The best coffee shops in Delhi

What is it: A three-outlet chain, with its Khan Market outlet built around a lofty premise: excellent coffee in the morning, serious cocktails at night

Why we love it: They've got a bar concept, a cafe-style concept, and a corporate kiosk concept. And it really does deliver on the AM to PM. The Australian and strawberry mocha, cold brews, and even the pour overs are distinctly good, as are the cocktails. They’re also known for a compact pick of breakfasts which in concept alone pair with caffeine. 

Address: 1, 11B, Khan Market, New Delhi. (Others in Santhushti Complex and Noida)

Price: ₹2,000 for two approx. 

Timings: Mon-Sun. 7am-11:30pm.

What is it: A specialty coffee shop that stays open till 4 am

Why we love it: Most places in this city that keep late hours are bars. Seven Seeds offers an alternative: real coffee as the reason to stay past midnight, though they do have martinis if you want them. It’s fun to people-watch and see the difference between the morning regulars and those who clearly wanted to make one more pit-stop after a bender in Humayunpur. Go all out on the sweetness here: try the rose-themed coffee and iced lattes and pair them with a pastry. It’s a long menu though; read through all of it, and ask stupid questions to the staff because there’s a few surprises in there.

Price: ₹800 for two. 

Hours: Mon-Sun. 8am-4am.

Address: W-5, Arjun Nagar, Green Park, New Delhi 110016.

What is it: An Indonesian chain that carried its most useful trick to Delhi

Why we love it: That trick is gula aren, Indonesian palm sugar, which gives their lattes a deep, almost smoky caramel quality that takes anyone expecting an artificial feel from chain coffee by surprise. I was strolling down GK’s M Block one day when a staff member of theirs offered me a sip of avocado-blended coffee, and I haven’t looked back since. Avocado should have coffee drinkers in a tight split in theory, but it truly is a delight, and it comes in ranges of thickness. Snack options are limited, but the tea cakes and rolls are worth the detour. Also, I’ve never encountered anyone but the sweetest staff while visiting a Kenangan outlet.

Address: Multiple outlets including C-16, SDA Market, opposite IIT Flyover, Hauz Khas; and Pacific Mall, Subhash Nagar. 

Price: ₹300-800 for two

Timings: The GK outlet is 24/7 open.

What is it: Not a café, exactly – more the place where cafés get made. They rotate training baristas from a quaint-looking kiosk in a peaceful, walkable area.

Why we love it: Really good specialty coffee probably made on the high stakes of someone training to be the best. And actually, I like the premise: we usually think of a coffee as a drink to work with or catch up with friends over a table with. This is daring (it’s tiny and also wedged between some other nice coffee spots) and it pays off. Given that it’s surrounded by aesthetically pleasing spots like Planterie and Cala, it also makes for the perfect beginning of a brunch date if you’re looking to impress somebody.

Price: Varies.

Timings: Mon-Sat. 10am-6pm. Closes at 5pm on Saturdays. Sun closed.

Address: Building no 4, Basement, 110017, Panchsheel Park North, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi, Delhi, 110017

What is it: Recognised best by its trademark long, thin bottle, this is technically not anything that would register with a Q-grader. What it is, and has been since it opened on Janpath in 1969, is a place that decided milk-based cold coffee would have a moment.

Why we love it: This has been a college-student-first-date spot, an office-afternoon-slump spot, a families-out-shopping spot for over five decades. It's the place where you smile at strangers if you bump into them while dodging bins. Order the classic cold coffee, or the Irish Cream if you're feeling modern, with momos. They also now do a sugar-free and almond milk version. Nostalgia isn’t bittersweet here… rather, it’s a lovely coats-your-tongue sweet. Definitely make a pit-stop if you’re ever shopping in Janpath.

Address: 22, Janpath Bhawan, Janpath, New Delhi 110001. Also at GK1.

