global tastemakers have dined here, drawn not by novelty but by the promise of a meal that has consistently won hearts.
Bukhara is renowned for its exceptional Indian cuisine, which has gained worldwide recognition, attracting diners eager to enjoy a memorable meal.
ITC Maurya’s legacy Indian restaurant serves the best dal makhani in Delhi (Credits: @itcmaurya)
The restaurant’s menu is famously concise, relying on well-prepared dishes. Everything centers on the tandoor and slow cooking. Dal Bukhara, slow-simmered overnight with lentils, tomato, and butter, is the restaurant’s signature, often reason enough to visit. Rich but never heavy, it’s meant to be scooped with bread. The Sikandari raan, marinated and slow-roasted, is another standout, especially for group dining. Tandoori jumbo prawns, burrah kebab, and tandoori chicken highlight the kitchen’s mastery of fire and time.
Bread is central to the Bukhara experience. Bukhara naan, khameeri roti, and missi roti arrive smoky, designed to be torn and dipped. There’s no rice, no default cutlery, and no compromise—the food is eaten by hand, communally, without fuss.
Timings: Monday to Sunday (12:30–3 pm, 7 pm–12 am)
Price for two: INR 8,000
The Piano Man
The Piano Man Jazz Club continued to prove that great food tastes even better when paired with live music and the perfect atmosphere. With outposts in Safdarjung Enclave and 32nd Avenue, Gurugram, The Piano Man has become one of Delhi’s most consistently booked tables—not just for dinner, but for the experience. It’s where people go when they want the night to unfold slowly: good music, unhurried conversations, and plates that arrive designed to be shared (alongside some good ol’ jazz).
Nothing pairs better with food than some good old jazz!
The draw, of course, is the music. Live jazz, blues, soul, and acoustic sets run through the week. In a city where restaurants often compete to be louder than one another, The Piano Man does the opposite.
That said, the food holds its own weight. The menu leans global and comforting, with dishes that work well over long sittings. Regular favourites include the truffle fries, chicken wings, wood-fired pizzas, and burgers, alongside heartier mains that suit dinner-and-a-show pacing. The cocktail programme is equally dependable, featuring classic drinks expertly executed, seasonal specials, and a wine list that encourages lingering rather than rushing.
The ambience is a large part of why reservations remain competitive, of course. Dim lighting, wooden interiors, and intimate seating make the space feel warm without being cramped. It’s the kind of place where a casual drink can easily turn into a full evening, and often does.
Delhi’s The Piano Man has been serving diners and audiences with food and a side of music for almost a decade now. They recently also opened their newest outpost in Saket’s Eldeco Centre, and have been organising some of the city’s most lively jazz nights, keeping Delhi’s music scene (very much) alive. In their attempts to remain just as relevant in the capital’s leisure scene, The Piano Man is making big waves in being the only one of its kind—and they’re succeeding!
There’s rarely a combination better than music paired with food, and The Piano Man is one of Delhi’s go-to spots for the best of both worlds!
Address: Commercial Complex B 6/7-22 Opp Deer Park, Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi, Delhi 110029
Timings: Monday to Sunday (1 pm–1 am)
Price for two: INR 4,000
The Grammar Room
This all-day café-restaurant occupies a sweet spot between casual and considered. It’s where brunches turn into long lunches, where weekday meetings spill into dessert, and where dinners feel very relaxed.
Craving breakfast? The Grammar Room is one of your best bets in Delhi! (Credits: @thegrammarroom)
What keeps The Grammar Room firmly in demand is its comfort-driven, well-edited menu. Regular favourites include the avocado toast, ricotta pancakes, and shakshuka during the day, while heartier options like handmade pastas, grilled chicken, and seasonal bowls anchor the evening menu. Desserts—especially their cakes and tarts—are a big draw, often ordered even by diners who stop in just for coffee.
The space itself plays a major role in its popularity. With soft natural light during the day, warm interiors, and a layout that never feels cramped, The Grammar Room lends itself easily to conversation and casual dining. It’s equally suited to solo diners, couples, and groups, which explains why tables here fill up across time slots rather than only during peak hours.
In a city where many restaurants rely on hype or exclusivity, The Grammar Room’s appeal in 2025 lay in its ease. It didn’t try to reinvent dining—it simply made it comfortable and dependable. And that, more than anything, is why Delhi diners kept booking their way back!
Address: One Style Mile, Kalka Das Marg, opp. अलाई मीनार, Mehrauli, New Delhi, Delhi 110030
