It’s a truth most universally acknowledged that if there’s anything better than Dilli ki sardi (Delhi’s winter), it’s Dilli ka khaana (Delhi’s food)—especially, street food. And when both of these come together, you know you have a winning combo. Nothing hits home more than some piping hot chhole kulche served with pickled green chilli and onion salad, at the side of Lajpat Nagar market on a cold afternoon. The only thing better? Delhi’s wide variety of sweet and satisfying halwa, of course!
Delhi winters are not for the weak—but they are for the hungry. This is the time of year when you step out telling yourself you’re “just going for a walk” and somehow end up with oily fingers, a full stomach, and absolutely no regrets. There’s also something incredibly grounding about winter street food in this city. You don’t rush through it. You stand there, stomping your feet for warmth, chatting with the bhaiya behind the counter, negotiating just how much extra butter is too much butter (spoiler: there is no such thing). You blow on your food even though you’re too impatient to wait, burn your tongue anyway, and go back for another bite because it’s just that good.
And let’s be honest, this is not the season for restraint. This is the season for ghee, makhan (butter), sugar, and spice in generous, unapologetic quantities. It’s for halwas that feel more like hugs than desserts, paranthas that drip just enough to make you lick your fingers in public, and snacks so comforting they momentarily make you forget the cold entirely. If you’re counting calories in December, you’re doing Delhi wrong.
So pull out your warmest jacket, free up your evenings, and follow the steam curling up from Delhi’s streets. Because when the cold sets in, the city responds with spice, heat, comfort, and the kind of food that makes winter not just bearable, but a season you look forward to.
Chaina Ram Sindhi Halwai
For the best of halwas and mithais in all of the capital, this is where you need to be. For many Delhiites, winter halwa is synonymous with Chaina Ram Sindhi Halwai: a nearly century-old institution in Chandni Chowk that has been serving traditional Sindhi sweets in Lahore since 1901, and in Delhi since 1948. The shop is best known for its meticulous, time-intensive halwas—recipes that have remained largely unchanged over generations. Step inside and you’re immediately greeted by trays of glossy, jewel-toned sweets that feel less like desserts and more like gemstones. This is halwa at its most serious, most storied, and most indulgent.
Some of our favourites? First on the list has got to be their sohan halwa. Dense, nut-studded, and held together by ghee, patience, and legacy, it’s one of the richest, most indulgent desserts in all of town. Made with wheat flour, dry fruits, and lots of sugar, it’s the perfect winter sweet treat. Sohan halwa demands to be eaten slowly, preferably while standing outside in the cold, letting the warmth seep in as the ghee does its job.
Then there’s the iconic Karachi halwa, made especially with corn flour, sugar, and too much ghee. Firm, elastic, and generously studded with dry fruits, it’s sweet without being cloying, and deeply satisfying. This is the halwa many of us grew up associating a visit to Chandni Chowk with. And if you are visiting Delhi 6 for the first time and want to experience halwas at their best, China Ram Sindhi Halwai should be at the top of your list.
And finally, they also serve Habshi halwa—intense and deeply comforting. Made with milk, ghee, and flour, slow-cooked to perfection, it’s tailor-made for cold December evenings when all you want is something warm and comforting.
Address: Ground Floor, Fatehpuri Masjid, 6499, Katra Bariyan, Fatehpuri, Chandni Chowk, Delhi, 110006
Timings: Monday to Sunday (8 am–8 pm)
Daulat Ki Chaat
Have you ever heard of chaat that’s popular for being served only in the winter? Dault Ki Chaat, infamous across India for being the only chaat consumed as a dessert, is a delicacy central to the capital. Few winter foods in Delhi are as time-bound or as anticipated as Daulat ki Chaat. This Old Delhi speciality appears only during the coldest months of the year, typically between late November and early February. This is because these months feature low temperature and humidity that allow and facilitate the chaat’s preparation.
Made primarily from full-fat milk and sugar, Daulat ki Chaat involves an elaborate, labour-intensive process in which milk is boiled, cooled, and repeatedly whisked to aerate it as much as possible, resulting in an exceptionally light, foam-like texture.
Traditionally, the mixture is left uncovered overnight in the open air, where winter dew plays a crucial role in building and stabilising its structure. This dependence on specific weather conditions is why the dish cannot be produced year-round and why its availability is limited to Delhi’s winter season. By morning, the aerated malai is ready to be served, often topped with khoya, saffron strands, and finely chopped pistachios or almonds.
What sets Daulat ki Chaat apart is its texture rather than its sweetness. Mildly sweet and almost weightless, it dissolves in the mouth within seconds, making it unlike any other dessert found on Delhi’s streets. Sold early in the day, often finishing by late morning, it is primarily found in and around Chandni Chowk, with one of the most popular sellers being Khemchand. More than being just a dessert, Daulat ki Chaat has become a marker of the season itself. It is unique, delicious, and very winter-friendly!
Address: Gali Paranthe Wali, Inside the Street Kinari Bazaar Chandni Chowk, near Ram Chandra Krishan Chandra Sarees Shop, Old Delhi, Delhi, 110006
Timings: Monday to Sunday (9 am–10 pm)
Moolchand Ke Paranthe
For generations, Delhiites, especially those navigating late nights and early mornings, have loved Moolchand Ke Paranthe. This iconic roadside stall has been serving paranthas since the 1970s, earning a reputation as one of the city’s most reliable, no-frills comfort food stops.
What sets Moolchand apart is consistency. The paranthas here are cooked on a large tawa, crisp on the outside and soft inside, generously brushed with butter. They’re not overly stuffed or experimental, but solid, filling, and dependable—exactly what has kept people coming back for decades. Orders are served quickly, often straight off the tawa, with sides of green chutney, white butter, and achaar.
