Delhi University is the place to be for every student in the country. It’s a whole other world in itself. The quintessential student life experience thrives within the capital city for people from across India. They live among us, loudly in the shadows. Most importantly, they eat and drink among us. You know what that means! DU South Campus is a bubbling bustling hub of spicy street food, budget restaurants and unique cafés. All of these are right next to each other across one long stretch opposite South Campus colleges on Satyaniketan road. Find one, find all. We’ve shortlisted the best ones for you.
1. QD’s
This restaurant is one for the stories. It has been a crowd favourite for as long as we can remember. DU students’ first taste of their new lives is served to them by this chain. After rising to the top in North Campus, they conquered the South with world famous momos. Get chicken spring rolls if you’re in the mood to do the nasty or just stick to safe Chinese and north Indian options.
2. Big Yellow Door
They literally have a big yellow door out front so you can spot the place from anywhere in South Campus. They have the cheesiest nachos and sinful Kit Kat Shakes for prices you won’t believe. Money can buy you happiness when the price is so less and reward to high, that is if you can ever find a table.
3. The Bounty
This place is an anchor for the foodie. With all the multi cuisine continental cafés surrounding South Campus, this traditional place stands out. Their Drums of Heaven will give you wings. After one visit here, your feet will never touch the ground. Unique to this restaurant is the family crowd, perhaps because of the great food.
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4. Wood Box Café
Their fun, happy, peppy décor keeps us coming back. For students who eat out every day, this place is a nice mood boost. Two people can eat more than their fair share in less than 700 bucks. These are not ideal student daily prices, but for the size and quality of their bestselling Mother of Chicken Burger and Strawberry Oreo Shake, it’s a bargain!
5. Echoes
Breakfast waffle, lunch pasta or dinner burger, everything is an option if only you can grab a seat. This is our favourite place for the social drive this South Campus gem has taken on. It opens doors to interaction between isolated communities as all the staff members are differently abled. Normalization of social taboos is promoted in Delhi University spaces like these!
6. Cafeteria & Co.
This insta-worthy fast food place is just in line with South Campus needs. It serves Mexican which is a viral food choice these days. The safety net of continental is also available. The burritos are just as good as the pasta. Since DU students are big on thick shakes, they’ve got Tiramisu kicking butt.
7. Young Wild Free Café
Sports, thin crust and brownie shakes 11-11 is every student’s fantasy. Haven’t you heard dreams come true in Delhi? South Campus takes care of all your food needs. It knows what keeps the kids coming to college, keeping them in class is only easier with their stomachs full.
8. Kev’s Café
Every time we’re at Satyaniketan amidst all these amazing cafés, a little stall is where our hearts stops at. Our feet automatically lead us to Kev’s and before we know it, we’re inhaling Mughlai Maggi for no fault of our own. When the going gets spicy, Banta comes to the rescue.
9. Pirates of South Campus
The odyssey of unique cafés continues. The bar is a boat. Blue lights, yellow lights, lights that are keys, keys that are light, this place is a journey to the Caribbean from South Campus. The walls, floor, ceiling everything is wooden, so you actually feel like the waves are crashing upstairs. As unfamiliar as the décor is, the food will bring you right back to the heart of Dilli. Veggie Pizza and Tandoori Momos are fan favourites.
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10. Waffle O’Clock
The most Instagrammable food is waiting under this roof in South Campus to destroy your diet goals. Sinister waffles covered in toppings is just the way we dreamt it. Didn’t we say dreams do come true! Curly Tales believes in spreading as much love as you would Nutella. Here, they spread as much Nutella as you’d love.
11. QRO Gourmeteriia BY DARK HOUSE KAFE
Desi dilliwaale or desi DU wale, this is the place for café style keema pav in South Campus. Table booking is definitely recommended because this place is a little different from the rest of Satyaniketan. While many restaurants can be multi-cuisine, none serve multi-décor. None except one. This place has old time lift bars, modern leather couches and rustic wooden ornamentation surviving in harmony. We never thought we’d see a place like this.
12. #OFF Campus
This South Campus rebel serves the best ambience. A rooftop like no other with live music and romantic lights is what sanskaari 101 teaches you not to do. This food ninja has all the right cards against sanskaar to win our hearts. Their most powerful weapon is the butter chicken croquettes.
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South Campus is a way of life. Once you’re in it, why ever get out? Go to class, catch a break, take tests and celebrate. That’s like in Delhi University. No walls can contain the intellectuals who basically just want to eat, drink and make merry because life is probably not even real.