best 5-star buffets in delhi (2026) - real prices from creator videos

tldr: delhi’s 5-star buffets run from about rs 2,800 to rs 4,500 a head before tax, and “plus taxes” at a five-star usually means another 18%. the pavilion at itc maurya (chanakyapuri) is the pick for its themed lunches on monday, wednesday and friday at rs 3,500 plus taxes, with the dudhiya kebab as the reason to go. tamra at shangri-la (ashoka road, near cp) has rotating regional pop-ups and the best-reviewed mutton on camera, at rs 3,200 plus taxes for a weekday lunch. le méridien gurgaon is the one with unlimited alcohol, rs 4,500 plus taxes. if you want the buffet without the five-star bill, dhaba 1986 in cp does a weekday lunch at rs 899 veg and rs 949 non-veg, tax included.

a five-star buffet in delhi is a different purchase depending on the day you book. the same hotel can run a themed lunch on a wednesday, a lighter weekday spread on a tuesday and a full sunday brunch with live music at a higher price. the venue matters less than the slot.

the first practical thing: compare prices after tax, not before. most hotel restaurants quote “plus taxes”, and at five-star properties that is usually 18% gst. rs 3,500 plus taxes is about rs 4,130 at the table. a “tax included” number like dhaba 1986’s is the only one you can take at face value.

the second: service charge is optional. central consumer protection authority guidelines say restaurants cannot add it by default, and you can ask for it to be removed from the bill.

on sources: every venue below was shown on camera by a food creator in the last two years, mostly from one creator’s “best buffet in delhi” series. prices are what the creator was quoted on camera or what the video description lists, with the month of the video. several of these videos list the hotel’s reservation number in the description and appear to be hosted visits, which is normal for this genre and worth knowing. we have kept the creator’s enthusiasm but not repeated it as our own. nobody from this site has eaten at these buffets, so there are no scores here, just what was shown, what it costs and the catch.

for a la carte options in the same areas see best restaurants in connaught place and best mughlai restaurants in delhi.

the awards

• best overall weekday lunch: the pavilion, itc maurya - themed menus three days a week and the hotel’s trademark dudhiya kebab
• best mutton: tamra, shangri-la - the creator said he had “hardly ever had a better” mutton boti kebab
• best regional variety: tamra, shangri-la - a rotating chef’s pop-up (lucknowi when filmed, with kolkata and amritsari runs before it)
• biggest spread: le méridien gurgaon - 100+ dishes across continental, oriental and indian
• only one with unlimited alcohol: le méridien gurgaon - rs 4,500 plus taxes
• best for a family sunday: pullman aerocity’s farmer’s basket brunch - pick raw ingredients, a live counter cooks them, with live music
• best value five-star brunch: radisson blu mbd, noida - rs 2,799 plus taxes with unlimited soft drinks
• best value, full stop: dhaba 1986, cp - rs 899 veg / rs 949 non-veg, tax and a mocktail included, weekday lunch only
• hardest to price: the lalit and pullman - neither price was given on camera

the full list

the bracketed figures assume 18% gst on top of the quoted price. prices are from videos published between november 2024 and august 2025 and have very likely gone up since. call ahead.

the top three, in detail

1. the pavilion, itc maurya - chanakyapuri

the pavilion is the itc maurya all-day restaurant, and the reason to book it is the weekday lunch series. the video description lists three themed lunches, all 12:30 to 3:30 pm at rs 3,500 plus taxes a head: mediterranean on mondays, a chaat spread on wednesdays and sichuan on fridays. on camera the creator also mentions sunday as a special-menu day.

what was shown: a soup and bread station (focaccia, ciabatta, soft and hard rolls), italian antipasti and a caprese salad, a live chilla station with different toppings, and the dudhiya kebab, which the co-host called the itc maurya trademark and said you should not leave without trying. the biryani got specific praise for having proper pieces of meat rather than bones, and the dal for its slow-cooked, smoky creaminess.

the catch: the rs 3,500 figure is for the themed weekday lunches. other days and dinner may be priced differently, and the video is from november 2024. book ahead and confirm the theme for the day you are going.

