Rasayyah A Never-Seen-Before Revival of Awadhi, Lucknawi & Brij-Banarasi Classic Cuisines Arrives in Delhi
By Seema Dhawan
The experience at Rasayyah unfolds gently, guided by warmth, grace, and an instinctive understanding of hospitality. From the moment we walked in, the team engaged with us bahut laheje se—measured, courteous, and deeply attentive. Every interaction, whether explaining a dish or offering a recommendation, reflected the refined nazakat intrinsic to Awadhi culture. Nothing felt rehearsed or formulaic; instead, there was an ease and sincerity that immediately set the tone.
As vegetarians, we were drawn to Rasayyah’s thoughtfully curated vegetarian offerings, and the depth of choice was both reassuring and impressive. The meal began with the restaurant’s signature Palak Patta Chaat and Banaras ki Matra, a nostalgic opening that captured the soul of Banaras through crisp textures and balanced flavours. Familiar tastes were elevated through restraint rather than excess, allowing the ingredients and techniques to shine.
To accompany the meal, we chose Thandai, a beverage that felt perfectly aligned with Rasayyah’s philosophy. Cooling, aromatic, and delicately spiced, it complemented the food without distraction and added a nostalgic layer to the overall experience, reinforcing the restaurant’s connection to regional traditions.
The progression into the main course felt natural and deeply satisfying. A slow-cooked Dal Makhni, rich yet composed, was followed by Palak Paneer, silken and understated, and Bharwan Paneer Tikka, indulgent without heaviness. Each dish reflected the finesse of Awadhi vegetarian cuisine, where spice never overwhelms and flavour is built patiently, layer by layer. It was a reminder that Awadhi cooking, even in its vegetarian form, carries immense depth and quiet complexity.
What made the experience especially intimate was learning that the Awadhi preparations we enjoyed are drawn from a cherished home recipe, perfected in the kitchen of founder Amit Tandon’s wife. That personal lineage was evident on the plate. This was food shaped by memory and tradition, not performance—thoughtful, comforting, and deeply rooted.
Dessert followed the same understated elegance. Awadhi Nazakat and Shahi Tukda, soaked just right and indulgent without being heavy, was followed by a classic Kulfi—unpretentious, comforting, and deeply satisfying. It felt less like the conclusion of a meal and more like a pause, inviting conversation and reflection.
Dining at Rasayyah is not about spectacle. It is about tehzeeb, warmth, and a style of hospitality that does not announce itself but gently envelops you. By the time we left, it felt less like dining at a restaurant and more like being welcomed into a home that takes its culinary inheritance seriously, serving it with grace, pride, and quiet confidence.
Located in the bustling lanes of Meharchand Market, Rasayyah stands among Delhi’s most thoughtful culinary debuts. Dedicated entirely to reviving the forgotten royal cuisines of Awadh, Lucknow, and Brij-Banaras, the restaurant consciously steps away from contemporary reinterpretations. Instead, it journeys deep into India’s gastronomic past, bringing back recipes, techniques, and flavour philosophies that have gradually disappeared from mainstream kitchens.
The vision behind Rasayyah is led by founders Amit and Mukta Tandon, whose shared passion for preserving India’s culinary heritage forms the soul of the restaurant. An FCA and seasoned investment banker with over four decades of global experience, Amit, along with his family, has spent years travelling, researching, tasting, and learning from rare households and traditional cooks who continue to safeguard heirloom recipes. Their love for cooking, hosting, and Nawabi–Banarasi culinary history has shaped Rasayyah into a space where ancient flavours are presented with authenticity and respect.
Speaking about the inspiration behind Rasayyah, founder Amit Tandon shares,
“Rasayyah was born out of a personal longing—a desire to reconnect and humbly try to revive the cuisines and flavours we have heard about, read in legendary cookbooks in royal libraries, or tasted in traditional homes of our family, friends, and the region. These recipes belong to a time when food reflected identity, pride, and understated artistry. Bringing them back with full authenticity and respect felt like a responsibility and invoked a deep sense of gratitude. Delhi appreciates culture, nuance, and depth, and Rasayyah is our offering to a city that values heritage in all its forms. It is a tribute not only to the greatest cuisines and their practitioners of the past, but also a place where friends and families can bond over food and drinks, share conversations, and enjoy togetherness in a setting filled with positive and vibrant energy. Isn’t sharing a table always meant to be this way?”
Spread across three levels with an open terrace, Rasayyah’s interiors echo this philosophy. Warm-toned, elegant, and quietly opulent, the design reflects a refined regal sensibility that feels sophisticated yet inviting. With approximately 90 covers, the space encourages diners to slow down and engage with a cuisine built on time, technique, and reverence.
At the heart of Rasayyah’s culinary identity are chefs from the very regions it celebrates—Awadh and Braj-Banaras—bringing decades of lived expertise to the kitchen. The family-curated menu is the result of meticulous research and heritage exploration, featuring heirloom dishes once served on Awadhi dastarkhwans and refined vegetarian tables of the past. Importantly, Rasayyah offers one of Delhi’s most thoughtfully executed vegetarian Awadhi and Banarasi menus, ensuring that vegetarian diners experience the same depth, finesse, and cultural richness traditionally reserved for royal tables.
Rasayyah is not about reinvention. It is about remembrance. About honouring culinary legacies with sincerity and offering Delhi a luxury dining experience where food, hospitality, and heritage come together naturally—without haste, without noise, and with enduring warmth.
