On the cover: Faqir Chand Bookstore by Shreyashi Jha
Beyond its restaurants and premium stores, Khan Market carries a remarkable story. From a refugee rehabilitation market to one of the world's most expensive shopping destinations in India. It's a place where every corner, every café, bookstore, and boutique contributes to a legacy that spans more than seven decades.
How it all started
After the India-Pakistan partition there were thousands of refugees who came to Delhi seeking livelihood. The Ministry of Rehabilitation built Khan market in 1951 and allotted shops to the refugees to help them restart their lives by running business. Initially there were 154 shops and 74 residential flats above the shops to allow the people to live where they worked. Over the decades the flats turned into stores and now there are almost 200 shops.
The transformation
It is fascinating how a market once established to help refugees has become India's most expensive retail market. There are several reasons behind it.
Khan Market is surrounded by Delhi’s most posh neighborhoods like Lodhi Garden, Lodhi Estates, and Golf Links, which increased the demand for premium shops and restaurants. Over time luxury designer shops, gourmet food stores, fine dine restaurants and numerous cafes started moving in.
Unlike malls, Khan Market occupies a smaller area, and its original heritage-style, low-rise layout is largely preserved. So while demand for retail space kept rising, the supply stayed almost fixed.
Moreover, social media boosted its popularity. Aesthetic cafes, beautiful streets and shops attracted people not only for shopping, but for the experience it offers.
Iconic stops
Start at the Faqir Chand bookstore which is Delhi’s oldest bookstore established in 1951 same year as Khan market. The place has not changed even a bit over the decades. Every wall and every shelf of the store is full of details that catches your eye and makes the place unforgettable.
For food head to Khan Chacha, started in the 1970s as a small kebab stall now turned into a full fledged restaurant with several branches. Khan chacha is the birthplace of Delhi’s legendary kebab rolls. A visit to Khan market is incomplete without visiting the Big Chill cafe and cakery. It is known for serving one of the best cakes and desserts in the town. From personal experience, I highly recommend trying the matilda cake. For a comforting cup of coffee visit Blue tokai and Perch.
For shopping, Good Earth is a must for handcrafted home decor and showpieces. The store has a vast collection of Indian style luxury home decor items which catch everyone’s eye. Vahdam would be a great visit to buy authentic and beautifully crafted teas. Apart from this Raghavendra Rathore and Ranna Gill for traditional yet fashionable apparel. Both of them are Bollywood designers and a celebrity favourite label. The stores are full of quirky, traditional, high-end clothing.
Although the most memorable experience isn't a single shop at all, it's walking through Khan Market's beautiful lanes, elegant storefronts, boutique fashion labels, charming cafés, and heritage architecture come together to create an atmosphere unlike anywhere else in Delhi. Every turn offers a perfect blend of history, culture, and contemporary luxury.
