The best things to do in Chandni Chowk

What is it: A perfume shop that’s been around since the era of the last of the Mughals, Gulabsingh Johrimal on the main Chandni Chowk road boasts a history of over 200 years

Why go: Now in the hands of the seventh generation of the same family, they boast an impressive collection of perfumes, perfumed oils, attars, incense sticks, room fresheners and soaps, ranging from their own concoctions and original formulations to dupes of popular designer scents. Walk in and you’ll be smacked in the face with a hundred different scents coming at you from every direction, the very air being thick with fragrance (if you ever ask a local for directions, they’ll tell you to let yourself be guided by your nose and you’ll find it). The walls are lined with old glass bottles with gorgeous glass stoppers, and vials of precious perfumes that shimmer when they catch the rays of sun which sneak past the windows and door. 

The attars are rich and nuanced, and if you happen to visit on a day when they’re relatively empty, the gentlemen behind the counter can be persuaded to regale you with tales of which particular ones were favoured by the royals of the Mughal court. The Ruh Khus, extracted from vetiver roots and infused in sandalwood oil, is a resinous, emerald green liquid, stored in precious vials, with the most wonderfully earthy scent that has its own fan base, while the newer customers often prefer going for dupes of popular designer scents that can be acquired for a fraction of the price of the real deal. 

Price: Starts at ₹500

Address: 320, Dariba Kalan Rd, Katra Mashru, Chandni Chowk, Delhi, 110006

Timings: Mon-Sat, 10am-7pm. Sundays closed.

What is it: An institution serving maybe the best jalebis in all of Delhi, open since 1884

Why go: Near the famed Sisganj Sahib Gurudwara, where Dariba Kalan meets the Chandni Chowk main road, perched on the corner, is Old Famous Jalebi Walla – an institution that’s retained a loyal customer base over several years. While the layman can often use the word jalebi as an umbrella term for most forms of dough or batter that’s been dropped into boiling oil in the form of circular loops and squiggles and then soaked in a rich, saffron flavoured sugar syrup, this snatches away its unique identity, which keeps it distinct from the softness of a jangiri and the crispiness of an imarti. 

At Old Famous, you sample what the jalebi has always been, and it is magnificent. It’s massive and portioned out by weight, and if you’re one of the lucky few plagued with a sweet tooth, don’t forget to add a healthy dollop of their in-house rabri (reduced and thickened milk sweetened with jaggery and sugar), which balances out the slight tang from the fermentation of the jalebi batter that you taste when you bite into one. 

Price: About ₹100 for one order

Address: 1795, Dariba Corner, opp. Bank of Maharashtra, Dariba Kalan, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi, Delhi 110006

Timings: Daily, 8am-9.30pm. 

What is it: Asia’s largest wholesale spice market, with spices from across the Indian subcontinent 

Why go: Past the numerous dry fruit shops ahead of Fatehpuri Masjid, a smell of chillies wafts down the air. You can practically taste it if you stick out your tongue. A few steps further, the arched doorway signals Gadodia Market, and up a narrow staircase and inside a courtyard, you’ll see a criss-cross of traders and wholesalers’ shops, each specialising in a specific spice: black peppers from Kerala, cinnamon from Sri Lanka, chillies from Andhra, Karnataka and Kashmir, turmeric of varieties you wouldn’t even believe existed. You know it’s legitimate because Khari Baoli’s been around since the 17th century, and has served as the primary supply for spices in and around north India. 

Address: Masjid, Khari Baoli Rd, behind Fatehpuri, Gadodia Market, Fatehpuri, Old Delhi, Delhi, 110006

Timings: Mon-Sat, 11am-7pm. Sundays closed. 

What is it: A staple spot serving only two chaat items – aloo tikki and dahi bhalle

Why go: Located a hop, skip and a jump away from the Chandni Chowk metro station, Natraj is a staple spot for the peckish shopper to satiate their chaat cravings. The menu is simple: you either get the aloo tikki, golden round hockey puck-sized cutlets of boiled potatoes with a stuffing of spiced lentils, served slathered with a tangy tamarind and a spicy mint-coriander sauce, or you get the eponymous dahi bhalle, which are soaked lentil fritters, splashed with a generous amount of sweetened yoghurt and a dash of the aforementioned tamarind sauce. 

The crowds can get immense, but even though chaat is a whole distinct genre of food distinct from fast food, the service is speedier than a McDonald’s can possibly fathom. You can dive into the melee and be out with plates of dahi bhalle and aloo tikki precariously balanced on your hands in under a couple of minutes. 

Price: ₹50 per plate

Address: 1396, Main Road, beside Central Bank, Kucha Mahajani, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi, Delhi 110006

Timings: Daily, 9am-10pm.