Among the most popular choices during winters are the aloo parantha (classic for a good reason), the paneer parantha, and the gobhi parantha. Regulars also swear by the mix parantha, which combines multiple vegetables and offers a fuller flavour. The simplicity of the menu is part of its appeal: you know exactly what you’re getting, and it delivers every time. During busy days, long nights, and cold winters, Moolchand serves all that you really need: something hot, buttery, and familiar. And for hardcore Punjabis, there’s truly no better place!
Address: 4, 5, 6 Lala Lajpat Rai Marg, Moolchand Metro Station, Lala Lajpat Rai Marg, Vikram Vihar, Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi, Delhi 110024
Timings: Monday to Sunday (6 am–11 pm)
Ram Laddoo
A delicacy found only in Delhi, Ram laddoos are basically pakodas but ten times better (moong dal is most definitely the edge!). If Delhi winters had a snack that perfectly matched their mood—sharp, chaotic, and oddly comforting—it would be this. Found all across Old Delhi (my favourite ones are in Lajpat Nagar), this humble street snack is as much about contrast as it is about flavour. The laddoos themselves are hot, fried, and made from a fermented mix of moong dal (often combined with urad dal), while everything around them is aggressively fresh: grated mooli, chopped coriander, green chillies, and a squeeze of lemon.
Freshly fried and served straight out of hot oil, Ram ladoos are crisp on the outside and soft within, mildly tangy from fermentation and subtly spiced. But the cherry on top is the sides. Vendors pile on shredded radish, drizzle green chutney, and finish with lemon juice—creating a bite that’s hot and cold, crunchy and soft, spicy and sharp all at once. It’s messy, it’s fast, and it’s meant to be eaten standing right there, ideally while negotiating traffic or dodging pedestrians.
Though available year-round, Ram ladoos feel especially at home in winter, when the radish is sweeter, the air is cooler, and hot, fried snacks feel fully justified. It’s also one of Delhi’s most democratic street foods—cheap, quick, and familiar, whether you’re grabbing a plate during a shopping break or eating one-handed on your way somewhere else. Pair them with a mirchi vada, and you’ve got yourselves the most delicious snack that the capital has to offer, and that’s saying a lot.
Address: D-35, Veer Savarkar Marg, Block D, Lajpat Nagar II, Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi, Delhi 110024
Timings: Monday to Sunday (10:30 am–10:30 pm)
Nankhatai
When I think about nankhatai, I’m fondly reminded of my childhood, spent at my grandparents’ home, munching on this delicious, desi, sweet cookie that tastes like the best of winter.
Few winter snacks in Delhi are as quietly comforting as nankhatai. These crumbly, shortbread-like biscuits—traditionally made with flour, ghee, and sugar—have long been associated with the city’s old bakeries, particularly in areas like Chandni Chowk and surrounding neighbourhoods. Baked rather than fried, nankhatai offers a gentler kind of indulgence, one that pairs effortlessly with a hot cup of chai on a cold afternoon. The best part is observing street vendors making them right in front of you while the city’s traffic moves nearby, and you wait for a fresh batch of sweet goodness.
Crisp on the outside and soft, almost powdery, on the inside, nankhatai breaks apart easily, leaving behind the unmistakable richness of ghee. Variations often include cardamom, nutmeg, or slivers of almond or pistachio pressed into the top, though the base recipe remains largely unchanged. Interestingly, its roots trace back to colonial-era bakeries in western India, from where it made its way north, becoming a staple in Delhi homes and shops alike.
In winter especially, when tea consumption goes up, and cravings lean toward comfort rather than special, this cookie feels exactly right!
Available at various locations in Old Delhi, particularly in Chandni Chowk
Sita Ram Diwan Chand’s Chhole Bhature
This list would be incomplete if I didn’t mention everyone’s favourite meal, served piping hot, perfect for winter.
Hearty, indulgent, and deeply satisfying, this iconic combination of spicy chickpea curry and puffed, fried bread is eaten year-round, but it hits especially hard in winter. The chhole—slow-cooked with a blend of spices that often includes tea leaves or black cardamom for colour and depth are rich, tangy, and meant to be eaten hot. The bhature, fried to golden perfection, arrives inflated and crisp, ready to soak up every last bit of gravy. It’s filling, bold without being complicated, and almost always served with a familiar lineup of accompaniments: sliced onions, pickled green chillies, and a wedge of lemon.
From legendary Purani Dilli shops to neighbourhood joints in every corner of the city, each place claims its own version, sparking endless debates about whose chhole is spicier, whose bhature stays soft the longest, and where the balance is just right. However, my favourite ones have got to be Sita Ram Diwan Chand’s iconic ones.
Tucked away in Paharganj, this decades-old institution has built its reputation almost entirely on doing one thing exceptionally well, and that is their much-loved chole bathure. Established in the 1950s, the shop has remained family-run, consistent, and unapologetically focused on quality over variety. Orders are served fresh and fast, queues move steadily, and regulars know to arrive early because once they sell out, that’s it for the day.
In winter, chhole bhature becomes more than a meal; it’s a commitment. Best eaten late morning or early afternoon, it’s the kind of dish that slows your day down, demands a proper appetite, and leaves you heartily full for hours. Whether eaten at a crowded counter or packed into foil for takeaway, it remains one of Delhi’s most beloved cold-weather comforts.
Address: 2243, Rajguru Marg, Chuna Mandi, Paharganj, New Delhi, Delhi 110055
Timings: Monday to Sunday (8 am–6 pm)
Read more: On A Chaat Trail Through Delhi With Chef Sadaf Hussain
Also read: A Local’s Guide To The Best Street Food In Mumbai
