Head-to-Head · New Delhi
Indian Accent vs Avartana
Two of New Delhi's best Indian tables. Book Indian Accent for inventive modern Indian, Avartana for a progressive South Indian tasting.
The Verdict
These are two of New Delhi's most accomplished Indian rooms, and the choice is style. Indian Accent, at The Lodhi hotel, is the inventive pan-Indian icon that helped define modern Indian cooking, now led by chef Shantanu Mehrotra after Manish Mehrotra's 2024 departure to open Nisaba, and still famous for playful dishes like blue-cheese naan and soy keema. Avartana, inside ITC Maurya in Chanakyapuri, is a progressive South Indian tasting room that reworks coastal and Tamil flavours across courses with names like Maya, Bela and Jiaa. Book Indian Accent for clever, boundary-pushing Indian; book Avartana for a polished South Indian journey.
The split is a la carte invention versus a structured tasting. Indian Accent runs a chef's tasting alongside a la carte, where the fun is the cross-cultural twist on familiar Indian flavours. Avartana commits to the tasting format, building seven to thirteen courses of small, precise South Indian plates with views over the ridge from the top of ITC Maurya. One is a greatest-hits of modern Indian, the other a single, composed arc. See both on the New Delhi dining guide.
Scores, Side by Side
| Score | Indian Accent | Avartana |
|---|---|---|
| Food | 9 / 10 | 8 / 10 |
| Atmosphere | 8 / 10 | 9 / 10 |
| Value | 7 / 10 | 7 / 10 |
Which One for Which Occasion
| Occasion | Editorial Pick |
|---|---|
| A first-timer's Delhi dinner | Indian AccentThe most famous modern-Indian table in the city is the obvious benchmark meal. |
| A long, structured tasting | AvartanaSeven-to-thirteen-course menus make it the more immersive sit-down experience. |
| Vegetarians | AvartanaSouth Indian cooking is naturally vegetable-rich, though Indian Accent's veg tasting is excellent too. |
| Impress out-of-town clients | Indian AccentGlobal name recognition and a sibling-restaurant pedigree read as the serious booking. |
| A quieter, scenic room | AvartanaCalm service and ridge views from the top of ITC Maurya suit a relaxed evening. |
Price Comparison
Both sit at the high end of Delhi dining without being extreme. Indian Accent's chef's tasting runs roughly 5,000 to 7,500 rupees a head, with a shorter four-course lunch and a vegetarian version of each menu. Avartana prices by length, from the seven-course Maya up to the thirteen-course Tara, with a nine-course Sunday lunch around 3,750 rupees plus taxes. Avartana's shorter menus can be the gentler spend, while its longest tastings climb past Indian Accent. Weigh them against the best Indian restaurants worldwide and the world's best tasting menus.
How to Book
Indian Accent takes reservations by phone and email and books up three to four weeks ahead on weekends, so plan early and mention any occasion. Read the Indian Accent review before you go.
Avartana books through ITC Maurya, runs dinner Monday to Saturday plus a Sunday lunch, and the smaller tasting room fills fast for weekend prime time. Read the Avartana review first.
For occasion fit beyond this pairing, weigh Delhi tables for an anniversary and a business lunch. For more Delhi match-ups, see Indian Accent vs Bukhara and Bukhara vs Dum Pukht, and browse the compare index.