What is it: A humble yet intensely popular establishment selling lemon soda and spiced lemonade made with a secret masala mix

Why go: Eight generations at Pandit Ved Prakash have been quenching Delhiwallahs’ thirst through the years, and they’ve perfected the spice mix that goes into their shikanji, to say the least. The sodas are chilled in freezers before they’re served, and it’s not a summer day well spent in Chandni Chowk without downing one of these. They’re also incredibly affordable and have kept prices low over several years.

Price: ₹15 per glass

Address: 5466, Chandni Chowk Rd, opp. town hall, New Krishna Cloth Market, Katra Rathi, Chandni Chowk, Old Delhi, Delhi, 110006

Timings: Daily, 10.30am-11pm.

What is it: One of the better bridal stores in Chandni Chowk selling wedding couture at great prices

Why go: The wedding business in India is a multi-billion dollar industry, and at the top of that pyramid sit the fashion designers, who release their coveted lines of wedding couture every year, announced as inimitable and standalone. And every year, a bunch of shops in Chandni Chowk will have those ‘inimitable’ designs nailed down to a tee, for a fraction of the exorbitant rates charged by these designers. Asiana Couture is one of the first names for anyone seeking designer wedding wear, with glowing reviews from platoons of satisfied brides. 

Price: Varies

Address: 652, 655, Katra Hardayal, Nai Sarak, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi, Delhi, 110006

Timings: Mon-Sat, 11am-8pm. Sundays closed. 

What is it: Purveyors of one of Delhi’s finest breakfasts, bedmi poori served with aloo ki sabzi

Why go: Shiv Mishthan Bhandaar has been thronged by patrons since they opened in 1950, and 76 years later, they’re still going strong. Every morning at 8am, they open their shutters, 365 days a year, to serve some fabulous bedmi pooris with aloo ki sabzi, choley bhaturey, luscious jalebis and some excellent moong dal ka halwa during the winter months. Bedmi pooris are breads made of wheat and semolina, stuffed with a spiced black gram mix and then fried to a crisp, which pair magnificently with the spicy potato curry and often served with a smashed pumpkin chutney which is liberally flavoured with fenugreek seeds. Fans of choley bhaturey too make their way here, for the spicy, tangy dark choley served with wonderfully puffed up bhaturey, which release satisfying wisps of steam when you poke into them. 

Price: ₹250 for two

Address: 375, Katra Bariyan, Kucha Ghasiram, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi, Delhi, 110006

Timings: Daily, 8am-9pm.

What is it: The residence of one of the finest poets during the final years of the Mughal empire – Mirza Ghalib

Why go: Ghalib was also famously a self-proclaimed ‘aashiq’ or lover of Delhi. Many of his couplets, composed while witnessing quotidian life in the streets of Delhi, still resonate with folks around the world, especially admirers of Urdu poetry. His haveli, nestled in Gali Qasim Jan near Ballimaran, was where he lived out the last decade of his life. It is said that the haveli was bequeathed to him by Hakim, a physician, who was an ardent admirer of Ghalib’s work. Today, the walls are adorned with a huge portrait of Mirza Ghalib, and a bunch of his famous couplets and their translations for visitors to see. 

Price: Tickets are free

Address: Gali Qasim Jan, Ballimaran, Chandni Chowk, Delhi, 110006

Timings: Tue-Sun, 11am-6pm. Mondays closed. 

What is it: A shop that claims to be the first to introduce the khasta kachori to Delhi

Why go: Set amidst the wildly popular and touristy Paranthewali Gali, JB Kachori has carved out a niche for itself. You’ll find them by the crowds circling the tiny shop, like bees around a fruit basket, waiting to get their hands on the kachori.

The kachori itself is a snack that originated from the kitchens of the Marwari community, who typically lived in the arid regions of Gujarat and Rajasthan. It's a ball of dough with a filling of what some call ‘thanda masala’, as opposed to the much more common garam masala. Thanda masala is a mixture of finely ground coriander and fennel seeds with a base of turmeric, and it’s believed to be cooling for the body in hotter conditions. 

At JB, wait your turn and the kachori is served hot, in a dona (which is a bowl made of dried leaves), topped with a spicy potato curry or sabzi, and garnished with a bunch of different chutneys. 

Price: About ₹40-60 per plate

Address: 1104, Maliwara, Jogiwari, Gali Paranthe Wali, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi

Timings: Mon: 10:30am-8pm, Tue-Sun: 10:30am-7:30pm

What is it: One of the most well-known shops in Chandni Chowk for bridal lehengas, with designs across colour and budget

Why go: Given the stamp of approval by several Delhi brides and their mothers, this shop’s also got non-bridal lehengas and other wedding wear like sarees, shararas, gowns and even unstitched cloth material for suits, making it practically a one-stop shop for everything you need for a wedding – even if you’re attending as a guest!

