It is ideally a winter thing to dine outdoors while soaking in the sun in Delhi, while the scorching summers invariably make you stay indoors in the company of your air coolers. But during the evenings – after a day that has been spent occasionally peeping through the curtains to take a measure of the temperature outside – one feels like sitting out and breathing in some natural air. And what more if you can get a great view from your adda-spot! No, you needn’t head for a hill station or the backwaters — we have located some of the best places to eat-drink & make merry overlooking some of the most landmark views the Capital has to offer.
CITY LIGHTS
Ideally, an evening out is when you actually want to detach yourself from the hustle bustle of the city life and relax your way out. But sometimes, the city that saps your life out, looks pleasant if seen from a distance – remember looking out of window while the plane’s landing or taking off. Well, you don’t need to be in the air literally to enjoy a good view of the city.
Le Belvedere & Henry’s Bar, Le Meridien
This one is inside the Le Meridien Hotel on Janpath. The restaurant, apart from its Chinese cuisine, offers a panoramic view of Lutyen’s Delhi along with the India Gate on one hand and the Parliament House-Rashtrapati Bhawan on the other. What more, it’s open till 1 a.m. – so no need to rush in with your cocktails!
Where: Windsor Pl, Janpath
Parikrama
The restaurant at the heart of Delhi gives a wonderful view of the Connaught Place. It rotates slowly even as you dine offering a 360 degree view of the place. Trust, the busy life of quite a few hundred feet below doesn’t even touch the calmness up here and certainly makes for a great sight.
Where: Antriksh Bhavan, 22 Kasturba Gandhi Marg
QBA
This is getting a bit closer to the action at CP. This popular Inner Circle bar-cum-restaurant has a great terrace set up overlooking the Central Park. Watch the chaos die down slowly as the shopping paradise gives way to a quieter night life under the huge flowing tri-colour that has added a new dimension to the place. What more, you may just chance upon a live concert happening at the Central Park!
Where: Inner Circle, Connaught Place
A different view…
Sky Bar Kylin Premier: Vasant Kunj is surely not the place that you may think about when you want a view. But with the JNU campus forest on the other side of the road and a never ending flow of traffic in between, this is a neat option to spend the evening. Though from a distance, the Qutab Minar is also visible.
Where: Ambience Mall, Vasant Kunj.
Café Delhi Heights: Bird watching is usual, but if you want to go ‘airplane watching’ over some seriously good coolers and a monstrous Lucy Juicy burger, this is an excellent option. Overlooking the Nelson Mandela Marg, it’s an excellent option during the monsoon watching the rain drench the JNU forest in front.
Where: DLF Promenade:
*TGI Friday’s, Mamagoto, Italia, Big Chill etc. are few other options offering a similar view.*
THE GLOBAL VILLAGE
Hauz Khas village needs little introduction to swish Delhi crowd. It’s young and throbbing, and some of the places offer a stunning view too.
OTB
A huge terrace setup literally tempts you to go out of the box, even if the weather isn’t that cool enough. Overlooking the Hauz Khas ruins and the lake from the top, you can also opt for the more cozy balcony one level below.
Chaman Lal
This one has a little balcony that can seat 20 people at the most. But it offers one of the best and uninterrupted view of the lake. And with the fort ruins making up for one of its walls, it gives a feeling as if it’s your private balcony from a bygone era.
Smoke House Deli
This one may not offer a top view of the ruins, but the cozy and quiet setup overlooking the fountain — and its proximity to the lake — makes it a good option. Chairs lined up on the corridor under dimly lit lanterns make up for a balcony view.
Where: Hauz Khas Village
*Mia Bella offers a great of the twin tombs of the ruins and the lake’s length from its terrace.*
TOWERING VIEW
Thousands flock to the Capital every day to look at this 12th century marvel. What more do you want if you can watch the Qutab Minar – Delhi’s tallest man made structure – and enjoy dining.
Dreamz – The Whisky Bar
Ok, there may be debates – but this absolutely new chic place has arguably the best view of the Qutab Minar. And almost from every place you are sitting – unless you are inside their whisky bar or the wine cellar in the basement. A three-tier 5 star arrangement, things don’t come cheap here. But the view is to die for.
Where: Kalka Das Marg, Mehrauli
Thai High
Brilliant and romantic – that’s what describes this place. The terrace offers a fantastic view of the monument and the set up takes care of the romance!
*Olive Bar & Kitchen and the Blue Frog also offer a view of the monument’s top tier from its terrace.*
GREEN TO THE EYES
Delhi is definitely way greener than most other Indian cities. But if you want to literally sit amidst green, getting familiarised with the ‘Alstonia scholaris’ and ‘Eucalyptus platipus’, with some 15th Century architecture providing the backdrop, Lodi – the Garden Restaurant is your pick. Calm even during the hottest summer days due to the green cover, and brilliant during winters, sitting indoors and watching the monsoon give the green their shine isn’t a bad option either.
Where: Lodhi Road, Block M
WALKING THE HISTORY LANES
The famed Mughlai food joints around the Matiya Mahal and the nick-nack corners of Purani Dilli may not offer a view while you are sitting in the comforts of a restaurant, but that doesn’t take away the charm of snacking on kebabs or fresh fruits and firni while the Jama Masjid stands as a guardian in the backdrop. The road leading up to the mosque’s Gate No.1 has a number of joints. The Matiya Mahal lane houses the famed Kareem’s, Al Jawahar among others.
**There are a few other 5-star options where you can dine overlooking the Delhi Golf Course or the Humayun’s Tomb that we haven’t included. The Govindaa’s at the Iskcon Temple in East of Kailash offer a view of the Lotus Temple that is lovely in the evenings. Do write to us if you find out a great new place with a view.**