The birthplace of House of Wandering Silk is the massive metropolis of Delhi, a 1500 square kilometer sprawl in the northern plains of India. Home to 20 millions souls and our small House of Wandering Silk family and studio.
Many travellers launch their exploration of India from here, leaving as fast as the jet lag wears off. But the more familiar Delhi becomes, the more she pulls, like a magnet. It’s a city in constant flux and full of surprises; she delights, fascinates, frustrates and confounds in equal measure. Delhi blends a living, thriving antiquity (see: Chandni Chowk, Qawwali at Nizammudin Dargah), stunning historic monuments (see: Humayun’s Tomb, Lodhi Garden), an energetic and compelling design scene (see: House of Wandering Silk - of course we can’t leave ourselves off the list!, Pero, Bodice), a burgeoning coffee culture (see: Cafe Dori, Quick Brown Fox), and a lively cultural scene (See: Piano Man, Art Heritage Gallery).
We hope that by sharing our favourite parts of Delhi, including some of her hidden gems that you won’t find in your guidebook, we can encourage you to spend an extra few days here. Or maybe, like us, you’ll end up spending over a decade…
Places to EXPERIENCE
Break yourself in gently, with a stroll through this sprawling 90 acre park filled with meandering pathways set amongst seasonally refreshed and diverse flower gardens under a lush, green canopy of trees. You’ll find clean bodies of water with fountains in the middle, stone bridges and sprawling maintained lawns set amongst 500-year-and-older ruins and tombs.
Chandni Chowk
Or throw yourself in the deep end by taking the ultra modern metro to the the heart and soul of this city. An otherworldly and altogether ancient India, Old Delhi is a treasure trove of crumbling havelis; a jumble of one-room workshops and stores doing everything from packing sweets to book binding to selling wedding saris and fragrant oils; a constant flow of labourers and cycle rickshaws moving boxes; and everywhere - food! Go with no plans except to get lost and spend your day wandering and eating. Be sure to take a cycle rickshaw ride…
The main Friday Mosque of Delhi, this astoundingly beautiful building, in the heart of Old Delhi, oozes history and a bustling energy. Equal parts religious prayer site and family hangout location, the mosque should be on any to-see list of Delhi. Slowdown, sit under the red stone arches and watch all the colourful life pass before you.
Almost rivalling the Taj Mahal in beauty, but with less crowds, Humayun’s tomb speaks to Delhi’s long-standing history as the capital for many diverse empires that reigned throughout the ages. The Mughal empire that ruled India from the 1500-1800’s commissioned Humayun’s tomb to be built as their first iconic, architectural marvel - a study in grandiose symmetry and delicate stone inlay ornamentation work. Humayun’s tomb doesn’t stop short of impressing with it’s red sandstone and white marble double dome ceilings, symmetrical and connecting chambers, and arched entryways featuring stone latticework and ornamentation. For a serene experience, we recommend making a visit in the morning right when it opens, otherwise expect it to be crowded with large families enjoying the open gardens on the weekend.
Thursday Qawwali at Nizamuddin Dargah
This is one of my all-time favourite Indian - worldwide, in fact - experiences. Every Thursday evening in a historic and incredibly atmospheric mausoleum of a Sufi saint, located in Nizammudin village in South Delhi, Sufi musicians come together to play and sing haunting qawwali, this includes the Nizami brothers, descendants of Nizamuddin Auliya, whose family have been singing here for more than 700 years. To reach the mausoleum you have to find your way through a maze of very small alleys, packed with people and kebab dhabas.
Tip: Be sure to cover your head upon entering and leave your shoes at the gate.
Free, diverse cultural events
From music, theatre, comedy stand up to cinema and exhibitions, these centres have a rich cultural mix of events going on all the time: India Habitat Centre and India International Center. It’s also worth checking events run by the cultural institutes of the embassies, like the Alliance Francaise, The Goethe Institute and The American Centre.
