The city has to offer many successful restaurants serving authentic North Eastern cuisine, often run by entrepreneurs from the North East who have settled here.
Delhi’s North Eastern Eateries
Delhi has a thriving connection with the Seven Sister states of India. With a large number of people migrating to the city, the result is some fabulous eating joints for Delhi food connoisseurs to flex their flavour muscles.
We know it makes you sad (or it definitely will, now that you know) that Dzukou – the place that could be trusted to serve up some pure, unadulterated, joy-inducing Naga food in Delhi, has shut down. Such is life (unfair), and such is the cruelty dished out by the utilitarian survival economics of Hauz Khas Village. However, do not despair yet, for there are still some fantastic standalones in unexpected corners of Delhi where you can get some food from the north east, though mainly it remains either Naga or Ohomiya. As for Dzukou, we can only wish it reopens soon.
Nagaland’s-Kitchen does the best Naga pork dishes in Delhi.
Nagaland’s Kitchen
If pork is your best friend, then you must give up what you’re doing instantly and make a beeline for this place. Pork ribs done exactly how you would find them Naga style, pork with dry bamboo shoots all tender and fine… We could go on.
S2, Uphaar Cinema Complex, Green Park Extension Market, or call 011 46088968, 011 26515058
Gharua does a mean Assamese thali, served in traditional crockery to add to the experience.
Gharua Exaj
Tucked away in one corner of Lajpat Nagar IV lies this small mom and pop-esque restaurant which will bring back more memorable childhood memories you have of visiting grandma. Brass crockery and cutlery laid out on elegant yet simple bamboo tables, the food served over there is authentic Assamese fare from Duck Fry, Fish Curry with Mustard Seeds to home-cooked dal the Assamese way, (our in-house favourite.)
E 129, Opposite Tagore International School, Amar Colony, Lajpat Nagar 4, call 01141044299
Nagaland Bhawan
It would not be stretching it to call this place the star attraction of Dilli Haat’s food court. But definitely, Nagaland Bhawan has the potential to draw crowds into Dilli Haat on its own. Providing a large number of options in pork and fish from Robu with Dry Yam Leaves, Raja Mircha Curry to Smoked Pork in Akhuni (fermented soya beans), and even the Bhut Jalokia (the hottest chilli found in this region, it has been previously used to make tear-gas by the Indian army.)
Dilli Haat, Aurobindo Marg
Jakoi, Assam House
Jakoi
One of the better places in town, Jakoi is the other Assamese place to go to if you want authentic Aohomiya food in Delhi, from Hilsa (fish) in banana leaf to vegetarian options like Dhoka Anja and sweets like Semiya Payas. If you go for the thali, it’s a sumptuous meal served in the traditional style with the rice crowned by savouries, fish, pickles, lime and other attention to details which leaves you satisfied.
While this one has gotten quite homogenized catering to generations of college students looking for their chicken-chilli-noodle fix, the North East stall in JNU will surprise you with its mean alungsa fry among other delicacies if you go and ask for them. Alungsa is basically liver fry, and their preparation is definitely one of the more palate appeasing liver dishes you would have had in the past. Worth a trek to the university once again for this.