If there’s one thing that sets the food scene in Delhi apart from the rest of the country, it’s the focus on regional Indian cuisine. Restaurants serving everything from Naga-style smoked pork to Manipuri river snails have stood the test of time. With the emergence of Humayunpur, a colony that houses migrants from the Northeast, there has also been a surge in restaurants specialising in food from Nagaland, Manipur and Assam. There are restaurants focused on the cuisine of the Northeast out of Humayunpur, too (most of these specialise in Naga cuisine). We pick five of the best ones around the city.
The Categorical Eat Pham
The Categorical Eat Pham has gone from being a small room with a kitchen to a spacious restaurant in Humayunpur. The Manipuri restaurant is known for its smoked pork curry, which goes well with plain boiled rice. The menu also has unusual dishes like ‘tharoi thongba’, a river snail curry, and river snails with smoked pork. Wash the spicy food down with a glass of rice beer or some cha ngang (red tea with lemon).
Hornbill
Housed in a basement in Humayunpur, Hornbill has bamboo lining its walls and wooden furniture. One of Delhi’s many Naga restaurants, the restaurant makes a tasty pork and bamboo shoot curry. The curry is a bestseller but is mind-numbingly spicy so order a glass of cold lemonade to go with it. There are also multiple other traditional pork preparations to choose from. Axone, the fermented chutney from Nagaland, also makes an appearance.
Dzukou Tribal Kitchen
Earlier part of a charming terrace in Hauz Khas Village, Dzukou Tribal Kitchen has now moved to Vasant Kunj. The decor is homely and the food is as good as it was at the original outlet. Choose from Naga delicacies like fish with bamboo shoot or pork anishi (pork with dried taro leaves paste), or opt for safer items like the “chicken basket” (crispy fried chicken) and momos. Chutneys include axone, dried fish and shredded buff.
Nimtho
Located in a quiet lane in Greater Kailash-I, Nimtho focuses on Sikkimese fare with a few Chinese dishes here and there. The burnt garlic lotus stem makes a tasty starter, as does the churpi ko raas (a soup with the Himalayan cheese churpi). The momos are especially good and the thali is a wholesome mix of dal, saag, chicken/mutton/pork/fish/vegetable curry, pickles, salad and rice. A section of the menu mentions chowmein and fried rice for those who like their Chinjabi food.
Oh! Assam
Ever since the canteen at Assam Bhawan closed, hungry diners seeking good Assamese food have been redirected to Humayunpur. Oh! Assam is a bright yellow space with a few tables and food that includes everything from aloo pitika for vegetarians to murgi mangsho (Assamese chicken curry) for meat eaters. The thalis come with a selection of dal, veg fry, khar and salad—customers may choose from chicken, duck, pork or fish.