THE ETERNAL FLAVOURS of our TIMELESS CLASSICS

India's most-loved restaurants have all stood the test of time, especially in an era when food ventures open with vast market research and modern aesthetics but fail to make a lasting impression. This is what makes our favourites timeless.

- Vernika Awal

ONE OF THE MOST common questions that surfaces amid myriad food conversations is: what is one's favourite restaurant? Being a food writer and critic and having travelled the length and breadth of India in search of culinary greatness, one would imagine that there's a handy Top 5 list tucked away in the corner of my favourite tote-or perhaps my memory, even.

Truth be told, the answers are often not as exciting as one might expect.

Whether out on a date night or a weekend rendezvous with friends, the typical favourites have remained constant over the years. For instance, The Big Chill Café, now 24 years old, offers unparalleled consistency-whether through its luscious pastas doused in creamy sauces, the garlicladen pizzas served with just the right amount of spice and cheese, or the grills cooked to perfection.

In the peak of winter, few can compare to Pindi at Pandara Road now a septuagenarian in its own right. Here, the ultimate comfort is served on tables adorned with oldschool silverware, where the silken dal makhani and butter naan offer the quintessential picture of Delhi's culinary signature dishes.

And when in the mood for Oriental fare, there's the ever-reliable Yum Yum Cha. While it may not be a 'classic' in terms of age, the restaurant chain has attained cult status by perfecting its prompt but courteous service, the nearperfect flavourings of sushi, dim sums, and signature 'stone bowls' and most of all, an incredible, near-inimitable knack for consistency across every single outlet.