best nonveg food in north delhi (2026)

tldr: out of 8 nonveg spots in north delhi, my top 3 are gullus (kamla nagar, best mutton keema in desi ghee), bablu tawa snacks (ghanta ghar, best mutton chops in delhi), and darvesh corner (shakti nagar, solid butter chicken with kalonji naan). full reviews with prices and honest opinions below.

i grew up in this part of delhi. mukherjee nagar, kamla nagar, shakti nagar, ghanta ghar - these are the streets where my nonveg education happened. i’m talking about places where the owner’s father started the shop and the recipe hasn’t changed. places where the desi ghee is real and the mutton comes from goats weighing 7-8 kilos because they know that’s the sweet spot for tenderness.

north delhi nonveg is different from the jama masjid scene. it’s less tourist-heavy, more neighbourhood-focused, and the portions are honest. the prices are reasonable because these shops cater to regulars, not one-time visitors. and the quality? some of these places would embarrass south delhi restaurants charging three times as much.

i brought a friend along who’s been eating at these spots since childhood. between us, we know the history, the family drama, the fake branches, and the secret menu items. this is not a guide i could have written from google reviews.

if you’re looking for vegetarian options or breakfast spots, check out my guides on breakfast in north delhi and street food in north delhi.

the awards (my picks)

• best overall: gullus, kamla nagar - desi ghee nonveg since decades, the undisputed king
• best mutton: gullus - their keema and standard mutton curry are both exceptional
• best snack: bablu tawa snacks, ghanta ghar - mutton chops with bone that make you forget everything
• best butter chicken: darvesh corner, ghanta ghar - not the best in delhi, but the best in this area
• best veg option at a nonveg place: gullus butter paneer - the veg people know about this
• best late night: darvesh corner - open till 10-11 pm in the ghanta ghar area
• best for delivery: gullus via their own website - skip swiggy/zomato markup, minimum rs 500
• most overrated: gullus gurgaon branch - it’s not the same gullus. don’t be fooled.

the full list

the top tier (my regulars)

1. gullus

kamla nagar, malkaganj chowk / rs 400-500 for two / 9/10

every single person who lives in north delhi and eats nonveg has eaten at gullus. that’s not an exaggeration. the shop has been at malkaganj chowk since i can remember and the name “gullu” was actually the father’s name - the current generation runs it now but the recipes haven’t changed.

the mutton keema here is cooked in desi ghee. not vanaspati, not oil - actual desi ghee. you can taste the difference and once you’ve had it, regular keema from other places feels flat. they use it across everything - the butter paneer (yes, the vegetarian dish at a nonveg shop is famous), the mutton curry, all of it.

the shop runs split hours: 12-4 pm and 6:30-10 pm. this is not a place that compromises on freshness by keeping food sitting for hours. they cook, they serve, they close, they cook again. every item is made fresh for each service.

now here’s something important: there’s a “gullus” in gurgaon sector 56 and others popping up with the same name. the owner was very clear - those are not related. people have misused the name. if you want the real thing, come to kamla nagar or order through their own website for delivery anywhere in delhi NCR. minimum order is rs 500 and they use porter for delivery. ordering through swiggy/zomato works too (search “gullus kamal nagar”) but you’ll pay the platform markup.

the butter paneer deserves its own mention. the gravy is rich, desi ghee based, and has that halwai-quality thickness that you don’t get from restaurants. vegetarian friends who don’t eat at nonveg places make an exception for gullus butter paneer.

what to order: mutton keema with tandoori roti, butter paneer if you have a vegetarian in your group. ask about the fish if it’s available.

verdict: the gold standard for north delhi nonveg. everything is desi ghee, everything is fresh, and the owner actually cares about protecting his legacy.

2. bablu tawa snacks

ghanta ghar / rs 350-450 for two / 8.5/10

bablu tawa snacks is where i go for mutton chops and i’ll fight anyone who says there’s a better chop in delhi. these are amritsari-style bone-in mutton chops - the kind that started in amritsar and then spread to delhi. but this ghanta ghar shop was one of the first to bring them here.

the original sardar ji still stands at the shop and prepares everything himself. the mutton chops at rs 225 for half plate come with bread, green chutney, and onions. the meat is marinated and cooked in the tandoor first, then finished on the tawa. the result is smoky, tender, and slightly crispy on the outside.

they also do chicken tikka tawa masala which is solid, and kebabs that pair well with their bread. the chutney and onion combo here is addictive - i’ve seen people order extra chutney without food.

important: multiple “bablu” shops have opened across delhi. the one at ghanta ghar is the original. the sardar ji’s face is the verification - look for him and you know you’re at the right place. they have branches in gujranwala town, khadka duma, and even jalandhar and ludhiana now, but the ghanta ghar shop is where it started. timing is 6 pm to 11 pm, tuesday off.

my friend who came along has been eating here for 10+ years and specifically avoids all other bablu locations. “the taste stays when the hand stays,” he said, pointing at the sardar ji. can’t argue with that.

what to order: mutton chops (rs 225 half) with extra bread and chutney. add chicken tikka tawa masala if you have room.

verdict: the best mutton chops in delhi. go to ghanta ghar, find the sardar ji, order, and don’t think twice.

