Delhi’s Romeo Lane feeds the heart and stomach

With its chilled out vibe, Romeo Lane is the perfect venue for food and tipple as we approach winter

The food at Romeo Lane

Brothers Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra have, with their latest venture, Romeo Lane, firmly put North Delhi on the nightlife map of the National Capital Region. Before, Cirrus 9 at the Oberoi Hotel made rooftop bars in Delhi fashionable, the Luthras had opened Mama’s Buoi, catering to the student population of Hudson Lane, a live music venue that has been packed ever since it opened. But with Romeo Lane, a vast, multi-level restaurant and terrace bar, they have taken things up a notch or two.

As Delhi evenings become pleasant, there is nothing better than to be under the sky, sipping cocktails, grazing on food, with a gentle breeze blowing and great music in the background; and Romeo Lane, ticks all the boxes and hits the right spots.

The vibe : Reminiscent of the rooftop bars of New York, Romeo Lane was buzzing, even on a Sunday evening at the start of the Navratras. It’s young, it’s sexy and it has a chilled out vibe, where you won’t be judged on how you’re dressed.

Do try : Most things. As they are open from 11 a.m. (until late), they offer a dedicated breakfast menu which is highly recommended — their waffles are scrumptious as are their breakfast bowls. For lunch and dinner they have a long list of appetizers. Their BBQ wings were delicious — crisp on the outside and juicy inside; the Crispy Mushroom Dynamite Bao was exactly that, dynamite. Great spice although I would have preferred the bao itself to be lighter. The Butter Chicken Pao Bhaji is perfect for those of us Dilli-wallah’s who need that one mouthful of the Mughali favourite when we go drinking. They also serve a variety of pizzas that are thin, crispy, and have great toppings.

For the mains, again, a large selection of “international”, oriental and Indian food. The Railway Fish Curry was full of flavour and the fish delicately cooked. The Guchhi (Kashmiri morel) Pulao, served with raita and a Dal Makhni Shot, was fragrant and light.

Their desserts had all the crowd pleasers: brownies, cheesecakes and red velvet cake. The Brownie Quesadilla was the best of the lot, a gooey brownie, wrapped in a chocolate tortilla with vanilla ice cream and nuts.

Skip : Despite have a long menu with multiple cuisines, there was nothing that I disliked. If pushed, I would say, skip the apple salsa gol gappas. The gol gappas were a little too thick although they remained crunchy.

Go with : A date, your friends or colleagues.

Space bar : 6,500 sq feet, indoor seating for 98 and an expansive outdoor terrace

How much : ₹2,000 for two (excluding drinks)

Getting there : 13, Third floor, Sham Nath Marg, Civil Lines. Located next to the Civil Lines metro station (Yellow Line), use the metro, go with a chauffeur or use your favourite ride sharing app. Never drink and drive.