Article and photos, courtesy REUTERS

REUTERS: Our company news editor’s guide to lip-smacking curries and 17th-century marvels.
By Aditya Kalra
February 22, 202510:00 PM GMT+11

I’ve lived and worked in New Delhi all my life – almost 40 years – and in that time I have seen India’s capital transform from a traffic-choked city with poor infrastructure into a metropolitan hub with much improved connectivity and a thriving culinary scene.

The city is the seat of the Indian government and, for business journalists like me, offers a unique place to crack stories that discreetly unfold in the corridors of power and spill outside – whether they be on the workings of big Indian conglomerates run by billionaire tycoons like Gautam Adani or Mukesh Ambani (whose son’s glitzy 2024 wedding was an international spectacle), or deeper dives into the plans and challenges of foreign giants such as Amazon, Tesla and OpenAI.

Home to more than 30 million people, New Delhi boasts a rich cultural heritage from centuries of Mughal and British rule before India’s independence in 1947. It is also a city of contrasts: while poor Delhiites can be seen queuing up outside overburdened public hospitals, others lap up Louis Vuitton bags and global cuisine in luxury malls.

Here is my guide to exploring the city as a local would:

Food: When in New Delhi, savouring the local Indian cuisine is essential. What has to be on top of anyone’s food quest is the world-famous north Indian food, which includes greasy, buttery and lip-smacking curries. They go well with Mughal-era inspired chicken and mutton kebabs, and flour breads cooked in coal-fired clay ovens.

Butter chicken is a hot favourite (not literally: if you are spice averse, this is a nice mild choice). So popular is the dish – made using tandoor-cooked chicken dipped in tomato, butter and cream gravy – that it has been at the centre of a heated court battle between two Delhi restaurants, Moti Mahal and Daryaganj, seeking to claim the bragging rights for having invented the dish. The judge is still marinating on that one.

A freshly prepared butter chicken dish inside Daryaganj restaurant. REUTERS/Priyanshu Singh

New Delhi has plenty of options for vegetarians, too: Butter-loaded curries of cottage cheese and vegetables and a creamy lentil dish, dal makhani, go best with tandoor-cooked naans and breads, or rotis in Hindi. You’ll find these and more at the popular Khan Market and Pandara Road areas, or the business district of Connaught Place in central Delhi.

Don’t miss the savoury and sweet-and-tangy street food sold at roadside kiosks and in popular restaurant chains like Haldiram’s, where you can go for a filling breakfast of chole bhature, a spicy chickpea curry served with deep-fried bread. But don’t just eat anywhere and be mindful of hygiene to ensure you don’t get the dreaded Delhi belly – traveller’s diarrhoea.

Experience Old Delhi: Continue your food quest in Old Delhi, where many popular small-scale outlets serve kebabs, mutton stews and sweets late into the night.

Amid deafening honking, the crowded Old Delhi area has dingy by-lanes and houses surrounded by electric wires hanging in the open, but it is an experience not to miss, even if the place appears daunting to navigate.

Dress modestly, and hire a manually-driven rickshaw to soak in the place or opt for one of the many guided heritage or food tours. Shopping is a must here – the old markets offer everything from traditional and wedding attire to spices and jewellery, as well as souvenirs.

A rickshaw puller waits for commuters in the quarters of Delhi. REUTERS/Priyanshu Singh

Monument trail: History lovers can stop by the iconic mosque of Jama Masjid, which was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in the 17th century, and his other expansive architectural marvels nearby, such as the Red Fort, or Lal Qila, built in red sandstone with manicured lawns inside. Built centuries ago, the tallest brick minaret in the world, the Qutub Minar, is also worth a visit.

Walk or drive around the war memorial of India Gate in central Delhi, which was designed by the famed British architect Edwin Lutyens and opened in 1931. The monument and its surrounding lawns appear even more beautiful at night when the tricolour lights of the Indian flag are switched on.

Moving around: Ride-hailing cabs offered by Uber and local rival Ola are among the most comfortable options to get around the city, with the former offering full-day rentals for easy sightseeing. The yellow-and-green autorickshaws are fun for short distances, but they don’t tend to go by state-mandated fares, so make sure you bargain.

With 289 stations covering nearly 400 kilometres (250 miles), the Delhi Metro train system has fast expanded since opening in 2002 and is a great way to get around the city, barring the rush hours between 8-10am and 6-8pm when it can be really packed.
Beware of chaos on the roads: Pedestrians will cross the street anywhere they please, and there isn’t any real concept of lane driving or crosswalks.

People sit by the lake in Sunder Nursery. REUTERS/Priyanshu Singh

Relaxing: Summers are too hot in New Delhi, but during the winter season – which starts around November – a picnic at one of New Delhi’s lush-green parks is a popular way to spend the day. But be warned: High pollution levels can be a spoilsport during that time, so make sure you carry a mask.
You can also drive around Lodhi Colony to see beautiful murals in what some consider to be India’s first art district, before ultimately reaching the Lodhi Garden to soak in the sun.

The most popular botanical garden in New Delhi is the Sunder Nursery, which reopened in 2018 after restoration work. It is home to 20 historical structures, some dating back to the 16th century. Families bearing lunch bags like to visit on weekends. It’s best to go on a Sunday but beat the crowds by visiting in the early morning. You’ll find local bread and farm-fresh vegetables and pickles to buy in The Bazaar.

DATA POINTS
Price of a cup of chai: 15 Indian rupees ($0.17), available at roadside stalls across the city.
Good public bathrooms: Most public bathrooms are not that clean, so walk into a hotel or a cafe.
Price of water: 20 rupees ($0.23) for a bottle of the ubiquitous Bisleri brand.
Popular car: Maruti Suzuki
Price of fuel at state-run pumps: 94.77 rupees ($1.10) per litre.
Largest university: University of Delhi, 700,000 students.

(Sources: Republic of South Africa; National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa; Checkers grocery chain; Shell; US News & World Report Best Global Universities Rankings)

Get the latest news and expert analysis about the state of the global economy with the Reuters Econ World newsletter. Sign up here.

Reporting by Aditya Kalra, Company News Editor for Reuters in India, overseeing business coverage and reporting stories on some of the world’s biggest companies.

Please note: we may have affiliate links with some of these sites and may receive commissions if you book with them. But they all assist to keep travellers moving, so please support them.