Food & Dining: Delhi’s Famed Restaurant Chain Debuts in Atlanta
The flavors are not watered down and preserve the authenticity of the eighty-year-old brand.
There is no shortage of places around metro Atlanta to get your fix of Indian street food—so why open another establishment, you may ask? Because this one brings the legacy of one of Delhi’s most famous sweet shops and restaurants to Atlanta. If you grew up there, be prepared for culinary nostalgia. For others, it's an opportunity to find what’s all the buzz about north Indian chaats.
The legendary Nathu’s Sweets opened in the mid-1930s as a temporary tea stall and has been in the same Gupta family from Haryana for four generations. Today, the flagship location still bustles in central Delhi’s busy Bengali Market. Celebrities and Indian ministers are often spotted dining on Nathu’s best-selling palak patta chaat, aloo kulcha, and CBD (chhole bhature of Delhi) in the capital. Over the years, its many chain stores and franchises have become wildly popular across India.
[Right] Chili paneer sizzler, a spicy delight that sparks the senses. [Photo: Niraj Sharma]
The Atlanta location of Nathu’s Sweets opened in October 2023 at the location that housed the original Gokul Sweets near Patel Brothers on Lawrenceville Highway for many decades. The interior looks nothing like its former tenant, though. The well-lit restaurant has a colorful modern ambiance, fresh, clean concept with grey-painted walls, and colorful posters with fun Indian quotes, such as “Horn Ok Please,” typically found on the back of commercial trucks. With lots of greenery, the entrance is inviting and Instagram-worthy. Simple, wood tables and teal blue metal chairs accommodate seating for approximately 65 people who would get tableside service.
Atlanta-based Hemant Bhalla is a businessman with a taste for good food. He acquired licensing to bring the New Delhi-based chain to the American and the Canadian markets. Starting with metro Atlanta, soon there will be more Nathu’s Sweets locations across the continent.
[Left] Delhi street-style chaat papri. [Photo: Niraj Sharma]
The uncompromised flavors are straight from New Delhi. The 100-percent vegetarian recipes come from the flagship restaurant, with some modifications based on sourcing requirements. There’s a wide variety of dishes to choose from. So, you need to decide what you are in the mood for—chaat, tandoori, sizzler, North Indian, South Indian, or Indo-Chinese. I start with a classic: gol gappa. It arrives with two kinds of pani—mint and tamarind, each served separately—with a stuffing of potatoes and black grams alongside sweet tamarind sauce in white bowls and plates, not paper or Styrofoam. The DIY presentation is perfect for sharing and keeping the puri crisp and the preparation less messy. The papri chaat is also crisp and flavorful with fresh creamy yogurt, flakes of bhujiya, and mint and tamarind chutneys. I was told that raj kachori is one of Nathu’s specialties. It tastes similar to other chaats but has a different texture. The volcanic-looking kachori is stuffed with soft bhalla and daal, and then topped with yogurt and chutneys. It is interesting and very filling.
The Punjabi staple—chana bhatura—is a clear winner in the snack section, instantly transporting me to the sweet corner in my hometown. Light and fluffy bhaturas pair perfectly with the thick, dark chickpeas, onions, and pickle. Though the dish is typically heavy and oily, this one does not make you sluggish. From the Tandoor Special section, the vegan Soya Shammi Kebab presents unfamiliar flavors. The soft patty, made with peas and chickpeas, melts in your mouth.
In the Indo-Chinese menu, gobhi manchurian stands out the most. The cauliflower florets cooked with colorful bell peppers and topped with cilantro are perfectly fried to a crisp. Also, the sauce tastes freshly made and the seasoning is not overly salty.
A popular street food from Mumbai, Bombay Sandwich, is a light snack if you aren’t in the mood for typical Indian fare. The thin slices of bread are buttered and layered between spicy masala mashed potatoes, cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, and cheese. It is served with ketchup and fries.
[Left] Mouthwatering gobi manchurian sizzler. [Photo: Niraj Sharma]
The desserts section is still a work in progress. You can order delectable khoya and fig burfis, besan and kesar motichoor laddoos, as well as a dozen other Indian sweetmeats that are displayed in the showcase. While the artisan Indian sweets are currently imported from Nathu’s in Delhi, a dedicated chef will soon be making them in-house. There is also kulfi falooda with saffron and pista-kulfi ice cream topped with thin vermicelli along with rose water and basil seeds. It is a refreshing dessert but is missing the thick rabdi that is essential to the presentation.
[Right] Nathu’s famous chana bhature will leave you wanting more. [Photo: Niraj Sharma]
For drinks, there are Indian sodas, such as Limca and Thums Up, as well as American Coke and Fanta. Nathu’s Sweets is probably the only Indian fast-casual restaurant in the area serving both cappuccino and masala tea on its menu. The tea is a bit watery with a strong ginger taste, but a splash of milk may do the trick. For a cooling pairing, try the lassi—sweet, salty, or with the popular mango puree flavoring.
The hip interior and extensive menu at Nathu’s Sweets is essentially designed to please the entire family. The portions are small enough so each person can enjoy his/ her own Indian sub-cuisine and not everyone on the table has to share a family-style meal. It is a fun place to hang out with friends or grab a quick snack.
Overall, Nathu’s offers a superior quality experience in a sit-down setting. The flavors are not watered down and preserve the authenticity of the eighty-year-old brand.
Sucheta Rawal is an award-winning food and travel writer who has traveled to over 100 countries across seven continents, experiencing the world through her palate. She has been named one of the most influential cultural bloggers in the world for her blog Go Eat Give. Find her on social @SuchetaRawal.
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