From The King’s Table to Street Food : A Food History of Delhi

by Pushpesh Pant

‘A wonderfully evocative book on Delhi and its food combining decades of scholarship with personal experiences and memories by one of our greatest food writers.’—Vir Sanghvi, journalist and author, Rude Food

‘Pushpesh Pant weaves a magical mosaic in his inimitable style about his personal, and Delhi’s, food journey, spiced with anecdotes and tales. A must-read book.’—Rocky Mohan, food connoisseur, author and custodian of Old Monk rum

Who is an ‘asli Dilliwala’—a true-blue Delhizen—and what is his cuisine? To answer this question, Pushpesh Pant, food historian and raconteur par excellence, takes us on a culinary journey from the Mahabharata’s Indraprastha—the first city of Delhi—to the present day, through the Sultanate, the Mughal Empire and the British Raj.
On this fascinating food trip, we savour the rich qormas and kebabs of Shahjahanabad and the Shepherd’s Pie and mutton cutlets of ‘angrezon ki Dilli’, with a light snack in between of papri or undiya, washed down with bael ka sherbet in a good Baniya home. But that is not all. As Delhi’s population grew to include migrants from across the country, so did its culinary repertoire. The Dilliwala of today is as likely to enjoy Calcutta-style street food—chops, cutlets, puchka and jhaalmuri—in the south Delhi colony of C.R. Park, as he is to relish a berry pulao and dhansak at the Parsi Anjuman. And what better tiffin than idli-dosa-sambar from the South Indian outlets that dot the city? From a city identified largely with Punjabi and Mughlai food—butter chicken and biryani—Delhi is now a melting pot of cuisines ranging from Kashmiri, Bengali and Bihari, to Andhra, Naga and ‘Indian-Chinese’.
Pushpesh Pant also tracks the growth of the city’s restaurant culture, from wayside dhabas and McDonalds to high-end restaurants that can compete with the best in the world—justifying its claim to being a global food capital where virtually every cuisine can be found, including Japanese, Thai, Mediterranean and Korean.
Drawing on a wealth of historical records and literary sources, Pushpesh Pant has written a delightful, anecdotal account of the life and food habits of each period of Delhi’s history, that is as much a feast to be enjoyed, as the food he describes.

Genres: Food

371 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 5, 2024

About the author

Pushpesh Pant is a noted Indian academic, food critic and historian. He retired as a Professor of International relations from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi.

Reviews

[Shruti Chhabra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pushpesh Pant's From the King's Table to Street Food: A Food History of Delhi offers a unique and insightful journey through Delhi's rich culinary history. The book delves into the evolution of the city's food culture, starting with mythical references to Indraprastha in the Mahabharata, exploring how ancient dishes like krisara influenced modern favourites like kheer and balushahi​. Pant meticulously traces how successive rulers and communities have shaped Delhi's food. The Sultanate period brought delights like pilaf and baklava, while the Mughal era saw a culinary renaissance with dishes like navratan korma and murg mussallam. He also highlights the role of figures like Muhammad bin Tughlaq, who invested in culinary documentation and innovation, helping establish staples like samosas through Silk Road exchanges​.
Delhi's cuisine reflects its multicultural population. Refugees from the Partition and communities like Tibetans, Afghans, and Parsis added layers to its culinary fabric. Pant also discusses regional dishes adopted into the city's mainstream, such as Rampuri kebabs and Patiala-inspired dals, blending flavours from neighbouring regions into what is now considered quintessentially 'Delhi food'​. The book celebrates Delhi's iconic street food—from chaats to kebabs—and its transformation over time. Pant examines how globalization has impacted food culture, with fast food and delivery apps coexisting with traditional eateries. Yet, he emphasizes the resilience of classic dishes and the creativity of younger generations in preserving and evolving the city's culinary identity​.
As Pant's book reveals, food in Delhi has always been intertwined with politics and social stratification. Pant's exploration of how dining options historically signalled class divisions, with spaces like Triveni Tea Terrace and India Coffee House becoming melting pots of ideas and art, offers a fascinating insight into the city's history. His exploration of the symbolic importance of food during royal feasts, coronation events, and rituals showcases its role beyond sustenance. Pant's reflections as a 'Dilliwala' add depth to the narrative, as he shares memories of curating historical menus and navigating Delhi's changing foodscape​.
Pant's vivid writing makes historical feasts and modern street snacks leap off the page. His ability to connect food with broader cultural, historical, and economic shifts offers readers a holistic understanding of Delhi's gastronomic heritage. The book has been described as celebrating the city's flavours, blending nostalgia with academic insight​.
This book is a must-read for history buffs, food enthusiasts, and anyone curious about the symbiotic relationship between food and identity in one of the world's most dynamic cities.

[Anshuman Swain · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 rounded down to 3.

A fantastic mish mash of history, anecdotes and food stories from Delhi. I didn't like the writing as it was very meandering and jumped between topics quite fast without an overarching theme sometimes. However, the depth and breadth of information about Delhi, its food and its history is quite remarkable.

[Promita Bhowmick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first read by the author. I have watched many programs hosted by him and admire his work. However, can’t say the same when it comes to writing. This was an easy read, nothing impressive no fancy writing or playing with words. Having said that, I completely understand that only fancy writing doesn’t captivate the interest of readers. There are many books with quite a simple language yet it completely engages the readers with its tone. The book throws light on the food history of Delhi and adjoining areas. There are many interesting facts which I’m sure many of us are not aware of. The cherry on the cake are the recipes given at the end of the book. But if you are not a foodie then things might overwhelm you a bit with varieties of food and only food, as it did for me. Nonetheless, if you are a foodie and also interested in the history of it then go for it.

[Pranjal Awasthi · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit meandering at times, this is more of a history of Delhi than just a history of food items. Much like the multidisciplinary nature of Dr Pant's scholarship, this book tried to balance multiple boats but eventually falls short of the goal, falling into meanderings which Don't do much for the narrative. Still an interesting book with tonnes of TIL moments especially if you're visiting Delhi or are big into travelling for culinary reasons

[gaurav sohal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Food journey train wirh history

If you like reading about history of what is served on your plate instead of just gobbling it down, this book is for you, just like every curry has charater this book will take you on gastronomical journey with ancient past, mediaeval india and connect to modern delhi. First half is intriguing bit second half gets little repititive in terms of locations in Delhi instead of food and it's background , overall a good read

[Agrani · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a lover of Indian history, food and Delhi, I absolutely loved the first half of this book. The second part which covers modern day Delhi is a little monotonous but overall the book is worth a read.