Surajkund Mela | Faridabad
Every year from 1-10 February, artisans from all over the country gather at this massive fair on the south edge of Delhi. A sprawling space crowded with artisanal stalls, cultural events and food vendors, this is one of the best events in the country to see so much of India’s cultural heritage in one place. One section is devoted to groups coming from overseas, with a surprising mix of Southeast Asia, Central Asian and North African craft vendors. It’s bordering slightly on the kitsch side - you’ll need to sift through the more mass produced stuff and middle men, but if you keep a keen eye out, you’ll be rewarded with some of India’s most beautiful textiles and crafts discoveries!
Dastkar Bazaar | Andheria Modh
For a great Sunday activity, visit this permanent outdoor bazaar that hosts a couple of mainstay and several rotating vendor stalls, bringing together the diverse craftspeople of India and promoting the practical economic exchange of buying from the artisans directly so they take home a larger share of the profit.
Image @dastkar.delhi
National Craft Museum | Pragati Maidan
An extensive, indoor/outdoor space that acts as a physical encyclopaedia of India’s extensive and diverse craft traditions. Obviously we’re partial to the textile gallery— amongst it’s treasures are rare, brocade Baluchari saris, Kutch embroidery, and Kashmiri dushalas. The Bhuta Sculpture Gallery is also fascinating.
Nature Morte Art Gallery | Neeti Bagh
A modern, multi-level gallery that exhibits contemporary Indian art. Recommend going on an exhibit's opening night when the lawn turns into a catered who’s who event.
Art Heritage Gallery | Triveni Kala Sangam, Mandi House
A long-standing Delhi institution, promoting the arts since the 1970’s. A favorite weekend outing begins with meeting friends here to see the latest contemporary artist exhibit, grabbing a bite at the Triveni Terrace Cafe and catching a dance performance at the outdoor amphitheater in the evening.
Image @globustravelsindia
Places to DRINK // CHAI, COFFEE & COCKTAIL CULTURE
Street chai | A MUST!
Be sure to order with adrak (ginger) for a winter warmer, or elaichi (cardamom) for a summer flavour.
Tip: Don’t pay more than Rs.30-50.
Indian Coffee House | Connaught Place
You come here rather for the history than the coffee. Dating to 1957, the Indian Coffee House is part of a chain run by the Indian Coffee Worker’s Cooperative Society and in it’s heyday was a hub of intellectual debate. Read an interesting article on the history and decline of the Indian Coffee House here.
Blue Tokai | Hauz Khas
Delhi’s craft coffee scene would be years behind if it was not for Blue Tokai. They were the first to really pioneer speciality coffee and gear their ambience to the creative work space crowd. I’m obsessed with their nutty, caramely cold brew coffee! In the last year they’ve teamed up with the bakery, Sauchali’s, which makes some of the best croissants, cookies, and loaves of bread we’ve tasted in India yet.
Cafe Dori | Dhan Mill, Chhatarpur
Started by the same brain team behind Nappa Dori and all living in the same open, remodeled warehouse space, this hip and popular cafe features delicious coffee and scrumptious western style dishes using more experimental, seasonal ingredients. High ceilings and bright, natural light. A super place to get some work done on your laptop!
Tip: Excellent gluten free food is available here.
Image Cafe Dori Facebook
Coffee Bond | Greater Kailash Part 1
Our neighborhood favorite for grabbing a quick cup, that offers various techie methods for brewing a nutty and flavorful arabica bean. The bright, millennial space is set on the second floor of a building on the southwest corner of M-Block market. Your visit may be limited by how long you can manage to sit in the uncomfortable chairs. It’s sister over in the Uday Park neighborhood boasts a slightly more sophisticated aesthetic and is staffed by all women.
Quick Brown Fox Coffee Roasters | Dhan Mill, Chhatarpur
If you take your craft coffee seriously, this is the place for you! One of the few independently owned coffee shops where you can get a consistent pour over or nitro cold brew - the food is as good as the coffee. Beautiful natural light and open air feel.