2. tamra, shangri-la - ashoka road, near connaught place

tamra is the first-floor all-day restaurant at the shangri-la, a short ride from cp. what sets it apart is the rotating pop-up section, where a visiting chef runs a regional menu for a few weeks. when this was filmed it was lucknowi; the creator says earlier runs were kolkata and amritsari.

what was shown: galouti kebab made fresh on the tawa, dum ki chaap, a mutton boti kebab the creator said he had hardly ever had a better version of, khatti machhli, chicken pulao and makai pulao, warqi paratha, and sarson ka saag that he pointed out was hand-pounded rather than blended, served with makki ki roti and white butter. dessert was sewaiyan with makhana.

cost: rs 3,200 plus taxes for lunch and rs 3,500 plus taxes for dinner, monday to thursday, per the description. weekend pricing was not given.

the catch: the pop-up changes, so the lucknowi spread in this video may not be what you get. ask what is running before you book.

3. latest recipe, le méridien - gurugram

the biggest spread here, and the only one with an unlimited alcohol option. the creator counted 100+ dishes across three sections: continental, oriental and indian.

what was shown: hawker-style noodles, a korean stir fry, a live dim sum and momo counter with three or four dipping sauces, black pepper lamb, mutton galouti and gilafi kebabs, ghee roast mutton, a bengali fish curry, a delhi-6 street food corner, and a long indian dessert table with mishti, ghevar and chocolate balls. there is also a bakery counter where you can buy cakes to take home.

cost: rs 3,500 plus taxes with unlimited soft drinks, or rs 4,500 plus taxes with unlimited alcohol. that is roughly rs 4,130 or rs 5,310 at the table.

the catch: it is in gurugram, not delhi. from central delhi that is a real drive each way at lunchtime, which eats into a weekday. the video description lists the hotel’s reservation numbers, so treat this as a hosted visit.

the rest of the list

• farmer’s basket at pluck, pullman aerocity - the sunday brunch with a twist: you pick raw vegetables or meat from baskets laid out like a farmers’ market and a live counter cooks it. also asian-style roast duck, marwari laal maas, mustard fish, a full south indian counter and chaat. there was live music and a magician when it was filmed. no price was given on camera, so call. convenient if you are flying out of delhi.
• radisson blu mbd, sector 18, noida - the cheapest five-star brunch in this list at rs 2,799 plus taxes with unlimited soft drinks; a version with alcohol costs more, but the figure was not clear in the video. the spread mixes thai curries, shepherd’s pie, lebanese mezze, bhuna keema kaleji and murg musallam, with sitaphal halwa, kheer, mini gulab jamun and five ice cream flavours for dessert.
• the lalit, connaught place - filmed during its june pride brunch, a sunday series with live singing and unlimited food and drinks: bhuna gosht, kashmiri dum aloo, a delhi chaat section, lucknowi biryani, live candy floss and a chocolate fountain. the pride edition was june only and the price is given by phone, not in the video, so this one needs a call before it goes on any shortlist.
• dhaba 1986, connaught place - not a hotel, and that is the point. an a la carte restaurant that added a lunch buffet on weekdays only: rs 899 veg and rs 949 non-veg with all taxes and a mocktail included. four veg and four non-veg starters come to the table, plus dal cooked overnight in the tandoor, very soft mutton, air-fried golgappe with two waters, malpua, moong dal halwa and paan shots. the menu changes daily, so butter chicken is only on some days. the creator calls it his favourite restaurant.

tips

• do the tax maths before you compare. “plus taxes” at a five-star usually adds 18%. rs 3,200 plus taxes is about rs 3,780; dhaba 1986’s rs 949 is already final.
• you can refuse the service charge. it cannot be added by default; ask for it to come off.
• weekday lunch is the value slot. the itc themed lunches, tamra’s monday-to-thursday prices and dhaba 1986’s buffet are all weekday deals. sunday brunches cost more and add live music.
• ask what is running. tamra’s pop-up and the pavilion’s daily themes change the whole buffet. the video you watched may not be the menu you get.
• book, then confirm the price on the phone. every price here is at least a few months old, and two venues never gave one on camera.
• check dining apps and card offers before booking. hotel buffets are often listed with offers, and an offer can matter more than the gap between two hotels.
• eat light first, then go back. the creators’ own tip: small portions on round one so you can try more of the spread.
• gurugram and noida are a trip. le méridien and radisson mbd are good, but count the drive if you are coming from central delhi.

• best restaurants in connaught place - a la carte around the lalit, tamra and dhaba 1986
• best mughlai restaurants in delhi - if the kebab counter is the real reason you are going
• best kebabs in delhi - the street-side version of the galouti
• best biryani in delhi - for when one plate is enough
• best restaurants in south delhi - closer to chanakyapuri
• best hotels in south delhi - if you would rather stay than just eat
• all delhi hotel guides