During Ramzan, Old Delhi becomes a paradise for food connoisseurs. The lane opposite Jama Masjid—Bazar Matia Mahal—is filled with heady aromas from big heaps of keema samosas, vats of buffalo biryani, grilling botis and hot paneer jalebi. To cool down, there are drums filled with Rooh Afza sherbet and dishes of dahi vada.
But with so many choices, where will you find the best? That;s why, we have curated the 12 best Ramadan special food spots to visit in Old Delhi!
Established 40 years ago, this shop has been dishing out fried chicken in Delhi far longer than KFC. I call it JFC–Jama Masjid Fried Chicken. The chicken is marinated in different spices and chickpea batter, and then half-fried. For maximum crispness, the chicken is cut into small pieces to be fried in a huge pan of boiling oil. The end result is crunchy outside, moist and tender inside. It comes served with rumali roti, onions and special tangy masala chutney.
For the best Ramadan special food, Haji sa’ab also sells Keema Goli, which are small balls made out of minced meat, and served with onion and chutney.
Zomato Rating: 4.1/5
Price: INR 400 for 2
Timings: 8 AM - 11 PM
Specialities: Fried chicken, small meatballs
This eatery is famed for its unique interpretation of butter chicken and has been a Walled City favourite for 18 years. The cooking technique includes a stint in the tandoor for the chicken before it is bathed in creamy gravy. The chicken pieces are first marinated in a special (and top secret!) combination of spices. They also add curd for a tangy taste to the dish and the chicken is served with a basket of rumali roti.
To make the best Ramadan food in Delhi, Aslam Chicken Corner also offers chicken seekh kebabs, so keep an eye out for that!
Zomato Rating: 4.2/5
Price: INR 500 for 2
Timings: 4 PM - 12:30 PM
Specialities: Butter chicken, seekh kebabs
Any feast is incomplete without kebabs. Right opposite Gate No. 1 Jama Masjid are two well-known kebabchis famous for seekh and boti kebabs–Qureshi Kebab Corner and Lalu Kebabe. Both of them make excellent kebabs of buff smeared with Nutralite, onions, and spicy chutney.
The new entrant, Bhaijaan Kebabs in Chitli Qabar, sells fibrous shammi kebabs deep fried in oil. Another kebab shop in Sui Walan, Kale Baba ke Kebabs, is popular for their sutli kebabs–these are so soft, they have to be held together with a twine of thread.
Zomato Rating: 4.6/5 (Qureshi Kabab Corner), 3.7/5 (Lalu Kababee), 4.1/5 (Bhaijaan Kababs)
Price: INR 400 for 2 (Qureshi Kabab Corner), INR 300 for 2 (Lalu Kababee), INR 100 for 1 (Bhaijaan Kababs)
Timings: 5 PM - 12:30 PM (Qureshi Kabab Corner), 7 PM - 12:30 AM (Lalu Kababee), 4:30 PM - 11:30 PM (Bhaijaan Kababs)
Specialities: Kebabs of all kinds
Originally established as Hotel Maidah in 1986, the name of the shop was changed to Changezi Chicken in 1990, after their signature dish. Changezi Chicken is served in a tangy gravy of yoghurt, tomatoes and onion. The chicken is roasted separately in a roast machine by l-Halabi, a brand established in Dubai, and then shredded into boneless pieces by hand before it is put in the gravy. The restaurant occupies a long stretch on Churi Walan Gali and buzzes with customers to get hands on the best Ramadan special food.
Zomato Rating: 4/5
Price: INR 400 for 2
Timings: 11:15 AM - 11 PM, 4:30 PM - 11 PM (Tuesday)
Specialities: Roasted chicken, malai tikka
Established 25 years ago, Cool Point is mainly famous for its shahi tukda (bread deep fried in pure ghee and then dipped in thick cream and sugar syrup) and phirni (a mouthwatering dessert of milk and crushed rice served in clay containers). Cool Point is also known for its kesar milk, badam milk, lassi, and mango and vanilla ice cream.