Image Studio LCD
Happy Hunter Tea House | Hauz Khas
A glimpse into what it looks like when India and Japan merge; an unassuming tea house opened by a Japanese-owned and -run tea export business, sourcing high quality Darjeeling tea. Low hanging ceilings and chock full of tea wares; this place is quirky and full of character, and a welcome corner of serenity in the bustling city.
Sidecar Cocktail Bar | Greater Kailash Part 2
A 1920’s speakeasy style bar serving the best liquors available and spinning up very satisfying craft cocktail, cue the myriad spinoffs of the classic Sidecar, but the Whiskey Sour is about as good as it gets.
Piano Man | Safdarjung Enclave
A gift to the musicians and music lovers of Delhi. This place is a hub for live music and cocktails set in an intimate, dimly lit space. It can get pretty packed on the weekend, when the tables are moved to open up the dancing floor!
Imperial Hotel | Janpath
The most beautiful hotel in the city will take you back half a century to a romanticized colonial age. Lovely etchings line the corridors that take you to the 1911 Bar and the beautiful garden patio where we recommend you go old-school and order a G&T.
Hand painted scenes of a past era line the walls of the 1911 Bar in the Imperial Hotel
Places to EAT // SMALL BITES TO BIG MEALS
Cafe Lota | National Craft Museum, Pragati Maidan
An outdoor space of the National Craft Museum that’s been transformed into a laid back restaurant, featuring a mini culinary tour of the local dishes from India’s many diverse regions, using ingredients that are wholesome and rich - ancient grains, ghee, and quality dairy. Tasty! Be sure to try the Subudana Popcorn for something new altogether and don’t miss the Kerala Vegetable stew - it’s delicious.
Image @siddhant.23
Latitude | Khan Market
Tucked away at the top of Good Earth is lovely Latitude Cafe, part of the Diva chain of restaurants. Excellent and fresh (though pricey) food and good coffee and deserts in a very beautifully designed and decorated interior. The goat cheese salad and cappuccino make up our weekly Sunday brunch ritual; add in a few magazines from Bahrisons Book Shop down the lane, and you’ve got yourself the perfect set up for a relaxing hour or two. Avoid peak eating times, as the space is very small and fills up quickly.
Oh Calcutta! | Nehru Place
The best of Bengali cuisine and a seafood lover’s must. Be sure to try the Bhekti Macher Paturri (Asian sea bass in a spicy mustard paste steamed in banana leaves) and famous Mishti Doi (Begali brown yogurt) for dessert. Plenty of veg and chicken choices for those apprehensive about fish.
Juggernaut | Greater Kailash Part 1
Our favorite South Indian restaurant brimming with the best of Indian hospitality - think hand painted colorful art, sitar music, wafting incense and a tilak applied to the forehead as you enter. Very classic creamy curries, flaky roti’s, and puffy dosas. And true to South Indian cuisine, it is all vegetarian.
Little Saigon | Hauz Khas
A ridiculously sweet and hospitable Vietnamese couple bring home-cooked Vietnamese food to the youthful, creative crowd of Delhi. A hole in the wall, tucked away in the Hauz Khas Market, with just four tables and a handful of plastic chairs. If that alone doesn’t transport you to Saigon, then the tasty Pho and Bun Cha will. Don't let the look fool you!
Image @notyourspacemonkey
Greenr Cafe | Vasant Vihar
One of the few restaurant of it’s kind, we have Greenr to thank for trailblazing plant based, processed free, nutrient dense food in Delhi. Fresh smoothies and cold pressed juices, sumptuous green salads and hearty rice and quinoa based bowls served on beautiful pottery. Set in an alternative lifestyle space that showcase and sell a handful of local ceramic, clothing and jewelry artisans.
Tip: Excellent gluten free food is available here.
Image begreenr
Sagar Ratna | Defense Colony
There are just some traditions one should keep when visiting India. For me, within days of returning back to India, I have to go here and order myself a Masala Dosa and South Indian Filter coffee. The place is intimate, overstaffed, and full of Indian families, which is really the most reliable tip off to a great dosa experience.
