Jawaharlal Nehru University dhabas

The sprawling green campus of Jawaharlal Nehru University in south Delhi is home to numerous affordable eateries which attract a regular stream of current students, loyal alumni and curious outsiders because of their unique, open-air surroundings and low prices. Each hostel and department has its own canteen, but there are a few that stand out from the rest. Situated near the entrance of the university, Ganga Dhaba is one of the oldest and most iconic eateries on campus. Famous for its hot tea, cool lemon soda, aloo paranthas and samosas, it is as rustic as it gets. With a series of scattered boulders used as seats, the open-air dhaba is a hub for conversations and debates. Nearby, the KC Market has its own set of culinary offerings: try hot jalebis at Chowdhury ji’s sweet shop, dry lamb and noodles at the small Tibetan restaurant Kiecha, and Kolkata-style kathi rolls.
Further inside, the immensely popular 24/7 food court stays open from dawn until the wee hours of the morning. It serves a mix of north Indian and Chinese fare, but the chicken tikka and rolls are especially good. The North-eastern dhaba located next to it dishes out delicious momos, fruit beer, chowmein, soups and delicacies from the north-eastern states. Mughal Darbar has the best non-vegetarian Mughlai food in the campus—come here for the biryani, succulent kebabs and spicy curries. Finally, Mamu’s Dhaba near the Administrative Block specialises in Bihari and north Indian fare: litti-chokha, thalis and paranthas. If you’re in luck, you might be able to chat with the owner, who holds a PhD from the university and is a bit of a local legend.

Note: Visitors entering the campus in a car need to be accompanied by a student of the university.