Delhi is renowned for street food, and when favorites are discussed, the Dilli-style Chole Bhature comes to mind, with Sita Ram Diwan Chand being frequently touted as the place to be to taste this legendary dish. With its rich chickpea curry and soft bhaturas, the eatery became a legend. With only one offering on its menu, this was a meticulously thought-out plan that helped it achieve so much.
The one-dish tale of Sita Ram Diwan Chand started in post-partition Delhi when a 15-year-old refugee from Lahore embarked upon what would eventually become one of the nation’s most astonishing single-dish success stories. Shri Sita Ram Ji and Shri Diwan Chand Ji began their venture in 1955, operating from a bicycle parked outside the DAV School in Paharganj and serving chole bhature to schoolkids and pedestrians.
Turning point occurred in the 1970s when Sita Ram installed a small booth near the entrance opposite the Imperial Cinema in Paharganj. This location became decisive as cinema audiences visited there, soon to become staunch clients of Lahori-style chole bhature. Quality and purity of raw ingredients is what defined Sita Ram Diwan Chand. Till today, preparation methodology does not differ. The spices are hand-selected, ground, and blended in-house, and the traditional chutney is prepared with dried pomegranate seeds.
Their pièce de résistance is the bhatura, filled with cottage cheese and a combination of aromatic spices such as carom, fenugreek, and hing. The chickpea curry has more than 20 spices combined, season pickles from mangoes during summer to gooseberries during winter.
The restaurant flourished with the development of Paharganj, which transformed into a tourist destination with the growth of New Delhi Railway Station in the vicinity. With the evolution of the area, new customers flocked to the restaurant while old faithfuls continued to visit. Over the years, the brand has grown under the guidance of next-generation entrepreneurs. Third-generation businessman Rajiv Kohli and his brother Utsav Kohli opened restaurants at Pitampura, Paschim Vihar, and Sector 46, Gurugram.
The brand also welcomed the age of digital times under Puneet Kohli, offering their popular chole bhature for delivery via mobile applications. This new adaptation has helped them reach a larger customer base while still being able to preserve the same flavor that three generations of customers have come to adore.
