Bucket List 2017: 12 New Places To Eat At Before The Year Ends

Fig & Maple is a dream in terms of decor, and the menu is in sync. The menu is heavy on brunch and breakfast type dishes, along with some heavier stuff. We’re loving their variety of pancakes and waffles. We tried the Buttermilk Waffles with Chicken which were a beautiful mix of sweet waffles with savoury chicken and spiced maple syrup. They’ve also got Creme Brulee Pancakes and Banoffee waffles.

Mosaic specialises in Lebanese and Mediterranean food and has a pretty vast menu. Every table gets a complimentary portion of hummus and pita and that’s just the beginning. Experiment with their variety of mezze. We tried the turmeric chicken with sumac and lime which came on skewers on a pretty place accompanied by some more pita bread, a heap of hummus and some salad. We’re curious about trying the tuna tartare and the fried Halloumi cheese. Looking for something to beat the chill? Opt for their grills or a wholesome portion of Tagine. There’s also flaky flatbread to supplement the meat and veggies. Don’t forget to end with the apple pie rolls – these are essentially like sweet spring rolls serves with ice cream and a tonne of nuts.

With classic jazz and a food menu that boasts of some delectable dishes, The Bar Cat has become a fave place for catching up with the squad. The Bar Cat has introduced a  bunch of cocktails inspired by the 20s, most of which you won’t find other bars in Delhi serving. They’ve hunted down old recipes used in the last century and named their drinks after 20s slangs. Gin lovers should try their Southside, the preferred beverage of Al Capone, while bourbon lovers would enjoy their Scofflaw, a term used to describe lawless drinkers back in 1924. Their bartender prepares a wicked old fashioned and whisky sour, in addition to their own signature cocktails. It would be pointless if you visited them and didn’t try the Bar Cat, a black gin concoction and their Baby Vamp, a vodka and lavender delight. So, relive the roaring twenties by celebrating with jazz and heady cocktails.

Tesu is a  roomy, well-lit space with artisanal coffee, French pastry, sushi and all-day breakfast on offer. If you’re a coffee addict, you’ve just found your new favourite place. They’ve got a range of hot and cold brews {these are sourced from a brand called Devi from Goa} including coffees infused with vanilla, dark chocolate, whisky and rum {and no, they don’t use bottled syrups}. You can get your coffee in a French press or ask the barista to do a pour over for you at the table {this takes about three minutes}. More of a tea drinker? Get your hands on their signature Sunshine Waltz {a blend of Tesu flowers, rose petals and aniseed}.

A Ta Maison {ATM} has been around for a while; however, this erstwhile members-only club made itself open to non-members recently. We ordered their chorizo crepe, salmon crostini, and split a whole wheat pasta in pesto and a confit chicken leg. Everything was spot on – not too heavy, flavourful, and exactly the kind of food you want on a hot day. The home-made whole wheat pasta in pesto was a winner, as was the chorizo crepe!

Bohca in Siri Fort has a mix of European, Italian and Spanish dishes. We loved everything on offer – including the tenderloin steak {super yum!} and the lamb sausage pizza. Try their cocktails – whether you love wine, gin, tequila, whisky or vodka – there’s something interesting for everyone. They even have Pisco Sour on their menu, for those who want to try something new! End the meal on a sweet tooth with their 55% dark chocolate gluten-free cake with raspberry compote. Even if you don’t love chocolate, you’ll savour every sinful bite.

Walk into one of the cosiest bars in G-Town, choose the bar for your cocktails and a table for your meal because it’s going to be a long night of retro rock, slow jazz, bass blues and some of finest cocktails and food this side of town. We loved all the cocktails we had and we suspect they were close to a dozen but the unmissable ones have got to be the Rising Sun with bourbon, yuzu and green tea, one of the few times all three elements can be tasted as individual flavours. The Smoke & Sour is a bit more theatrical with smoke infused into a bottle and poured into your glass and the Omega Six is bourbon again with almonds and Amaretto, perfect for winters. The menu is a fusion of global flavours. For bar bites we loved the Petite Gouda Naans. For mains we recommend the Baked Paneer Loaf, their take on paneer makhni and the Kung Pao Pork with rice. Between dishes like Khao Suey, Bhuna Gosht Biryani and Mushroom Chicken Steak, there is something for everyone!

With teal and white-coloured walls, faux green decor and the cool wall graffiti in the smoking area upstairs, it’s a cafe that belongs on your Insta feed. This quiet cafe is where you can enjoy meaningful conversations with good coffee, good food and even board games. These guys are famous for their specialty coffees made with eight different brewing methods like Aeropress coffee and the Turkish coffee, but the most intriguing one has to be the cold drip brewed with cold water for 18 hours to obtain a wine-like brew. Even if you’re a tea person, you can choose from interesting options like Vanilla Black Tea, Chilli Chai black tea, Marigold Green Tea and more. Coming to the food, we ordered their roast chicken wood-fired pizza loaded with herbs, chicken and a whole lot of parmesan. We’ve always felt that wood-fired pizzas are overrated but this cafe’s was one that made us appreciate the smoky flavour a wood-fired oven adds. Brew Room ranks high on our list of great cafes and we’re pretty sure that it’ll impress you too.

Nappa Dori’s new concept store is huge. It’s got a store, a customisation centre, a library, a space for events and of course, Cafe Dori. The menu is a melange of pan-European cuisines along with lots of egg and meat-heavy dishes. Sip on coffees and teas by Clive Road or if you’re on a bit of health mission, a fresh juice, smoothie or kombucha. Hop in here for a quick meal and a shopping spree all in one go.