Odeon Sweets Gole Market – Down the Memory Lane
The buzz is in the air that soon the nearly century-old “Gole Market” shopping plaza will be converted into a heritage museum. The Supreme Court of India has recently cleared the hurdles.
The local administration will now reclaim the deemed unsafe building from its occupants. Some of them have been running their enterprises at the Gole market as long back as 1950.
Gole Market literally translates into “Circular Market”. It was built in 1918 as a supplementary shopping centre in Connaught Place.
Originally built as a single-storey building, it later had another floor added, and a total of 28 shops were licensed.
I have fond memories of climbing on my father’s “Lambretta” two-wheeler scooter and riding to Gole Market to gorge on varied non-vegetarian delicacies that some of these shops churned out.
Jagdish Chand Dhir & Galina, famous for their tandoori preparations, were household names in North and Central Delhi.
These markets were designed to serve the British and Indian officials living in the surrounding “New Delhi” bungalows.
The market was also famous for suppliers of fresh raw meats, including fish, mutton and chicken, who unfortunately have had to shut their shutters now.
The road leading to Gole Market from Connaught Place is also home to another commercial market.
Bhagat Singh Market also came up around the same time as Gole Market. This is the actual location of Odeon Sweets Shaheed Bhagat Market.
While official records often cite 1967 as a formal year of establishment in its current form, many long-time patrons and local historians trace the family’s culinary presence back to the early 1900s (some even citing 1901).
Shaheed Bhagat Market is home to sweet shops like Bangla Sweets and Odeon Sweets; the entire area is a Foodie’s delight.
I particularly remember eating probably the best chola bhature in Delhi at Odeon Sweets. It is a sweet shop as well as a local eatery.
If you are a hardcore Chole Bathure fan, then this is the must try place. Unlike the heavy, oily versions found elsewhere, Odeon’s version is known for being lighter and served with a signature old-fashioned mango and chilli pickle.
Odeon Sweets is a small outlet loaded with many menu options from chaat, golgappe, chole bathure and a good variety of popular sweets.
You’ll never be disappointed with their consistent taste and their snappy, good service.
The menu is vegetarian, but a combination of sweet and savoury and the shop is quite popular with the locals for its offerings.
In an era of modern food chains, Odeon Sweets is celebrated for maintaining a “no-frills” 20th-century vibe. They still use Pure Desi Ghee for their preparations.
I think the best chole bhature in Delhi are still found at Chacha’s in Kamla Nagar, Nagpal’s in Amar Colony, Nand in Sadar Bazar and Standard in Old Rajendra Nagar.
But I also include Odeon Sweets at Bhagat Singh Market in Gole Market as my favourite in my Best Chole Bhature in Delhi list.
Chole bhature is a food dish originating from northern India. At one time, breakfast was considered incomplete without these, accompanied by some cold lassi or chaach.
By the way, they used to make their famous chole bhature many years ago, when their sweet shop was on the middle lane in Connaught Place, near the Odeon Cinema.
It adopted the name “Odeon Sweets” to anchor its identity to that specific, bustling location.
The shop is part of a cluster of heritage eateries (like Bangla Sweets) that defined the food culture of central Delhi’s government quarters and commercial hubs for generations.
Just a couple of days back, my friend Harpreet (Preet) Chhatwal was on one of our food sojourns to Chawari Bazaar, the destination that we never reached as I turned the car on to Shaheed Bhagat Singh Marg and parked right opposite Odeon Sweets Gole Market.
When at Odeon Sweets, you need to start with a serving of Gol Gappas and move on to its ever-delicious Chola Bhaturas.
The bhaturas have a filling of cottage cheese-based masala and are incredibly soft. The cholas are rich and creamy without the cholas having to lose their bite. A perfect pairing for your culinary delight.
Odeon Sweets still serves the old-fashioned mango and chilli pickle, not bowing down to the sachet ones which the other so-called “refined” sweet shops have turned to.
Finish your meal with a portion of “Moong Dal Halwa” or a plate of delectable “Gulab Jamuns”.
The place easily seats about 15 people, and you can also have their famous pedas, milk cake, and samosas packed for home after wrapping up your meal.
Odeon Sweets Gole Market: Additional Details
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[su_tab title=”Location & Contacts”]Address: Odeon Sweets
22, Bhagat Singh Market,
Shaheed Bhagat Singh Marg,
Sector 4, Gole Market
New Delhi, Delhi – 110001
Phone Number: +91-11-2336 2838, +919210640716[/su_tab]
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Eatery Type: Dine in, Take Away
Vegetarian Only: Yes
Do they deliver: Yes, locally
Do they cater outdoors: Yes
Hours of Operation: 08:30 AM TO 10:00 PM
Meal for Two: Rs. 100 to Rs. 250
Bar: Are you kidding me :)
Credit Cards Accepted: NO
Airconditioning: No
Smoking Permitted: No! Try the street
WIFI: No
Music: No (Live: No)
Parking: Legal Street side (Valet: No)
Outdoor Seating: No
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