Gung the Palace | Green Park
Looking for an alternative to Indian cuisine? This is the best recommendation we can give you - Gung is one of our all-time favourite restaurants, established by a Korean expat in Delhi; the food is authentic and delicious, the ambience is pure-Korea, and you’ll be blown away by the free serving of a heap of banchan small plates before you’ve even decided what you want to order! Expect private tatami-clad eating areas, Korean TV playing on the walls, and Japanese salary men doing business over Cheongju rice wine.
Image @radiantsparkles
Moti Mahal | Greater Kailash Part 1
From the kitchen that invented the ubiquitous Butter Chicken sometime in the 1950s. The story has it that the cooks of Moti Mahal would mix leftover marinade juices with butter and tomato, and then stew the tandoor-cooked chicken in it, little realising they were creating what would become one of the best known Indian dishes, at least outside India! This dimly lit, overstaffed and crowded restaurant is a Delhi institution. Expect tasty but standard North Indian cuisine and reasonable prices.
Jamun | Lodhi Colony
The ambience is a bit vain and posh, but you will get a more westernized version of Indian curries along with inventive cocktails using some of the more exotic flavors and spices from this country.
Images @worldofdelhi & @mukul1606
Nature’s Soul | Defense Colony Market
One for the self-caterers: a veritable hub for the natural food movement that really seems to be taking off here and well visited by many of the Expats that live in Defense Colony. This compact shop sources some of the best artisanal products from around India and offers a small, rotating menu of healthy sweets and gluten free breads, not to mention freshly prepared meals for takeaway.
Leo’s Artisan Pizza | Vasant Vihar
The best pizza east of Italy, that we’ve found (yet). The gossip is that they import a specially sifted, high gluten flour to give their dough a distinctive chew, all hand tossed and fired in the wood oven right there. A Prosciutto di Parma e Rucola once a week, please.
Image @weknowpizza
Fabcafe | Lajpat Nagar
Reinventing home cooked Indian food for the healthy, dietary limited crowd— gluten-, dairy-, grain- and processed oil/sugar-free takes on classic Indian dishes. Spinach, Spring Onion and Water Chestnut Momos and Classic Saag paneer amongst our top fav.
Tip: Excellent gluten free food is available here.
Image @whatshappening365
Goa Niwas canteen & other state houses | Chanakyapuri
A little known arsenal of culinary delights awaits you in the state houses scattered around Chanakyapuri in central New Delhi. These are complexes built to house and feed visiting state dignitaries and government staff when they come to Delhi for work. Most have old-school canteens open to the public, where you can eat your way through authentic, tasty and cheap local dishes from across India. Our favourites: Nagaland House for the phenomenal pork chops; Goa Niwas for the crab and prawn dishes; Jammu & Kashmir House of the kebabs and kahwa; and Andhra Bhavan, which is amongst the most popular for their thalis.
Karim’s | Chandni Chowk
Another Delhi institution, located in the heart of old Delhi: In the mid 19th century, Mohammed Aziz was a cook in the royal court of the Mughal Emperor. His son, Haji Karimuddin, moved back to Delhi in 1911, when Delhi Durbar was held for the coronation of King George V, with an innovative idea of opening a Dhaba offering Mughal dishes to cater to people coming from all over India to join the coronation. Haji Karimuddin started the Dhaba selling just two items: Alu gosht (mutton with potatoes) and Daal (lentil curry) served with Rumali Roti. In 1913, Haji Karimuddin established the Karim Hotel in Gali Kababian, near Jama Masjid, Delhi saying, "I want to earn fame and money by serving the royal food to the common man”. Today, the fourth generation is running the business, which has spread eateries across Delhi.
Source: Wikipedia.
A sad note to end on is that with the immense, recent fame achieved by Karim’s in the last decade or so, the quality of it’s dishes has dropped dramatically. It’s certainly worthwhile eating here occasionally, but it will be the ambience, not the food, that brings you back.
