best street food in daryaganj delhi (2026)

tldr: out of 10 spots across daryaganj, my top 3 are velox restaurant (best mughlai, tandoori raan at rs 2200 for two), irani cafe (best haleem in delhi, desi ghee preparation), and sheikh sahab (best milkshakes, rs 150-400). full reviews with prices and honest opinions below.

daryaganj doesn’t get the attention that jama masjid or chandni chowk gets. and honestly, that’s part of why i like it. the streets are narrower, the crowds are thinner, and the food is every bit as good. this is old delhi without the tourist markup.

i spent an entire afternoon and evening eating my way through daryaganj - from smash burgers to mughlai raan to haleem to milkshakes. i brought friends along because the portions here are massive and no single human should attempt a daryaganj food crawl alone. we covered 7 spots in about 5 hours and every single one was worth the visit.

what makes daryaganj special is the range. you’ve got a smash burger stall that’s all over instagram sitting 500 meters from a 50-year-old milk store. you’ve got a mughlai restaurant doing karachi-style nalli kebabs next to an irani cafe doing authentic hyderabadi haleem. the food doesn’t follow a single identity - it borrows from everywhere and makes it all work.

if you’re exploring more of delhi’s food, check out my guides on street food in north delhi and nonveg food in north delhi.

the awards (my picks)

• best overall: velox restaurant - mughlai food at a level that embarrasses expensive restaurants
• best haleem: irani cafe - authentic hyderabadi haleem, both chicken and mutton, desi ghee
• best snack: the smash burger stall - fresh keema, double patty, open till 2 am during ramzan
• best drink: sheikh sahab - milkshakes with their own dairy, the dubai kunafa shake is absurd
• best value: islamic milk store - rs 100 roohafza milk feeds 3-4 people
• best for groups: velox restaurant - order a raan and lamb chops and split
• best sweet: islamic milk store habshi halwa - dense, milk-based, locals-only knowledge
• best ramzan special: irani cafe haleem - half kg mutton with half kg chicken free

the full list

the top tier (my regulars)

1. velox restaurant

daryaganj / rs 1500-2500 for two / 9/10

velox is the kind of restaurant that makes you question why you’ve been spending money at fancy places. their mughlai food is serious. and when i say serious, i mean they have a tandoori raan available every single day without pre-ordering. most restaurants make you call 24 hours ahead for raan. velox has it ready because the demand is that high.

the tandoori raan at rs 2200 is the centrepiece. it serves two people comfortably. the meat was marinated for 4 hours, steamed, then finished in the tandoor. here’s what impressed me: no raw papaya was used to tenderize it. the chef told me they use 7-8 kilo goats and rely purely on marination time and steam to get the meat soft. and soft it is - the meat slides off the bone like it was never attached. i’ve been to a restaurant (i won’t name it) where they gave me scissors to cut the raan. scissors. velox’s raan falls apart when you look at it.

the adrak ke panje (lamb chops / lamb shanks) are their other signature. beautifully charred in the tandoor, topped with chaat masala and lemon juice, finished with butter. the softness of the meat is something - you can pull it apart with your hands. at any other restaurant these would cost significantly more and not taste as good.

they also do karachi nalli kebabs which you genuinely won’t find anywhere else in the area. the dum ka murgh (chicken in gravy) is solid, and during ramzan they add hyderabadi biryani and haleem to the menu. the biryani is legit - their chef started his career in hyderabad and it shows. the flavours, the rice quality, the spice balance are all on point.

velox has three branches - daryaganj, maujpur, and faridabad, with a fourth coming in bhajnpura. the owner is expanding but the quality hasn’t dropped. the daryaganj location is the one i’d recommend.

what to order: tandoori raan (rs 2200, split between two), adrak ke panje (lamb chops), karachi nalli kebabs. add biryani if it’s ramzan season.

verdict: mughlai food at this level should cost double. the raan alone is worth the trip to daryaganj.

