Tucked in F – Block,in the heart of the capital, the New Shalimar Cafe in Connaught Place is a little difficult to locate but totally worth it *Puts Google Maps to work*. I heard about this hidden gem a few days back and just couldn’t stop myself from checking it out because cheap food is bae. Not many people are aware of it even though it’s pretty old but I’ll just say that old’s gold after all. I can’t call it pretty but it definitely has some amazing food to offer! It's very rare to find budget friendly eateries or cafes in Connaught Place ( CP ) so this one is a saviour. I tried about 5 things there and here’s how everything that we tried was :
1. Coffee Espresso
We all need our dose of caffeine from time to time and grabbing some amazing coffee is never a bad idea. So, we tried out their much talked about coffee, which they make using the old-timey coffee machines that we used to find at weddings. As we gulped down the coffee sip after sip, we were definitely hit by nostalgia. They also serve tea for all you Chai lovers out there!
Price | Rs. 30.
2. Samose with Chhole
Samosas are our all time favourite snacks and you just can’t go wrong with it so we had to try them. The best part abouttheir samosas is that you get Chole along which is very rare these days. Their perfectly shaped samosa with its hot potatofilling, is a must try If you have a thing for spicy food {read super tasty}!
Price | Rs.50 for a plate of 2.
3. Maggi
We aren’t strong enough to resist a bowl of simmering hot maggi, are you? So, as soon as we read that they have maggi on the menu, we knew we had to have it. Trust us, it’s not as easy to make that perfect bowl of soupy {not watery} maggi but these peeps do it just right. You can definitely give this one a try.
Price | Rs. 30
4. Chhole - Rice
Everyone needs ‘Ghar ka khaana’ once in a while but we can’t always so we found something with total homemade food feels and taste. Yes, they have several rice combos including one with chhole and it satisfied our taste buds like nothing else. Served with papad, this one makes up for a complete yet budget-friendly meal.
Price | Rs. 40 for a half plate & Rs. 60 for a full one
5. Mixed Veg Pakoras
We know the pleasure of eating Pakoras/cutlets with a cup of tea with the rain pouring but do we really need a reason to eat some pakoras. We don’t think so and thus, we got half a plate of mixed pakoras for our bellies. We got some scrumptious onion and potato pakoras on our plate which were perfectly fried and just the right amount of crispy.
Price | Rs 30 for a half plate & Rs. 50 for a full one.
Shalimar cafe may be just an old, dilapidated looking place but it sure has some delicious food to offer at super cheap rates. So, do give it a shot because it just might become your ultimate hangout spot in CP!
Price for Two | Rs. 150 – Rs. 200
Location | F-18, Middle Cir, Block F, Connaught Place, New Delhi, Delhi 110001
Timings | 9 AM – 7 PM { Monday – Saturday}