Meetha Paan | Street vendors across Delhi
A truly unique Indian gustatory experience! Meetha Paan is made to order on the street side by dedicated paan wallah. It's made up of an envelope of betel leaves stuffed with mixed, sweet jam-like spreads, crunchy bits of dried coconut, cherries and chopped dates, and typical mouth-freshener spices like fennel and anise. It’s sweet, juicy and almost impossible for a beginning to eat gracefully. In fact, it’s not exactly a food - you squeeze the paan into the side of your mouth where you suck and spit it for as long as you like. Whatever is left can be spat out. We do advise you take your paan from a very clean vendor - virgin stomachs will suffer otherhwise!
Katherine, founder of HOWS, indulging in Meetha Paan. Image @salvageandstring
Places to BROWSE // MARKETS
Khan Market
A wildly popular and compact square (and walking alley) in the center of New Delhi featuring high-end, independent designer boutiques, long standing pioneers in Indian textiles and fashion, upscale restaurants, import food shops, street vendors and a handful of mainstream brands. Highly trafficked by shoppers during the day, turns into a ‘going out’ dining destination at night.
N block market, Greater Kailash Part 1
If Khan Market is the energetic and chic child of the New Delhi shopping and eating scene, N Block Market is it’s more laid back and restrained older sibling. Famed as the “FabIndia Market”, due to it housing the first Fab India store opened in 1976, it now hosts several FabIndia stores for clothing, menswear and homeware, plus more pioneering textile and fashion brands peppered with a few surprises, home interior and decorating stores. Be sure to grab a glass of wine and appetizer at Diva for a cosy unwind.
Santushti Shopping Area
A relaxed and pleasant enclave of shops set amongst green lawns and landscaped walkways. Shops tend to turnover quickly but a visit to Tulsi by textile designer Neeru Kumar followed by lunch in the outdoor space of Diggin makes it a worthwhile visit.
Images Tripadvisor & Justdial
Meherchand Market
A sleepy market with hair salons, nail parlors, tailoring shops, and a handful of our favourite clothing and interior design boutiques spanning several, walkable blocks.
Hauz Khas Village
Our list would not be complete without including the former artist’s enclave-turned millennial eating hub. This jam-packed pocket of commerce is squeezed between beautiful Deer Park and Deer Park Lake, and Firoz Shah Tomb. It used to be one of our favourite haunts with an eclectic mix of small cafes (like Kunzum Cafe), and independent boutiques (Nappa Dori started here, along with designers Lovebirds and Translate), roof-top bars overlooking the lake and vintage furniture, clothing and poster stores. However skyrocketing rents mean the changeover of stores here keeps our head spinning and you’ll find it’s lost some of it’s charm and caters to a millennial crowd looking to eat. These days it’s still worth a visit - for the beautiful location alone; be sure to visit the tomb and park. Take a drink or eat at Social where you can grab a beautiful outdoor table on the terrace, overlooking the lake.
Image Media India Group
Places to SHOP // DESIGN & CRAFT
House of Wandering Silk | Greater Kaialsh Part 1
Of course we couldn’t leave ourselves off the list! Open by appointment only, our studio - the hub of our business - is set in an old and dilapidated dusty-rose coloured bungalow in a residential neighbourhood of GK-1. Enter through the unassuming gate, into a small plant filled inner entrance that opens to our studio. Immerse yourself in the beauty of all our creations and various textile obsessions we've had over the years; you’re certain to find things that would have never appeared online or on Instagram, as well as be the first to see any new things we’ve been working on. Shop for yourself, or find a unique gift that will impart a little piece of India to friends back home. This space also functions as our work place so we kindly ask you to make an appointment ahead of time by emailing us at hello@wanderingsilk.org. Hope to see you in the future!
For our top 10 Indian fashion designers that we love, please read our journal article here.
