Dhaba – The Claridges

Located inside central Delhi’s swanky Claridges hotel, Dhaba recreates the ambience of a Punjabi highway eatery with sophisticated flair. The interiors are replete with kitschy décor, such as an actual colourful truck, thatched roof and vintage posters, with classic Bollywood songs playing in the background. The menu features rustic dishes such as kanastari baingan, balti meat, tawa macchhli dhaba, chilli chicken and Amritsari tawa chaap. There are also a range of creative cocktails, such as a spiked aam panna and paan mojito, and mocktails such as thandai and mint chaach. The success of the original Dhaba restaurant at the Claridges has led to a couple of branches being opened across the city, but visit the original—started in 1984—for nostalgia.