2. irani cafe

daryaganj / rs 200-400 for two / 8.5/10

irani cafe does haleem. and not the watered-down version you get from cloud kitchens pretending to be hyderabadi. this is proper haleem - slow-cooked, desi ghee based, with the right balance of wheat, meat, and spices.

they do both chicken and mutton haleem. the mutton uses pure desi ghee and pure mutton - no shortcuts. the chicken haleem is for people who don’t eat mutton and honestly, it’s nearly as good. the hyderabadi flavour is authentic enough that someone who’s eaten haleem in hyderabad would recognize it immediately. i’ve eaten plenty of haleem in hyderabad and i can confirm - daryaganj’s irani cafe holds its own.

the haleem comes with the proper toppings: brown onions, cashews, lemon, and coriander. they don’t skimp on any of it. during ramzan, they have an offer - half kg mutton haleem with half kg chicken haleem free. that’s genuinely excellent value.

beyond haleem, the malai bun is soft and mildly sweet - a good palate cleanser. the irani chai is strong, milky (they boil the doodh until it reduces and thickens), and goes perfectly with the haleem. the chai is less sweet than standard delhi chai which i appreciate.

haleem starts at 4 pm. the rest of the menu (chai, snacks) is available from 4 pm as well. they have chicken wings and other items starting up too. during ramzan they stay open till sehri time (pre-dawn meal) - so essentially 3 am. normal days it’s till 12-12:30 am.

what to order: mutton haleem with all toppings, malai bun, irani chai. during ramzan, take the half kg mutton + free half kg chicken offer.

verdict: the best haleem in delhi. i said it. come during ramzan if you can but it’s available other times too.

3. sheikh sahab

daryaganj main road / rs 300-600 for two / 8.5/10

i was not expecting to be this impressed by a milkshake shop but sheikh sahab changed my mind. the key differentiator is that they have their own dairy. the milk isn’t coming from a packet or a supplier - it’s their own production. you can taste the difference. the milk is richer, creamier, and has that desi quality that packet milk doesn’t have.

the brownie delight shake at rs 150 is a thick shake - you can eat it with a spoon or drink it with effort. brownie pieces, chocolate ice cream, their dairy milk, blended thick. for rs 150, the portion is generous and the quality of ingredients is noticeably above what you get at chain shake shops.

the dubai special pistachio kunafa shake at rs 400 is their spectacle item. the glass itself is coated in hardened chocolate that you have to crack before drinking. inside is pistachio, kunafa, three scoops of ice cream, and their milk. it’s absurd, it’s indulgent, and it’s genuinely delicious. this is not a subtle drink. this is a dessert pretending to be a beverage.

they also do a massive range of ice cream flavours and other shakes. the variety is impressive and everything i saw being made looked fresh. during summer, this place must be insane.

what to order: brownie delight shake (rs 150) if you want value, dubai special pistachio kunafa shake (rs 400) if you want the experience. both are worth it.

verdict: the best milkshake in daryaganj and possibly the best in old delhi. own dairy, fresh ingredients, honest portions.

4. smash burger stall

daryaganj main road / rs 300-400 for two / 8/10

this is the instagram-famous smash burger spot that keeps showing up in reels. i finally went and it’s actually good - which is not always the case with instagram-famous food places. the burgers are made from fresh chicken keema, smashed on a flat griddle with a bit of oil on butter paper, and assembled with proper sauces.

the chicken maharaja smash burger has double patty and is the one to get. the bun quality is good - toasted, slightly crispy, holds together well. the patty is thin (as smash burgers should be) with crispy edges and juicy centres. they also do a hot fried chicken burger that’s nashville-style-ish.

the milk cake they sell is worth trying - it’s not the standard milk cake you’re thinking of. it’s their own creation and apparently no one else sells it.

during ramzan, the shop opens at 2 pm and runs till 2 am. regular days the hours are different. they have veg options (fried tikki burger) but let’s be real - you’re coming here for the chicken.

the location is right on daryaganj main road so it’s easy to find. there’s no seating - you eat standing or take it to go. the assembly is neat and fast, and they handle multiple orders simultaneously.

