A guide to Navratri and Durga Puja meals across Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, and Bengaluru. Your checklist for where to fast or feast!
While Navratri might be a time for fasting for some, it is also a time for feasting for many. Scale the length and breadth of the country and you’ll find restaurants and hotels curating special Navratri and Durga Puja menus. Don’t worry about adding those extra kilos because you can work those off with some garba moves and pandal hopping! Here are the best places you can head to in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, and Bengaluru, to indulge your tastebuds!
Delhi
Jamavar
The Leela Palace New Delhi’s Jamavar has curated a special Navtratri menu keeping in mind the Navratri fast and restrictions adhered to during the nine-day period. Indulge in a tangy shakarkandi aur anaar ki chaat, along with kaddu panchphoran, paneer bhurji, kuttu ki poori, sabudana kheer and much more.
Dhaba, Claridges
Pickwick and Dhaba at The Claridges have curated an authentic fast-friendly meal to amp up the joy of this festive season of Navratri. The menu is meticulously designed, considering the various fasting preferences of the guests. There is a wholesome Navratri thali comprising aloo sabudana vada, lauki mawa curry, kaju aur chironji ki dal samak ke chawal ki tehri and more. The thali is a balanced and nourishing meal, but if you are craving for Asian flavours while fasting, you can try Pickwick’s Navratra bento box which offers Asian herb broth, crisp lotus stems, chili basil samak fried rice and more.
Annamaya
Annamaya at Andaaz has conceptualised a Navratri thali too along with some a la carte options. The thali boasts of Indian origin Satvik food and offers an array of traditional fasting recipes as part of their special Navratri menu. Annamaya’s Navratri thali comprises 10 food choices, including kuttu ki papdi & burrata chat with crispy quinoa, shahi paneer, aloo ki subji, samak chawal, anar raita, kuttu ki poori, sabudana papad and Quinoa gulab ki kheer.
Dhansoo Cafe
Curated by Chef Ashish Singh, the newly-opened Dhansoo Cafe is celebrating Navratri with a special menu that includes sabudana poha, shakarkandi chaat, kolhapuri paneer, makhana, Dhansoo Navratri platter, ramdana ki kheer and a lot more.
Bhawan
Gurgaon’s much loved new entrant Bhawan is not a name that is unfamiliar to Delhi NCR denizens. In just a short while, Kainaz Contractor and Rahul Dua’s Bhawan has made a special place in people’s hearts and this Navratri they’ve launched a true to Bhawan-style menu with sabudana coconut vada, falahari papdi chaat, khoya paneer makhana aur arbi tuk with kuttu pooris, and a Navratri thali.
Varq, Taj Mahal New Delhi
The chefs at Varq in Taj Mahal New Delhi have curated a special Navratri thali which offers a delectable meal comprising khatta meetha sitaphal, aloo anardana ki subzi, singhare ka paratha, kesari coconut barfi and more. Indulge guilt-free in a Navratri thali by the chefs of Taj.
Mumbai
Soam
If you love Gujarati food, then you are no stranger to Soam at Babulnath. Known for their delectable Gujarati food and regional dishes, Soam has launched a Navratri special menu keeping in mind all flavour profiles of sweet, savoury, and spicy. Indulge in kand ni pattice, kuttu thepla, upvaas special thaalipeeth and more if you are in the area.
Charoli
While it isn’t your typical Navratri menu, Charoli by Anuradha Medhora, is doing a special royal Dussehra feast. The royal Dussehra feast is a recreation of some delightful larger-than-life feasts from Madhya Pradesh. The royal spread is a curated feast with a special menu of 21 selected festive dishes from 21 different royal kitchens of Malwa. It is a true amalgamation of the culture, history, and most importantly the culinary traditions of the Rajputs and Marathas of central India.
Pune
Barometer
When it comes to joy and people coming together, nothing does it better than festivals and food! Taking a cue from this, Barometer, a multi-cuisine popular restaurant from Kothrud came up with a festival special last year – ‘Celebrations with Barometer’. With the changing inter-state, intercultural social fabric, Navratri feels incomplete without thinking about the Bengali Durga Puja and the fervour with which it’s celebrated in the state. Bengal is known for everything classy; the music, the literature, and of course, the food! Their latest offering, ‘Bengali Bhuri Bhoj’ is an exquisitely packed meal box, with a Veg and a Non-Veg option, served at your doorstep.
Bengaluru
Hyatt Centric, MG Road
Chef Uttam Dey, who hails from Kolkata, has curated a special menu to bring Kolkata to Bengaluru this October for Durga Puja. The menu will showcase some of the iconic dishes enjoyed during pandal hopping: From dhakai ilish to chital macher muitha to Kolkata style murgi biryani to a wide range of desserts such as sita bhog, labongo latika, malpua with rabri and much more.
Courtyard by Marriott Bengaluru, Outer Ring Road
Courtyard by Marriott Bengaluru has designed a special Satvik menu for this auspicious period. The Navratri bhojan at the MoMo Cafe will include dishes such as farali dhokla, farali wada, kacche kele ke vada, kuttu or singhara ki puri, thepla and roti, samak ke chawal, sabudana ki khichdi and natural thirst quenchers