Hauz Khas, originally a residential enclave of south Delhi, immersed in the greenery of its Deer Park, has morphed into a great place to feel the pulse of India’s creative scene. Chock-a-block with design agencies and curio shops, and hugging an ancient reservoir, tiny Hauz Khas is easy to navigate and not too crowded, except at weekends.
The first thing to do is stroll around the historic Hauz Khas complex, with its medieval madrasa, tombs, mosque and lake. In summer, giant yellow laburnum and flame trees filter the morning sun, while in winter, gauzy mist hovers over the bright green lake.
For India’s middle class, Italian coffee has replaced sweet chai as the drink of choice and Social (9a-12 Hauz Khas Village, socialoffline.in) is an upscale, urban hangout with hotdesking facilities that does a good cup. Or laid-back Kunzum Travel Café nearby (T49 Hauz Khas Village, kunzum.com), has free Wi-Fi and a donations-only policy for its coffee.
Behind the main drag is pot plant-lined Back Lane, which has the best shops and can be strolled in less than five minutes. All Arts is a subterranean store packed to the rafters with old Bollywood posters, iconic Ravi Varma prints and aged maps. House of Blondie is a vintage concept store, run by Kareena Vinaik, selling jewellery, sunglasses and kitsch blouses under dozens of oversized light bulbs.
At fashion boutique Bodice, owner Ruchika Sachdeva offers androgynous design, unconventional cuts and uses traditional methods such as block printing. Nappa Dori is a men’s label that sells handmade leather accessories to several London retailers: old-fashioned trunks in eye-popping colours and wallets screen-printed with iconic Indian scenes make good souvenirs.
Amid so much shopping, there is also the Delhi Art Gallery. It focuses on 20th-century Indian art and has pieces by all the big hitters, such as MF Husain and SH Raza.
For food, the Coast Café above the Ogaan shop at the eastern end of Back Lane serves good fish curry with kokum (the dried peel of a tamarind-like fruit), malabar parathas (stuffed, spicy flatbreads) and zingy fish tacos. Close to the park, Himalayan restaurant Yeti offers good-value dinners: prayer flags, mandalas and waiters in Nepali topi hats transport diners to Kathmandu, as do the momos stuffed with buffalo, vegetables or mutton, with three dipping sauces of escalating hotness. The best place for a nightcap is the TLR Café, part of The Living Room music venue, where live bands play and the bar serves Indian wines from Sula or Nine Hills.
Best of all, there’s now a B&B in Hauz Khas. The Rose (12 colourful doubles from £40) is run by Frenchman Sylvain Dangmann. It’s popular with visiting designers and artists, but nice and quiet.
• Flights were provided by Virgin Atlantic, which has returns from Heathrow to Delhi from £529
