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 Gole market since 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, another floor was added later and a total of 28 shops were licensed out.
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 some of these shops churned out.
Jagdish Chand Dhir & Galina, famous for their tandoori preparations, were household names in North and Central Delhi.
The market was also famous for suppliers of fresh raw meats including fish, mutton and chicken who unfortunately have had to down 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.
Home to sweet shops like Bangla Sweets, 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 hard core Chole Bathure fan, then this is the must try place.
Odeon Sweets is a small outlet loaded with many menu options from chaat, golgappe, chole bathure and good variety of popular sweets. You’ll never be disappointed with the 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.
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 enlist Odeon Sweets at Bhagat Singh Market in Gole Market as my favourites 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 with some heart lassi or chaach.
By the way, they used to make their famous chole bhature many years ago from when their sweet shop was on the middle lane in Connaught Place, near the Odeon Cinema, hence the name Odeon Sweets.
Just a couple of days back my friend Harpreet (Preet) Chhatwal were 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 odd 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
22, Bhagat Singh Market,
Shaheed Bhagat Singh Marg,
Sector 4, Gole Market
New Delhi, Delhi – 110001
Phone Number: +91-11-2336 2838, +919210640716
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
