It’s a 14th century village.

With a lake.

And cafes, night clubs, restaurants, boutiques and a world class Indian modern art gallery.

Welcome to Hauz Khas Village in south Delhi.

You could call it the Soho of Delhi, and you’d be right. Except in this artistic enclave you’ll find yourself winding through tight lanes and up narrow staircases to get to the many treasures HKV has to offer.

It would be so easy to miss all the fantastic finds here, but we were lucky enough to come across the gracious Raavi Chowdhury, owner of Flipside cafe and local resident, who gave us a tour and led us to many of our now favorite spots.

What we love:

1. Flipside cafe

Owned by said chivalrous Raavi Chowdhery (of Indian-Italian descent) and his brother Robbie, Flipside cafe is a cozy, friendly cafe that also happens to have delicious food, fresh juices, free wifi (that’s a huge get) and the best chocolate cake we’ve had in India.

The bohemian spirit is alive at Flipside -  they showcase art and music by locals which you can enjoy with their incredibly delicious coffee.

Take an inside look at Flipside cafe here.

2. The Delhi Art Gallery

Misleadingly humble from the outside (in spite of the gold signage), the DAG is an impressive showcase of Indian modern and contemporary art.  Recently revamped, the DAG has a vast collection from well-established artists and the lesser-known but equally talented painters and sculptors.

Its intimate layout lends itself to a a very personal experience – fitting for a gallery in HKV.

More on the Delhi Art Gallery here.

3. The Grey Garden

A chic and tasty new restaurant with a boutique next door (CellDSGN) where you’ll get original one of a kind pieces – from structured clothing to ipad covers to leather necklaces.

Oh, and the food is good too.  Wine and pizza top the list as favorites.

More on the Grey Garden here.

4. Boheme

A brand new addition to HKV, Boheme is a rooftop patio cafe with a stunning view of the lake.  Make the climb up the several flights of stairs and you step out into an unexpected expanse of space in a uber-cool setting, in the middle of Delhi.

More on Boheme here.

5. Amour

A rooftop restaurant delight, Amour is perfect for an evening out. Good Mediterranean food and excellent cocktails with a  spectacular view make this a great spot for a date night or a chilled out evening with friends.

More on Amour here.

6. Nappa Dori

A beautifully crafted bag/wallet/ipad case – with an iconic image of vintage India superimposed in just the right way. That’s Nappa Dori. We fell in love with the products and sensibility with which they are made. Quality with a little Indian flair – just the way we like it.

More on Nappa Dori here.

7. Purple Jungle

A small and stocked boutique of “stuff” – bags, cushion covers, place mats, boxes – all with a vibrant, colorful energy that is pure Bollywood. Well made, fun treats to bring a little street India to your space. Horn OK Please.

More on Purple Jungle here.

8. Reasons

This jewelry store caught our eye for it’s classic kundan inspired re-mixed and modernized pieces. It’s a treasure of glittery finds and some fantastic pieces of clothing which we put on hold and couldn’t go back for. Shalini (owner) if you’re reading this, we still want that caftan!

9. Shivan and Narresh

Billed as India’s first luxury beachwear brand, we fell for the clever use of lycra, the beach-to-dinner-to-nightclub wear, and for charming designer Narresh Kukreja.(We didn’t get the pleasure of meeting Shivan this trip).

They are making waves across beaches (yes, pun intended) with their resort collection. Perfect for Miami, LA, Ibiza anywhere else your beach travels take you.

We’re a huge fan of the lycra sari. It’s sheer magic. How else can anything with a bikini in it make you look smaller. And yes, we’re working on bringing this to you. Interested in one? Let us know on our facebook page.

More on Shivan and Narresh here.

10. Munkee See Munkee Do (MSMD)

Pants, jackets, dresses, t-shirts abound at MSMD. Except these pieces have a funky flair taking them out of the ordinary. They are well structured, thought-out items that seem like works of art, except you can wear them.

More on MSMD here.