New Restaurants in Chandigarh (June 2026)

Chandigarh's dining scene has always punched above its weight, but the past few months have quietly brought a fresh wave of kitchens worth knowing about. Whether you live in Sector 7 or commute in from Phase 10, the city's newest tables are rewriting what a weeknight dinner — or a lazy Sunday brunch — can look like right on your doorstep.

TL;DR

• 🍛 Marwadi home-style cooking is finally getting a proper spotlight at Lal Marwadi Restaurant, open seven days a week.
• 🫕 Myra Handi Junction in Sector 19 D is the handi-and-kebab spot your meat-loving group chat has been waiting for.
• 🌿 South Indian food has arrived in multiple new avatars — from crisp dosas to Maharashtrian crossovers — giving the city real regional depth.
• 🍽️ Fine-dining fans have a new address in Sector 7 with Aariki on Madhya Marg.
• ☕ Old favourites are getting new energy too — dhaba culture is alive, well, and worth revisiting.

Why June 2026 Feels Different for Chandigarh Diners

For years, the city's restaurant belt has been dominated by Punjabi dhabas and pan-Asian cafés. What's shifting now is the depth of regional representation. Rajasthani, South Indian, and Maharashtrian kitchens are opening — not as novelty concepts but as serious, everyday-meal destinations. That's a meaningful change for a city that has always prided itself on knowing good food.

This month's roundup focuses on places that are genuinely new to the Chandigarh conversation, with practical details so you can actually plan a visit rather than just save a post.

The One Opening Everyone Is Talking About: Marwadi Food Done Right

Lal Marwadi Restaurant is the kind of opening that fills a gap you didn't fully realise existed until it was filled. Specialising in Marwadi cuisine — that wonderfully inventive, often vegetarian-forward cooking tradition from Rajasthan — this restaurant is open daily from 8:00 am to 11:00 pm, which means it covers everything from an early breakfast to a late dinner. Their website is lalmarwadi.com and you can reach them at +91 9462844950. If you have never had dal baati churma or ker sangri prepared the traditional way, this is an excellent first stop.

Marwadi food travels well culturally — the spicing is bold but not aggressive, and the use of dried beans and lentils makes it hearty without being heavy. Perfect for the Chandigarh summer, frankly.

Handi, Kebabs, and the Art of the Proper Meat Meal

Myra Handi Junction has set up at 3165 Sector 19 D, and the menu tells you exactly what they are about: mutton, chicken, kebabs, vegetarian dishes, and an impressive bread selection. This is the kind of restaurant built for a table of four or six who want to order generously, share everything, and stay a while. You can call ahead on +91 86996 11114 or check myrahandijunction.com before you go.

The handi format — slow-cooked gravies in sealed clay or metal pots — is one of the most satisfying ways to eat a hearty meal, and it is rare to find a place that makes it the centrepiece rather than an afterthought. Sector 19 D is well connected, so this is genuinely easy to reach from most parts of the city.

Fine Dining Gets a Fresh Address in Sector 7

Aariki, tucked into SCO-35 on Madhya Marg in Sector 7, is the pick for an occasion dinner or a Friday evening when you want proper service and a considered menu. The kitchen spans North Indian and Punjabi cooking in a fine-dining format, and the restaurant runs daily from 11:30 AM to 11:30 PM. Note the entry is from the backside of the building — worth knowing before you circle the block twice. Their website is aariki.in and the number to call is +91 98887 94555.

Sector 7 has a quieter, more residential character than the busy Sector 17 and 22 corridors, which gives a dinner here a slightly more unhurried feel — something increasingly rare in the city's busier eating zones.

💡 Desi Insider Tip: If you are heading to Aariki for dinner on a weekend, aim for the 8:00 PM window rather than arriving at peak 7:00 PM — the kitchen hits its stride mid-service and the experience is noticeably more relaxed once the initial rush settles.

South Indian Food Is Having a Genuine Moment

Three distinct openings this season are strengthening the city's South Indian offering, and they each occupy a different niche.