Price: ₹200 for two

What is it: An independently owned specialty coffee roaster that screams breakfast dates, roasting and carefully tasting their coffees in small batches

Why we love it: They’ve got a beautifully customisable menu, one of few in the city where you can switch out your beans (six choices) and filters (two) for any coffee. Quick Brown Fox also doesn’t attempt to dwell on fifty-nine different fancily named drinks – their classics are great. My picks are the Spanish latte, the piccolo latte, and the coffee tonic. Two other things that set them apart is their full-menu decaf switch option, and the limited vegan picks which are good (a rare thing). Their minimalist interiors allow for plenty of sunlight, and service is smooth, making it seem unhurried even on a Sunday morning. Food’s also delicious: you can’t go wrong with one of the poached eggs dishes or sweet baked items, of which I consider the moist chocolate banana bread divine. They’re right above an equally nice microbrewery, Fort City Brewing.

Address: E-17, Third Floor, Hauz Khas Market, Block E, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, Delhi 110016

Price: ₹1,500 for two.

Timings: Mon-Sun. 8am-11pm.

What is it: Turns out there’s a common time for good music on vinyl, good coffee, and swell baked goods across the city

Why we love it: The sensory overload's enough to distract you from the bustle of Khan Market, though Common Time's got other outlets with quieter surroundings. Drinks like the orange-foamed mont blanc cold brew come with physical bites of candied orange. Hot coffees with milk lean on the thick, creamy side. The vinyl more than tops off the experience, managing to distract you from your cup.

Timings: Mon-Sun. 9am-10.30pm.

Price: ₹400 for one

Address: Second floor, 34, above Pure Home Living, Khan Market, Rabindra Nagar, 110003 (also in Lodhi Colony and Vasant Vihar)

What is it: A beloved Colombian specialty coffee brand, brought here by Miguel Villaquiran

Why we love it: Indian estate blends are stunning and far-ranging. But who doesn’t like the idea of trying something new? The reputation of Libertario’s flagship blends – Paz (caramel-chocolate), Libre (fruit-forward), and the rotating Rock/Specials (featuring exotic varietals like Geisha and Bourbon Sidra) – is preceded by their dark blue-tiled exteriors.   

Timings: Mon-Thurs: 8am-10pm, Fri-Sun: 8am to 11pm.

Price: ₹800-1,200 for two.

Address: Ground Floor, Main Market, M/52, part 2, Block M, Greater Kailash II, Greater Kailash, New Delhi, Delhi 110048

What is it: One of North India’s oldest coffee roasters, opened in 1962. It’s a tiny spot in Khanna Market, but brave it.

Why we love it: They’ve got some of the best-sourced beans in the city, including a selection of international origins. There’s no beating around the brand bush here. Seating is limited, and the focus is on quality rather than excessiveness. Don’t be mistaken though: fruity notes and latte art are still to be spotted in the hands of its coffee-maniac customers, especially in the much sought-after cold brews. I’m very fond of the blends: some truly noteworthy ones are the Monsooned Malabar, Arabica Peaberry, and the Special Blend.

Price: ₹600 for two.

Timings: Mon-Sat. 10am-7pm.

Address: 131, Khanna Market Road, near Laxmi Tent House, Block D, Lodi Colony, New Delhi 110003. 

What is it: Coffee here is profiled more than celebrities in fashion magazines

Why we love it: Savorworks does things obsessively: testing each blend thousands of times, making several parts of your cup in-house. Food is decent, but trust me, you’ll have a hard enough time choosing between the drinks. One of the several flavour profiles they’ve mastered is chocolate. The hot mocha uses 58% housemade chocolate; the Gin & Tonic chocolate bar has lemon, lime, and juniper oils; the tiramisu comes in an edible chocolate cup. Great roasts here are the Honey I'm Nuts single roast and the Boss's Wife house blend. Interiors are sleek and elegant. By the way, the second floor hides a speakeasy called Pod that also does cacao and coffee-based cocktails. 

Address: 9, Commercial Complex, Masjid Moth, Greater Kailash 3 (GK 3). They’ve also just opened a Gurgaon outlet.

Price: ₹850-2,000 for two. 

Timings: Mon-Sun. 8am-11:30pm.