Chefs are a busy, busy bunch. They spend most of their time thinking about food—planning, grazing, tweaking away, without ever really sitting down for a proper meal. So by the end of a shift, the hunger pangs take on a life of their own and start making demands, not for the fancy dishes they spent all day plating, but for ones that have earned their place on speed dial. That might mean tingmo from a neighbourhood Tibetan cloud kitchen, or a chilli oil dumpling that brings back memories of Sichuan suppers in Dubai’s China cluster. Throw in shammi kebabs from Wenger’s, and a flaky puff pie that’s impossible to stop at just one, and you have yourself a scrumptious, takeout meal that’s simple, familiar, and chef-approved. Here’s where to order comfort food in Delhi, as per the city’s foodie pros.
Radhika Khandelwal, Fig and Maple
Radhika Khandelwal
- Mood in Delhi
Even though I’m constantly around food, when I do order in, I have my absolute go-tos that never miss. One of my favourites is the smoked pork and the fluffiest tingmo from Mood in Delhi (Vasant Vihar). It’s perfectly cooked—smoky, tender, and packed with flavour. It feels indulgent but familiar, like a proper end-of-day reward. - Wenger’s
I also love the shammi kebabs from Wenger’s (Connaught Place). I’ve grown up on them and still find myself reaching for them when I want something nostalgic. They’re crumbly, well-spiced, and just so comforting—Delhi heritage on a plate. - Chimney Sizzlers
Then there’s the chicken momos from Chimney Sizzlers (Chanakyapuri). They’re unpretentious, super juicy, and that chutney! Completely addictive.
Kainaz Contractor, Bhawan
Kainaz Contractor
- Kori’s
A recent discovery, Kori’s (Greater Kailash and Humayunpur) has me hooked to their Dosiraks, which is basically a Korean thali of sorts. It’s the perfect one-person dish with so much variety! I’ve been ordering the Pork Bulgogi one on repeat—it comes with kimchi, scallion pancake, tofu, salad, spicy potatoes, and pickled veggies. Pro tip: ask them to replace the plain rice with the flavoured rice with seaweed and sesame seeds. - Mjöl Bake House
Ever since they opened dangerously close to my house, I have been a Mjol (Sikanderpur) regular since day one. Manooshi’s expertise in all things baked shines through the entire menu, and how! The breads are amazing, and my favourite is the focaccia, which makes almost every sandwich a banger, my favourite being the egg salad one. Their puff pies are the stuff of dreams, and I have a really hard time eating just one. Not only is the puff pastry sheer perfection, the cider chicken and the chilli pork fillings are insanely good. In desserts, I tend to pick from whatever is available at that moment since they sell out fast. - Mahabelly
An old favourite since my South Delhi days, Mahabelly (Saket) always comes through whenever Mallu food cravings hit hard! They source the freshest fish and the flavours are always incredibly authentic. My standard order more often than not includes a raw mango prawn curry, veg ishtew, fried fish, buff chilli fry, and Malabar parottas. For days when you want a soothing meal for your tummy, their curd rice and kaanji with vegetable thoran is just what the doc ordered.
Adwait Anantwar, INJA
Adwait Anantwar
Kikli
- Mala Project
I lived in Dubai for 8 years and there’s an area there called International City where there’s a lot of different clusters of regional neighbourhoods. I used to eat some amazing food made by the families that lived in China cluster and I find Mala Project’s (Gold Course Road) food to be very similar to the dishes I ate back in Dubai. I love the Sichuan chilli oil dumplings from there. - Gokulam
I’ve always loved South Indian food. I started my career in Coorg and we used to make frequent trips to Mangalore to study seafood there. During our visits I would eat these lovely Mangalore buns and the closest I’ve come to eating those in Delhi is at Gokulam (Connaught Place). I’m a huge fan of their Mangalorean buns! - Nagaland Kitchen
The first time I ate Northeastern food was in Delhi. The first place I tried the cuisine was Nagaland Kitchen (Green Park Extension). I would recommend the chilli pork, the smoked pork salad, and, what stands out to me the most is this homely, watery Naga ginger and chicken stew, especially during Delhi winters. - Kikli
And finally Kikli (Connaught Place) by Chef Amninder Sandhu is a great idea if you haven’t been yet. The smoky chole is to die for and honestly all the food there is delicious. The last time I was there I actually told Chef Amininder, “Kha kha ke thak gaye, par mann nahi bhara.”
Dhruv Oberoi, Olive Bar & Kitchen
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