Time Out tip: Entry’s by appointment only. 

Price: Varies

Address: 485, Katra Asharfi, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi, Delhi, 110006

Timings: Mon-Sat, 11am-9pm. Sundays closed. 

What is it: The erstwhile residence of Begum Samru (and earlier called Begum Samru ki Haveli), one of the most powerful ‘nautch’ girls of the 18th century

Why go: Begum Samru, although said to be diminutive in size, wielded immense power in the city two centuries ago, working her way up the ranks from being a dancing girl to eventually ruling the province of Sardhana in modern day Uttar Pradesh. Her haveli was reputed to host the most extravagant parties in town back in the day, complete with elephants and dancers, where the last few holders of royal Mughal titles would happily rub shoulders with British officials, as evidenced in multiple paintings from the era. 

While the original neo-classical structure was said to be built in the middle of the gardens gifted by Emperor Akbar Shah II, with sweeping staircases and imposing Greek columns, the fate of the building nosedived after the death of Begum Samru, with her adopted son turning it into Delhi Bank and then later having to sell it to Lloyds Bank, whose name can still be seen on the facade from the main road. Over time, it was acquired by this merchant named Bhagirath Mal, after whom it was rechristened Bhagirath Place, and today houses the largest electronics market in all of Asia! This is where you come if you’re hunting for pretty lamps or decor lighting for your house.  A portion of it is also dedicated to surgical equipment, making the journey of this building one of the most interesting along the entirety of Chandni Chowk. 

Address: Bhagirath Palace, Chhippy Wada, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi, Delhi 110006

Timings: To visit the monument: Daily, 9am-5pm; for the electronics market: Mon-Sat, 10am-8pm, Sundays closed.

What is it: A fully restored 200-year-old haveli that used to belong to a wealthy family back in the day, now a heritage property with a restaurant

Why go: You could come for the rooms, done up in a way that evokes what it must’ve been like to live in the walled city centuries ago, or even the restaurant Lakhori, which serves dishes conceptualised on the food served in the streets outside, including the street food and chaat. But the real gem’s the roof, which has 360° views of the rooftops of old Delhi, with the minarets and dome of the Jama Masjid looming in the background. This is one of the only places in the area where you can sip on a cold beer while watching the sunset, and they even have a dedicated area where they’ll help you fly kites. 

Time Out tip: If you’re lucky, you may be able to witness the dying tradition of kabootarbaazi among the neighbouring rooftops, where young men train and race pigeons across the city.

Price: About ₹13,000 per night

Address: Haveli, 2293 Gali, Heritage Rd, Dharam Pura, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi, Delhi, 110006

What is it: A brilliantly nifty street dedicated to all kinds of cameras and handycams

Why go: Located on the corner of where Esplanade Road branches out, this market’s home to all sorts of goodies: new DSLRs, mirrorless cameras, secondhand digital cameras from the 2000s, film cameras, Sony handycams, and even some authentic vintage cameras. They also have shops dedicated to printers! 

Ashoka Studio and Prem Studio are the ones you head to for picking up vintage cameras, including Yashicas from the 50s and even Leicas, while Modern Camera Care has a number of new cameras, as well as doing the repairs at very reasonable rates for a range of different cameras. Then there’s Delhi Photo Store for every imaginable accessory for these cameras, and you even have specialised stores like Kandhari Flash Experts, who exclusively sell camera flashes of all kinds, whether they be digital, handheld or manual. 

Price: Varies

Address: 4-5, Chandni Chowk Rd, Clock Market, New Lajpat Rai Market, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi, Delhi, 110006

Timings: Mon-Sat, 11am-8.30pm

What is it: The flagship store of one of the largest ice cream franchise chains across India 

Why go: This is where it all began 70 years ago! It’s here, at the latter end of Chandni Chowk near the Fatehpuri Masjid, where Giani Singh, a traditional sweetmeat maker from then Lyallpur in Pakistan migrated to Delhi and started serving his famed rabri-falooda and mango shake to the denizens of his new home, who took to these like ducks to water. 

The signature dish to get here is the rabri falooda. Falooda (soaked vermicelli noodles) is ladled with the ridiculously thick and luscious rabri (reduced and sweetened milk) and topped generously with chopped nuts and cardamom, and a drizzle of some rose syrup with the consistency of treacle to bring it all together. During winters, their gajar halwa and dal halwa have lines of customers snaking around the block for them. They even have a smaller shop right next door that serves piping hot choley bhaturey!

Price: About ₹200 for two

Address: Bagh Deewar, Katra Ghel, Fatehpuri, Chandni Chowk, Delhi, 110006

Timings: Daily, 10am-11pm.