11.11 | Hauz Khas
To really see the craft of bandhani (a traditional tying and dying technique) and natural dye reimagined and pushed into the current fashion discourse, a visit to this showroom is a must. Truly. One of our favorite designers and a beautiful shop!
Good Earth | Khan Market
A three story, high-end concept store featuring the best of India’s textiles and designers (including HOWS, of course!). It’s been a pivotal player in bringing smaller designers into the public awareness. Go for brunch, at their intimate and lively third floor restaurant Latitude, and then visit the shop, even if it is just to browse and be inspired by the textiles, colours and detailing small independent designers are incorporating into their collections. A definitive destination in the reputable Khan Market, not to be missed.
Claymen | The Dhan Mill, Chhatarpur
A remarkable collection of designer shops, theater/art spaces, and hip restaurants set in an industrial warehouse space in Chhatarpur. We often joke that it’s Delhi doing hipster, and that is in no way negative, especially when you walk into Claymen and see how inspired and original it is. You’ll be hard pressed to leave without buying something if you’re an impulsive ceramic collector like us!
Kamala Craft Council Shop | Connaught Place
A carefully curated store showcasing many of India’s best artisans and traditional crafts under one roof; excellent for stocking up on gifts. Kamala supports artisans directly. Make sure to poke around the dusty but occasionally rewarding government emporiums next door.
Soham Dave & Translate | Greater Kailash Part 1
A store front shared by these two fashion designers: easy-wear, paired back clothing in beautiful hand spun cottons and block prints by Ahmedabad-based designer Soham Dave, and contemporary Ikat clothing in a delicious monochrome pallet by Hyderbad-based brand, Translate. The store and clothing give off a decidedly wabi-sabi aesthetic, a delightful peek into an India-meets-Japan world.
Image Soham Dave
Shades of India | Meherchand Market
A long-established and lovely designer clothing shop that repeatedly showcases some of the season’s most rich and enticing color palettes, while maintaining a decidedly Indian-inspired aesthetic and eye for detailing/finishing. A personal favorite! Several friends have gone home with gorgeous sari blouses (reimagined as crop tops back in the West) from here. Be sure to check out their carefully curated home goods store just a few doors over.
Images @shadesofindia
Paro | The Chanakya, Chanakyapuri
Paro is a recent initiative by Good Earth focusing on wellness, with their flagship retail store located in an ultra polished, intimate shopping mall in the heart of posh Chanakyapuri. Paro is a study in the perfect retail space - the second you step into the store, you feel you’ve entered somewhere very special. With a team of staff trained in aromatherapy and ayurveda, they can mix you a special blend of essential oils to cater to any problem you may have! A very carefully curated collection of wellness products, homewares and clothing, this store is a visual and, above all, olfactory delight!
Country Collection | Hauz Khas Village
One of the few stores which has remained unchanged in Hauz Khas Village - though it’s had to close a few floors - Country Collection sells a fabulous melange of vintage and antique furniture and homewares from across India. Tribal wooden beds from Nagaland, antique almiras from Rajasthan, ornate wood and brass trunks from Gujarat. Much of the charming furniture in our showroom comes from this store, which is a delight to visit. Smaller pieces which can be squeezed into suitcases and taken home are also available.
Nappa Dori | Dhan Mill, Chhatarpur
Well priced, tool grade leather accessories with a minimalist bent showcased in a chic and trendy space. This brand has been such a huge success that they've recently opened another store in high-end Covent Garden, London.
The Shop | Connaught Place
With their flagship store in Connaught Place, established in 1969, this is our favourite destination for hand-thrown ceramics and Auroville incense. However, it’s beautiful block prints that this brand is known for. On the second floor they have a super cute collection of cotton children’s wear, plus women’s wear. It’s a lovely store with a very pleasant ambience. If CP is too far for you to go, they have another outlet at Meherchand Market.
Images @theshop1969
Anokhi | Greater Kailash Part 1
An iconic pioneer in the world of block prints. Boasting an extensively rich print archive, 20 years in the making, each season they release a range of home textiles in a handful of beautiful prints and gorgeous colors. Heaven! I visit regularly just to see what’s new and to reinvigorate my sense for prints and color combinations. Clothing silhouettes are just as interesting as the block prints!