what to order: chicken maharaja smash burger (double patty) and the milk cake. skip the veg burger.

verdict: instagram hype that actually delivers. fresh keema, proper smash technique, reasonable prices.

the solid middle

5. islamic milk store

daryaganj back lane / rs 150-250 for two / 8/10

islamic milk store (also known as bheem doodh wale) is a locals-only spot tucked in a narrow back lane off daryaganj main road. the shop has been running for generations and their thing is roohafza milk - full cream desi milk with roohafza, served cold in a large donga (metal container).

full donga at rs 100 is enough for 3-4 people. half donga at rs 70. for a city where a single glass of lassi costs rs 60-80, this is remarkable value. the milk quality is proper desi - thick, creamy, and noticeably different from packet milk.

the habshi halwa is their other speciality. it’s a dense, dark, milk-based sweet that’s incredibly rich. the gulab jamun, kheer, and firni are all decent but the roohafza milk is why people come. one thing to clarify: this is not the same as the rooh afza sharbat you get at jama masjid. that’s watermelon-based sharbat. this is actual full cream milk with roohafza. different drink entirely.

they also sell paneer, doodh, and ghee for home use. the locals treat this as their neighbourhood dairy shop that also happens to serve excellent drinks and sweets.

what to order: full donga roohafza milk (rs 100), habshi halwa. add gulab jamun if you have room for sweet.

verdict: rs 100 for 3-4 glasses of desi roohafza milk. the value is unbeatable and the quality is genuine.

6. daryaganj biryani stalls

various locations / rs 200-400 for two / 7.5/10

several small restaurants and stalls in daryaganj do hyderabadi dum biryani. the quality varies but the better ones use chefs from hyderabad (velox’s biryani chef started there). chicken biryani at around rs 200 is standard pricing. the flavours are decent - proper long grain rice, good spice balance, reasonable chicken portions. not competition for hyderabad but solid for delhi.

what to order: chicken biryani at whichever place has the most dine-in crowd.

verdict: decent biryani by delhi standards. pairs well with haleem from irani cafe.

the ones i’d skip (but you might not)

7. daryaganj kebab vendors

main road / rs 200-300 for two / 7.5/10

standard kebab stalls doing seekh kebab and tikka along the main road. they’re fine for a quick bite but nothing distinguishes them from kebab stalls in any other part of old delhi. if you’re already on the strip and hungry between stops, grab a plate. otherwise, darvesh corner in north delhi or the velox tandoor items are better uses of your kebab budget.

verdict: filler food between better stops. not a destination.

8. old delhi sweet stalls

various / rs 50-100 / 7/10

jalebi, rabdi, and standard mithai from the sweet stalls scattered around daryaganj. they’re fine. the jalebi is hot and crispy in the morning, average by afternoon. the rabdi ranges from good to too-sweet depending on which stall you hit. for proper sweets, islamic milk store is the better bet in this area.

verdict: standard old delhi sweets. nothing wrong, nothing special.

daryaganj street food tips

• ramzan is the best time. the food scene in daryaganj peaks during ramzan. special menus, extended hours (many places open till 2-3 am), and the energy is incredible. irani cafe haleem and velox specials are only during this period.
• park on the main road. daryaganj main road has parking but the back lanes are too narrow for cars. park outside and walk in.
• bring friends for velox. the tandoori raan at rs 2200 is meant for two. the lamb chops and nalli kebabs add up too. go with 2-3 people and order a spread.
• sheikh sahab for dessert, not dinner. have the milkshake after your meal at velox or irani cafe. the thick shakes are filling enough to be a meal replacement.
• islamic milk store needs directions. it’s in a back lane just behind the main daryaganj road. ask any local shopkeeper - they all know bheem doodh wale.
• carry cash for small stalls. velox and sheikh sahab accept upi. the smash burger stall and islamic milk store are cash-first.
• avoid weekday afternoons. many stalls don’t open till 3-4 pm on regular days. the evening (6 pm onwards) is when daryaganj comes alive.

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

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