Popular with Delhiites in search of good deals, Lajpat Nagar’s Central Market is a great place to people-watch, take photos, or pick up inexpensive gifts. Lajpat Nagar features a solid mix of roadside stalls and brand-name shops, not to mention a cinema showing Bollywood and international flicks. Because the market caters to a local crowd, you won’t find too many handicrafts here, but it’s a great place to get affordable clothes, accessories, housewares, and snacks.
Going to Lajpat Nagar with a guide or as part of a shopping-themed tour may be helpful for finding your way around and for navigating bargaining customs, especially if it’s your first time here.
Lajpat Nagar Central Market is a must for shopaholics.
Be prepared for a friendly bout of haggling if buying from roadside vendors, but not in most retail shops, which tend to have fixed prices.
Wear sunscreen and comfortable shoes. Much of the market can get crowded and super hot.
Lajpat Nagar is not accessible to wheelchair users.
Lajpat Nagar is in the eastern part of South Delhi. Most visitors to the neighborhood head straight to the Central Market, where the majority of shops and stalls are located—if you’re taking a taxi here, it’s a good idea to specify. The nearest metro station is Lajpat Nagar (a 5-minute walk) on the Violet Line, which connects to Connaught Place in the heart of Delhi.
Lajpat Nagar is open Tuesday through Sunday year-round, but the crowds tend to be thinner when the market first opens, around 10am. This is also the best time to visit if you’re coming on a hot day, as early-morning temperatures tend to be more bearable.
Lajpat Nagar is a great place to sample Delhi’s famous street food snacks, known collectively aschaat. Popular items includemomos, Tibetan steamed dumplings filled with meat or veggies, andaloo tikki, hash-brown–like potato patties covered with chutney. Adventurous eaters may want to trypani puri, crisp deep-fried flour balls filled with spiced water.