Images Magicpin & @journey_seilin
Full Circle Book Shop | Greater Kailash Part 1
Walk down the stairs into a warmly lit basement with shelves and tables brimming with books on Indian spiritualism, history, fiction and children’s books alongside some of the more famous works by an impressive selection of Western authors. There’s also souvenir and gifting items available for purchase. They have another outlet in Khan Market. Our favourite bookshop in Delhi for their wide selection and pleasant ambience. You'll also find that books can be significantly cheaper in India than the West.
Image: @beingtandon
Places to STAY// B&B’s to Colonial Luxury
Bungalow 99 | Defense Colony
A unique and comfortable stay can be had at this tasteful and well designed guest house. Offering only four rooms and an apartment, this would be a good option for an extended stays since it is located in the beautiful and ever popular Defense Colony neighborhood.
Images @bungalow_99
Bed and Chai Guesthouse | Greater Kailash Part 1
Right in our neighbourhood, this is where we put up all our friends and family when they visit! Run by two French women, it’s paired back and simple while still boasting key aesthetic and comfort touches, making for a charming and economical stay.
Thikana Delhi | Neeti Bagh
A warm and comfortable B&B centrally located in the South Delhi neighborhood known as Neeti Bagh, offering full amenities including spacious, modern bathrooms, 24/7 staff and a hearty breakfast buffet.
The Imperial | Connought Place
The lap of luxury, boasting the best of colonial architecture and elegance. We can only dream of extended stays sleeping in the plush beds and swimming in the turquoise tiled pool - but this place is much too expensive for us! We’ve found sauntering into the 1911 Bar for a classy G&T or taking high noon tea and sweets in The Atrium scratches a certain itch.
Image @fromjaipurwithlove
Haveli Dharampura | Old Delhi
A completely remodelled Haveli in Old Delhi - one of the first of its kind (most other Havelis in Delhi are dilapidated and parcelled into many living units) and providing much-needed respite from the chaos of Old Delhi, hovering just outside it’s front doors. Get ready for a lively time!
Images @coltroviagens & @fleetwood_collection
Places to EXERCISE & SELF CARE
Sivananda Yoga Center | Greater Kailash Part 1
Several classes offered each day in the Sivananda yoga tradition set in a beautifully serene and green enclave. Classes follow the same foundational flow of pranayama (breathing exercises), sun salutations, asanas and meditation. This is our local favourite yoga centre, and they have renters scattered around India.
Boulder Box | Vasant Vihar
This one’s a bit offbeat, but if you have any interest in exploring the climbing scene in Delhi this is the best place to start off. All things bouldering, with regularly scrubbed holds and switched up routes in a clean, air-purified space. And if all that just went over your head, I still recommend taking a yoga class here since it’s such a vibrant, healthy space and a great place to meet people.
1010 Nail Spa | Meherchand Market
If you’re in need of a good, hygienic pedicure this is the spot! Received one of the best foot massages of my life here. Extensive selection of OPI nail colors.
Rod Anker | Meherchand Market
A reliable, clean salon that does a good coconut oil head massage, wash/blow-out/up-do or just a simple trim.
User notes
Delhi changes seasonally and rapidly; we’ve done our best to cherry pick the spots that have stood the test of time while throwing in some newcomers that have grabbed our attention. But in the spirit of sharing information, we acknowledge it’s quite likely we’ve missed something amazing. We'd love to hear from you if you have a favourite Delhi spot; we'll happily add to our list any new places that meet our exacting standards!
We encourage you to explore as whim/itineraries inspire, keeping in mind that Delhi, like India, is a mirror. If you’re relaxed and kind, she’ll be relaxed and kind to you. If you’re freaked out and shocked, get a good nights rest, drink lots of water, eat something familiar and wear comfy clothes and shoes before heading out again.