Delhi Bazaar

As an Indian living in Paris, I’ve spent a lot of time complaining about the lack of good Indian food in the city. But since last year, all my food wishes have been answered as Delhi Bazaar opened its doors in my neighborhood, the 11th Arrondissement.

As someone who lived in Delhi for over a decade before moving to Paris, I can vouch that the dishes here are authentic. 

The interiors of Delhi Bazaar are eclectic with warm gold brassware with a magnificent tapestry on the wall behind the bar. Vintage Indian posters hang on the wall, with the décor evoking a mix of contemporary and vintage chic.

The style is also very à la mode in many trendy restaurants in Delhi right now. 

The menu is a mix of starters that include popular Indian street foods. My favorites are chaat (a savory salty-sweet melange of chickpeas, potatoes, chutney, etc.) and dahi puri (a crispy shell stuffed with yogurt and spices).

Then you can order main plates such as butter chicken or, biryani or lal maas (a spicy mutton curry), to be eaten with bread or rice. In India, these would all be plates to be shared. However, the servings are the right size to be eaten as individual dishes as well.

They also have a list of creative cocktails with an Indian twist. 

My French husband, who’s an even bigger fan of Indian food than I am, never misses an opportunity to eat at this Paris restaurant. Whether for a quick lunch or a business meeting over a meal, Delhi Bazaar has become his go-to.

And judging by how busy it is even on weekdays, it seems he’s not the only one who feels this way!

It’s also heartening to see that Delhi Bazaar has been successful in bringing authentic Indian food not just to people with roots in the Asian subcontinent but also to a broader and more diverse clientele.