Baker Extraordinaire Shivesh Bhatia Reveals Restaurants In His Little Black Book

Shivesh, who is prepping for a summer holiday in Italy with his family, told us that right now he's focusing on acclimatising his body to all the Italian food he will get to enjoy, and is hence, obsessing over Italian food these days. He was torn between two pizza spots in the city — Como Pizzeria in 32nd Milestone, and Soho Pizzeria in Saiyad-ul-ajab. "From Como Pizzeria, my favourite is their 'Wild Mushroom, Garlic, and Thyme Pizza'. It is basically like a white pizza, which I like more than a traditional, red pizza. I always ask for them to add freshly chopped red chilies in it, which adds a nice kick. From Soho, my go-to is their Burrata Pesto Pizza'."

"I feel like I haven't had good pasta in so long for some reason, but what really stood out was Fat Lulu Cafe's Mushroom Tortellini."

Since no conversation about Italian food is complete without mention of Gelato, we asked him where in Delhi he goes to get his hands on good gelato. "This new place in Khan Market, called Frozen Fun, has quickly become my favourite. Their gelato comes so close to the authentic flavour, and it reminds me of the ones that I had in Milan, which was one of the best gelato that I had in Italy. Their vanilla gelato and pistachio are especially good."

"I quite like the cocktails at Public Affair. They do a lot of great gin cocktails, which is really my scene. And this is not a cocktail but there is this Popcorn Vodka Shot at Lair, and I feel that that's the only time I've ever enjoyed a vodka shot. And, of course, it goes without saying that I love everything at Sidecar."

"My favourite sushi is the Mango Artichoke at Guppy in Lodhi Colony. Since it has mango, it is a seasonal dish and is a part of their spring menu. I also really like the sushi at Town Hall."

"We, as a family, love Sitaram Chhole Bhature, and we keep ordering them in almost every other weekend."

"Yeti's Vegetarian Momo deserves a special mention in this list. It's the best vegetarian momo to ever exist."

"Bhawan, in 32nd Milestone, is amazing. I love everything on their menu, and everything they do is quite innovative. They have this avocado Sev Puri which is just like the most delicious Sev Puri I have ever had. Their Appam stew which is my go-to comfort food. Whenever I'm craving comfort Indian food or if I want to like step out with family for a meal, Bhawan is the place I go to now."

"I really love Perch. Although, I'm not the biggest fan of their food, but I really enjoy the vibe. I like their cocktails and their wine list. I also feel that there are too many places that are dark, with like loud music and minimal lighting. I don't really vibe with those kinds of places. I like a Perch, which has a lot of natural light and I can spend hours just hanging out there."

Of course we asked the baker to tell us his favourite desserts. While he acknowledges that it is passé to mention The Big Chill Cakery, because of how obvious a choice it is, but thinks that their desserts are too good to not be spoken of fondly. The Cheesecake Brownie with Raspberries, Lemon Blueberry Cake, And Summer Bavarian are his favourites. Apart from that, he's a big fan of Mandakini Gupta's 'Smitten Bakery', who does small-batch baking in limited menus. "Every time like she's baking something, she puts it on her Instagram and you can order right there. It's very limited portion and she doesn't do very big batches, but her menu curation is fantastic. I always keep an eye out on her stories and I most definitely try and get my hands on it before it gets sold out," he adds.

What are your favourite spots in the city? And whose favourite spots would you like to know? Tell us in the comments.