3. darvesh corner

ghanta ghar, near shakti nagar / rs 400-500 for two / 8/10

darvesh corner is the butter chicken spot in this area and it holds a special place because of childhood memories. the shop sits right next to amba near ghanta ghar and does proper nonveg - butter chicken, tikkas, curries, naan.

the butter chicken here is above average. the gravy is thick, made on the tawa, and the chicken pieces are fresh (they use 700 gram chicken for gravy items, which is the correct size - bigger birds are only for tandoori). the flavour has about 5-10% sweetness which is where opinions split. i personally prefer my butter chicken not sweet at all, and if you’re like me, just ask them to make it spicier.

the kalonji (nigella seed) butter naan is their signature and it’s genuinely good. most places just slap butter on plain naan and call it a day. the kalonji adds a subtle bitterness that cuts through the rich gravy perfectly.

all the tikkas and snacks here are made fresh - not pre-marinated from yesterday. the malai tikka, mutton tikka, and chicken tikka are all prepared right there and go straight to the tandoor. the fish is apparently good too but i didn’t try it this time.

i’ll be honest about one thing: this area used to have moti dhaba which had, no exaggeration, the best butter chicken in north delhi. better than have more. that level of butter chicken. moti dhaba closed and the owner apparently moved to mumbai. darvesh corner is the best surviving option in this zone and it’s genuinely good - just not what moti dhaba was.

what to order: butter chicken with kalonji naan. ask for it spicy if you don’t like sweet gravy. their tandoori snacks are worth adding.

verdict: the best butter chicken currently available near ghanta ghar. not legendary, but reliably good.

the solid middle

4. ghanta ghar tikka stalls

ghanta ghar area / rs 200-300 for two / 7.5/10

the ghanta ghar area has multiple small tikka stalls that do basic chicken tikka, seekh kebab, and tawa items. none of them individually stand out but collectively they create a nonveg street food zone that’s active from evening till late night. prices are cheap - rs 100-150 per plate of tikka - and the quality ranges from okay to surprisingly good.

these are the places you go when it’s 9 pm, you’re hungry, and you don’t want to commit to a full restaurant meal. grab a plate, eat standing, move on.

what to order: chicken tikka plate at whichever stall has the most crowd - that’s usually the freshest.

verdict: functional late-night nonveg. nothing special but fills the gap.

5. shakti nagar kebab shops

shakti nagar main road / rs 250-350 for two / 7.5/10

shakti nagar has a few kebab shops that do standard mughlai - seekh kebab, roomali roti, basic curries. the quality is average to good depending on which day you go. these are neighbourhood restaurants, not destination dining. if you live in shakti nagar, these are your go-to. if you don’t, there’s no reason to make a special trip when gullus and bablu exist.

what to order: seekh kebab with roomali roti

verdict: neighbourhood-level mughlai. fine for a quick dinner, forgettable otherwise.

the ones i’d skip (but you might not)

6. kamla nagar mughlai restaurants

kamla nagar market / rs 300-400 for two / 7/10

the kamla nagar market has a few mughlai restaurants that cater to the student population from delhi university. the butter chicken is standard, the naan is standard, the prices are student-friendly. nothing wrong with any of it. but when gullus is a 5-minute walk away doing desi ghee everything, why would you settle?

verdict: student-budget mughlai. acceptable if gullus is closed, otherwise skip.

7. delivery-only cloud kitchens

various locations / rs 400-600 for two / 6.5/10

the usual suspects - rebel foods brands, new cloud kitchens popping up on swiggy and zomato. the nonveg is mass-produced, the gravies are from central kitchens, and the pricing includes platform markup. i’m including these because realistically, a lot of north delhi residents order from them on lazy nights. they’re fine. they’re not what this guide is about.

verdict: convenience food. order when you must, visit gullus when you can.

the one that got away: moti dhaba

i have to mention moti dhaba even though it’s closed. this was a dhaba near shakti nagar that had the best butter chicken i’ve ever eaten in north delhi. i’m talking butter chicken so good that have more fails in comparison. the owner apparently shifted to mumbai and the shop shut down. my friend and i both went quiet when we drove past the closed shutters.

if you know where the owner went or if the shop reopens, tell me. i’m not over it.

north delhi nonveg tips

• gullus timing is split. 12-4 pm lunch service and 6:30-10 pm dinner. don’t show up at 5 pm expecting food.
• bablu is closed tuesdays. plan accordingly. the ghanta ghar original is the only one worth visiting.
• order direct from gullus for delivery. their website/phone order is cheaper than swiggy/zomato and they deliver via porter across delhi NCR. minimum rs 500.
• 700 gram chicken is the right size for gravy. multiple shop owners told me this independently. bigger birds are for tandoori only. if a restaurant uses big chicken in gravy, the texture suffers.
• desi ghee makes the difference. gullus uses it, most others don’t. once you taste the difference, there’s no going back.
• the ghanta ghar area is the nonveg hub. bablu, darvesh corner, tikka stalls - they’re all within walking distance of each other. plan an evening crawl.
• avoid fake gullus locations. only kamla nagar (malkaganj chowk) is the original. gurgaon, online copycats - all fake.
• carry cash. bablu and the tikka stalls are cash-first. gullus and darvesh accept upi.

if you found this useful, check out these other delhi guides:

• best breakfast in north delhi
• best street food in north delhi
• best street food in daryaganj
• best soup places in delhi