Zomato Rating: 4.7/5
Price: INR 150 for 2
Timings: 2:30 PM – 11:30 PM (Monday), 1 PM – 11:45 PM (Tuesday), 1 PM – 11:54 PM (Wed-Sun)
Specialities: Phirni, shahi rukda, kesar milk
A much-frequented food cart you'll find in most lanes of Old Delhi selling Sharbat-E-Mohabbat, a refreshing drink during the hot summer months. The drinks cost around INR 30 per glass and are indeed filled with love and fun. The pink concoction is made from fresh milk, Rooh Afza, watermelon and loads of ice. You'll also find freshly cut watermelon cubes for crunch and a fresh taste.
Google Rating: 4.3/5
Price: Up to INR 200
Timings: 12 PM – 11 PM
Specialities: Turkish kunafa, sharbat
Ameer Sweets House has been selling sweet and savoury food for about 100 years. Managed by Haji Zafruddin, the shop sells special dishes like keema and khoya samosa during festival times from 4 PM to 7 PM. You will find mouthwatering sweets like balushahi, besan ke laddoo, chamcham and gulab jamun, as well as chhole bhature and pakoras.
Zomato Rating: 3.4/5
Price: INR 150 for 2
Timings: 6 PM – 12 AM
Specialities: Balushahi, besan ke laddoo
By the looks of it, Jawahar is not the fanciest place but definitely one of the closest experiences to dining like a Mughal if we go by the food. The secret recipes at this restaurant have been passed down over generations and the hospitable staff makes it a one-of-a-kind experience. We don't have to tell you this but the Chicken Bihari and Nihari deserve a mention.
Zomato Rating: 3.8/5
Price: INR 1,100 for 2
Timings: 10 AM – 12 AM
Specialities: Chicken bharti, biryani
To end the perfect meal, we need the perfect dessert and that's Sheermal. A type of flatbread prepared from flour, sugar, ghee, salt, and saffron-infused milk cooked perfectly brown. Haji Nadeem has been selling satiating dessert cravings since 1998 with a variety of Sheermal—from Plain and Badaam sheermal to Kesar desi ghee sheermal and ranges from INR 40 to INR 650.
Google Rating: 4.3/5
Price: INR 40 - INR 650 (approx.)
Timings: 10 AM – 12 AM
Speciality: Desserts
You talk about Al-Yamin and people will start craving food, it's so good. They are gaining recognition for their affordable platters (for INR 400 with nine or more items) that taste like a million bucks. They also directly deliver all over Delhi NCR, in case you can't make it to Jama Masjid.
Zomato Rating: 3.9/5
Price: INR 500 for 2
Timings: 6:15 PM – 2:30 AM
Specialities: Platters, Mughlai food
Hiba Barbecue is open till 3 AM, serving delicious barbeques to its customers. Butter Chicken, Chicken Burra, Chicken Tikka, Chicken Tangri, chicken fry, and much more. The pricing starts at INR 160, and their tandoori platters are priced at INR 449 only!
Zomato Rating: 3.9/5
Price: INR 400 for 2
Timings: 5 PM – 11:45 AM
Specialities: Kebab, butter chicken
Set up sometime in 1998, Dil Pasand Biryani Point has a fan following of its own. As the name suggests, they're known for their biryani, and customers repeatedly say that they haven’t been able to find a place that makes biryani taste this good.
Zomato Rating: 4.1/5
Price: INR 300 for 2
Timings: 12 PM - 11 PM, 12 AM - 3:15 AM
Specialities: Biryani
LBB Tip: There is a small shop in the corner of Moholla named Pahadi Imli. It sells a novel and refreshing drink: Gur Ka Sharbat. The jaggery is brought from Ajmeri Gate Market and is kept soaked in water in a big container. The brass spoon used to mix the two is as old as the shop itself, which was established in 1947. The shop opens at 8 AM and serves the drink until stocks last.
Exact Location: Corner of Pahadi Imli, Chitli Qabar, Bazar Matia Mahal