Sundarams Foods at SCO-35, Madhya Marg, Sector 26 is open 9 am to 11 pm every day and focuses specifically on South Indian cooking. The Sector 26 location makes it convenient for residents across the central sectors and easy to combine with an evening market visit. Website: sundaramsfoods.com, phone: 093160 17509.

Chennai Maratha is an interesting proposition because it bridges South Indian cooking with Maharashtrian food — two distinct regional traditions that share some flavour DNA but rarely appear on the same menu. This is a thoughtful combination for a city where both communities are present. They are reachable at +91 83609-33540 and their website is chennaimaratha.com.

Avin Karthik at SCO 50, Sector 47D is another South Indian addition, open Monday through Sunday from 8:00 AM to 10:30 PM. The Sector 47 location serves a part of the city that has grown considerably in recent years, and a good South Indian breakfast spot in that pocket is genuinely useful. Call +91 172 506 8888.

Three South Indian openings in one season is not a coincidence — it reflects a real and growing appetite for regional food that is not just Punjabi.

Dhaba Culture: Still the Heartbeat of the City

For all the excitement around fine dining and regional specialities, the dhaba remains the truest expression of how this city eats. Two additions here are worth noting.

Nukkar Dhaba in Sector 22C runs a surprisingly wide menu — North Indian, South Indian, and Chinese — from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm and then 7:00 pm to 11:50 pm daily. The split hours are a clue that this is a proper working kitchen that rests between services rather than coasting. Phone: 099884 49449.

Pinda Aale Restaurant is located at Booth No. 191 on the Mohali Bypass in Phase 10, Sector 64 — technically Mohali but within the Tricity orbit and absolutely worth the drive if you are after that pind-style cooking that tastes like it was made by someone's grandmother. Call 09817800082 for details before heading out.

Old Pal Dhaba brings a familiar warmth to North Indian and Punjabi cooking with an email-first ordering approach if you want to plan ahead — orders@paldhabachandigarh.com — and a website at paldhabachandigarh.com. Their address lists Chandigarh and the phone is 0172 5078614.

A Quieter Opening Worth Watching: Back To Source

Back To Source is a name that keeps coming up in conversations about more conscious, ingredient-led cooking in the city. Details are limited — the website is backtosource.in — but the ethos suggested by the name points toward something more considered than the average quick-service opening. Worth bookmarking and watching as they establish themselves.

FAQ

Which of these new restaurants is best for a family with children? Lal Marwadi Restaurant's broad daily hours (8 am to 11 pm) and vegetarian-friendly Marwadi menu make it a practical and crowd-pleasing family option. Myra Handi Junction's sharing-style menu also works well for larger family groups.

Are any of these places open for breakfast? Yes — Lal Marwadi Restaurant opens at 8:00 am, Avin Karthik at 8:00 am, and Nukkar Dhaba at 8:30 am. Sundarams Foods opens at 9:00 am, which is still early enough for a relaxed weekend breakfast.

Is there a good vegetarian option among the new openings? Lal Marwadi Restaurant is rooted in a cuisine with a strong vegetarian tradition, so it is the most naturally suited to vegetarian diners. Sundarams Foods and Avin Karthik also offer substantial vegetarian menus by the nature of South Indian cooking.

Which of these restaurants is best for a date or special occasion? Aariki in Sector 7 is the clearest fine-dining choice for a special evening out, with its considered North Indian and Punjabi menu and daily hours running until 11:30 pm.

Do any of these places take reservations or online orders? Several have websites that suggest digital ordering or reservation options — check aariki.in, myrahandijunction.com, and paldhabachandigarh.com directly for their current booking arrangements, as these can change.

The Bottom Line

June 2026 is genuinely one of the more interesting months for new restaurants in Chandigarh in recent memory. The range — from Marwadi home cooking to Maharashtrian-South Indian crossovers to fine-dining Punjabi — reflects a city that is quietly but confidently expanding its culinary identity beyond its well-loved defaults. There is something new here for every kind of eater, every budget, and almost every part of the city.

Explore the full Chandigarh dining guide and stay across what's opening, what's trending, and what's worth the trip on Desi.Net — your local guide, written by people who actually live here.