Ask a Local: Delhi
Kevin Nigli of __design label Abraham & Thakore offers insider knowledge on the best places to eat, drink and shop in his home city
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Shopping
In addition to its spectacular historical complex of medieval madrasa, tombs and mosques, Hauz Khas Village in the southern reaches of the city is the artistic hub of New Delhi. Ogaan (ogaan.com), a multi-brand designer store selling the latest fashion and jewellery by contemporary Indian designers, is one of my favourite shops, as is nearby Krishna at Chaupal, 26 Hauz Khas Village, a hidden gem for discovering antiques, old textiles, paintings and objets d'art.
For carpets, Siva Oriental Rugs, at 86a Shahpur Jat, is a must; I love rummaging through Navin Chopra's huge collection of old kilims and pile carpets. Meanwhile, for flea-market finds, particularly furniture, there's nothing better than a stroll through Amar Colony in Lajpat Nagar, where traders display their wares beneath tarpaulin covers or in dusty antiques shops. At the opposite end of the spectrum, for a curated selection of home accessories, furniture and fashion, En Inde at Meher Chand Market doubles as an industrial-style concept store and a showroom for the innovative jewellery designs of En Inde. Celebrating the handspun, brightly coloured cotton cloth popularised by Mahatma Gandhi, Khadi Gramodyog in Connaught Place (kvic.org.in) is something of a Delhi institution. Meanwhile, nearby Kamala is the chicest of all the State Emporiums, selling upscale, well-designed textiles and crafts. Last but not least is the old Delhi house in Defence Colony, which has been converted into a contemporary lifestyle store.
Downstairs, MoonRiver (moonriverstore.com) sells glass, home accessories and gifts; upstairs, Abraham & Thakore (abrahamandthakore.com) showcases designer fashion and home collections, which draw inspiration from the rich traditional vocabulary of Indian __design and craft.
FOOD AND DRINK
You'll need to book at least a week in advance to eat at Indian Accent (indianaccent.com), where Indian cuisine is fused with Western sensibility. In the covered outdoor setting of Café Lota at the National Crafts Museum, which houses and sells some of the loveliest treasures of Indian craft, traditional and inexpensive street food is served with style. For late-night snacks, go to Gulati (gulatirestaurant.in) at Pandara Road Market for the best burra kebabs in town, or for urban cool, head to Social in Hauz Khas Village - fashionable cafe by day, edgy club and bar by night.
ACCOMMODATION
With just 40 rooms (each with a private plunge pool), The Lodhi (thelodhi.com) is one of the most tranquil hotels in New Delhi. Modern and geometric in its interpretation of traditional Mughal architecture, the hotel is within striking distance of the city's most famous sights. Double rooms start at about £200 a night.
Taken from the October 2015 issue of House & Garden.
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