Delhi's top south Indian restaurants to eat at right now
The city's food scene is seeing a flourish of south Indian restaurants serving hyperlocal and community-specific cuisines like bun and stew from Syrian Christian kitchens to ‘benne dosa’ at a soon-to open ‘darshini’-style eatery
A few weeks ago, Benne, a darshini-style eatery that opened in Mumbai last year, announced an outpost in Delhi. The social media post went viral with diners excited to try its buttery benne dosa and filter coffee.
While the city awaits Benne’s much-hyped debut this December, another south Indian favourite, HOSA, which first made its mark in Goa, opened at One Horizon Centre, Gurugram, just before Diwali. For months, a hoarding at the site teased its arrival, and by the time the doors opened, anticipation had turned into frenzy. Priyanjali Sinha, a Gurugram-based corporate professional, even skipped work one day to have lunch with her family. “I’ve been to HOSA in Goa multiple times and was eagerly awaiting its opening in Gurugram," she says, adding that the coconut ice cream with jasmine sorbet is her favourite.
While traditional south Indian staples like idli and dosa have long been popular in Delhi, a new wave is reshaping how the Capital experiences the cuisines from the region. There’s a growing appetite for contemporary, elevated interpretations coupled with a renewed curiosity for community specific and hyperlocal cuisines.
“People are exploring cuisines from across the states, so now they are more aware of flavours and ingredients. We have been witnessing a regional cuisine boom in Delhi, whether Bengali or north-eastern food, so it was about time for south Indian cuisine to come into the limelight," says chef-patron Ruchira Hoon, the founder of Draavin Canteen (formerly Dakshin Canteen), which opened last December in Delhi’s Amar Colony and now has another outlet in Gurugram’s DLF Downtown 2 complex.
The trend gained momentum with ITC Hotels’ Avartana, which opened in Delhi last October and set the tone for refined, sensorial dining. Soon after, Draavin Canteen with their kari dosa and filter coffee soft serve caught attention. The restaurant also serves dishes from Lakshadweep and Sri Lanka. Other recent entrants like Mustard Madras (in Noida and Gurugram) and Kopparrai in Delhi have become crowd favourites for their take on Andhra and Chettinad cuisines, while Vellam in Gurugram has brought playful twists with dosa tacos and Kerala-style chicken wings.
TASTE FOR THE TRADITIONAL
Delhi’s fondness for south Indian food began in the 1970s-80s with restaurants like Woodland’s at The Lodhi Hotel and Dasaprakash at Ambassador, which introduced the city to dosas, idlis and home-style thalis. Though considered relatively premium at the time, they earned a loyal following for their simplicity. “I remember going to Woodland’s and Dasaprakash for dosas and idlis, and especially their coconut chutney," recalls Rohit Khattar, founder-chairman of EHV International (which owns HOSA).
The scene began to shift in 1986, when Jayaram Banan, also known as the “dosa king of the north", opened the first outlet of Sagar in Defence Colony market. The vegetarian south Indian restaurant was an instant success, eventually evolving into the Sagar Ratna chain with 51 outlets in NCR. They also have presence in Meerut, Karnal and Dehradun.
About 15 years later, Banan expanded his culinary vision with Swagath, which brought Delhi its first taste of coastal classics like masala crab—dishes once found only in cities like Mumbai. Around the same time, the Andhra Pradesh/Telangana Bhavan canteen became a go-to for its spicy mutton fry and prawn curry, giving diners an affordable introduction to the fiery flavours of the region.
Delhi’s long-standing relationship with the cuisine is also tied to its sizeable south Indian population, concentrated in pockets like Mayur Vihar, CR Park and Dwarka. “Even a decade ago, you could find shops selling coconuts and chips fried in coconut oil," says Hoon. “But back then, you rarely saw all these elements coming together in one place." For years, Dwarka had small Malayali eateries serving simple, homestyle fare, but many of them shut down owing to the pandemic.
ADDRESSING THE GAP
While regional south Indian dishes have been around, it wasn’t until restaurants like Gunpowder opened in 2009 that these flavours received widespread attention. A few years later, it shut, giving way to places like Toddy Shop (now closed) and Mahabelly (Saket), which serve Kerala cuisine. The latter continues to grow and is a favourite for those seeking coastal flavours. With diners increasingly willing to experiment, the timing has been perfect for innovative concepts like HOSA. Khattar describes it as the right time to offer “imaginative south Indian food" that is slightly adventurous yet approachable.
A modern twist on a beloved Syrian-Christian breakfast, the Bun and Stew at HOSA reimagines the classic coconut milk-based stew, traditionally made with beef and lamb and savoured with slices of bread. Chef Harish Rao elevates it with a soft bun and serves the dish in a neat sphere, offering a vegetarian and chicken version. In Kegg Roast and Brain Pepper Roast, Kegg eggs are used instead of the regular ones to create a fluffy egg-white omelette. “We have taken some liberties, but we haven’t tampered with how the dish should taste. We are serving creative dishes that people typically don’t expect at ₹1,500 for a meal," says Khattar, who has introduced Elaneer Pepper Fry, Dindigul Mutton Biryani and Raw Banana Paniyaram, and also retained some Goa favourites like the Curry Leaf Pesto Snapper and Roti Canai. “You will spot it in mamak or mama shops in Singapore and Kerala, run by Tamil Muslim communities who brought these recipes with them," says Rao.
Restaurateurs are now seeing Delhi as a market for experimentation. When Akhil Iyer co-founded Benne along with Shriya Narayan in Mumbai in May 2024 because he craved the benne dosa he had enjoyed in Bengaluru, he decided to bring it to Delhi. “Many advised me to expand in Mumbai first and then look elsewhere," Iyer says. “But, there is room for menus centred around one or two hero dishes. I am waiting to see if south Delhi, known for its upscale restaurants, will embrace this fast, affordable and communal way of enjoying food," he adds.
While technology and operational efficiency are increasingly shaping the restaurant business, chefs remain focused on their core vision. Benne, for instance, aims to be the neighbourhood darshini wherever it opens, with a centralised kitchen grinding batter and making chutneys through the day. Tech integration at every outpost will allow diners to order seamlessly, avoiding long queues. Hoon embraces experimentation but draws a firm line on authenticity. “I’ve had people ask for paneer Chettinad, and I won’t compromise for demand," she says.
The south Indian culinary landscape is evolving in the Capital, proving the city is adventurous yet discerning, and eager to explore the country’s diverse spectrum of flavours while respecting tradition.
Geetika Sachdev is a Delhi-based lifestyle journalist.
topics
