Specializing in tandoori cooking, this restaurant, which is located in the hotel where all dignitaries visiting India stay (was a Sheraton and feels very ’70s), has been a must stop on itineraries for Delhi travelers since the 1970s. Guests are given checkered aprons to wear and suggested to eat the traditional cuisine with their hands (but they will give you utensils if asked). The dal is considered the best in the country, and the fare famously led Bill Clinton to quip that he wished he had two stomachs. It’s touristy, but the food is excellent and there’s something deliciously satisfying about digging into a lamb kebab with your bare hands.

For those who want to try gourmet modern Indian cuisine, Indian Accent is the place to come. The sleek, contemporary restaurant with stone floors and black and white photos on the walls is considered one of the best in the country and specializes in Indian cuisine for the 21^st century . For example, the menu features paneer tikka quesadillas with Swiss gruyere; pulled pork phulka tacos; tandoori bacon prawns with wasabi malai cream and soft shell crab, flame roast coconut and tomato pickle chutney. This is a must stop for foodies, and the restaurant offers fun lunch cooking demos with the chef for those who want to learn before they eat.

Diners at New Delhi’s Le Cirque are treated not only to the New York restaurant’s famed cuisine, but also to watching their dinner being prepared in the open kitchen. There is outside seating that is ideal for a pre- or post-dinner cocktail.

At this contemporary Indian restaurant, the cutlery provides a good idea of the experience ahead: diners are presented with three forks, three knives, two spoons (one of which is wooden) and a set of silver tweezers. Indeed, the 19-course menu is decidedly complex and fantastical, though many dishes take their cue from humble street food throughout the country. Take the charcoal bhajjia, a crispy fritter of onion and sorrel dressed with a red pepper coulis, for instance: a delicious riff on a traditional Mumbai street snack using molecular gastronomy. Another highlight is the mushroom consommé, which is dressed with dried mushrooms and truffle oil crumbs. Guests, who consist of well-heeled locals and foodie travelers alike, also have the option of ordering from an à la carte menu.

New York’s famed Japanese restaurant, Megu, has an outpost in Delhi at the Leela Palace hotel. A monumental Buddha holds center stage around which diners feast on nouveau cuisine and a large variety of sake. For intimate dinners or small groups, be sure to request the private room, which is lined in kimono fabric.

Much like the Oberoi Gurgaon, where this restaurant is located, ThreeSixtyOne is buzzing 24-hours a day. Due in part to the property’s placement in Delhi’s “millennial city” and near the international airport, meal options are available throughout the day and night and in a variety of cuisines. Five open kitchens create masterpieces in Japanese, Chinese and Indian styles and guests have the option of eating al fresco on one of the teak decks drifting on water features.