The Mughal Food Trail: Eating Like Emperors in Modern Delhi

The Mughal culinary tradition — born in the royal kitchens of Akbar, Jahangir, Shah Jahan, and Aurangzeb — created a body of cooking that remains the most influential in South Asian cuisine. It drew on Persian court cooking, Central Asian meat traditions, the spice knowledge of the subcontinent, and the cooking techniques of hundreds of skilled rakabdars (royal cooks) whose recipes passed down through families across generations. Delhi, as the Mughal capital for three centuries, is where this tradition is most concentrated and most authentic.

The Rakabdar System — Understanding Mughal Kitchen Culture

The Mughal imperial kitchen maintained a strict hierarchy. At its apex were the rakabdars — master cooks who held positions of genuine social status and whose specialisations were precisely defined: one mastered the qorma, another the nihari, another the biryani, another the halim. These specialists guarded their recipes and passed them within families. When the Mughal court declined after the 1857 uprising, many rakabdar families migrated from the Red Fort area into the surrounding Daryaganj and Matia Mahal neighbourhoods — and opened restaurants. Their descendants still operate some of Old Delhi's most famous eating houses.

Karim's — The Institution

Karim's, opened in 1913 in the lanes behind Jama Masjid by the descendants of Mughal royal cooks, is Delhi's most famous restaurant and arguably one of the most historically significant eating houses in South Asia. The founding story — told and retold in every food article about Delhi — holds that the family's ancestor cooked for Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal emperor, before the 1857 uprising and his subsequent exile. Whether this is perfectly documented or partly legendary is less important than the quality of the food.

The mutton burra (marinated and grilled whole joints) and the badam pasanda (boneless lamb in almond gravy) are the dishes to order. The restaurant occupies several lanes near the Jama Masjid — the original Gali Kababian location is the most historic, though queues at lunch and dinner can be considerable. Dinner for two: INR 800–1,400. Booking not possible; arrive at opening time (12pm for lunch, 7pm for dinner) for shortest wait.

Al Jawahar — Nihari and the Morning Tradition

Across the lane from Karim's, Al Jawahar has operated since 1947 and specialises in the dishes that define Old Delhi's breakfast and early lunch culture: nihari (slow-cooked beef shank in spiced broth), paya (trotters soup), and bheja fry (spiced brains). These are the dishes that Mughal court workers, craftsmen, and merchants have eaten before the day's work since the 17th century — heavy, rich, and designed for people with physically demanding days ahead.

Nihari here is darker and more intensely spiced than Lahore versions, with a pronounced bone-marrow richness and a broth that has the body of a reduction rather than a simple stew. Eat it with sheermal (a saffron-tinged sweetened bread) rather than naan for the most authentic combination. Open from 7am; best quality before 11am. Per bowl: INR 180–280.

Changezi Chicken — The Daryaganj Original

Changezi Chicken is a dish unique to Delhi — named for the Mongol conqueror Genghis Khan (Changez in Urdu), though the connection is more legendary than historical. The dish is a rich, creamy tomato-based chicken preparation with a spice blend that is characteristically milder and more aromatic than typical North Indian restaurant cooking. The original restaurant, in Daryaganj (the neighbourhood adjacent to Old Delhi), has operated since the 1970s. Price: INR 350–500 for a half-chicken with roti.

Seekh Paratha Rolls — Jama Masjid Lanes

In the narrow lanes immediately south of Jama Masjid, particularly around Matia Mahal Chowk, street vendors serve one of Delhi's greatest street foods: a seekh kebab (minced meat grilled on a skewer) rolled in fresh paratha with onion, chutney, and green chilli. This is Mughal kebab culture in its most democratic form — the same technique, the same spice blends, the same charcoal heat that has produced Delhi's finest kebabs for centuries, available for INR 60–100 from a street stall. No restaurant reservation required.

Ghalib Kabab Corner — The Poet's Neighbourhood

In the Ballimaran neighbourhood where the Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib once lived (his haveli — the poet's house — is preserved as a museum nearby), Ghalib Kabab Corner has been serving seekh and shami kebabs to neighbourhood regulars since the 1940s. The shami kebab here — a patty of ground meat and chickpeas, fried until crisp outside and yielding inside — is considered by many Delhi food obsessives to be the best in the city. INR 15–25 per piece. Eat standing at the counter.

Planning Your Mughal Food Trail

The most efficient approach: arrive in Old Delhi for a 7:30am nihari at Al Jawahar, walk to Jama Masjid and the surrounding lanes for mid-morning street food, visit Karim's for lunch (arrive at 12pm), and spend the afternoon in the bazaars. This packs the essential Mughal food experience into a single day without requiring return visits.

• Transport: Delhi Metro Yellow Line to Chawri Bazaar station (300m from Jama Masjid). Return the same way.
• Dietary note: Virtually all Old Delhi food trail restaurants serve beef and pork-free menus. Vegetarian options are limited in this area — the Mughal food tradition is fundamentally meat-centred.
• Best season: October to March. Old Delhi's lanes are intensely hot in summer and the experience in 40°C heat is less pleasant than the food merits.

For the broader Delhi food landscape, see our street foods guide and top restaurants guide.