The Imperial, New Delhi’s storied luxury hotel, adds Haute Patisserie to its legacy, blending Parisian finesse with Viennese hofkultur. Guests can order Imperial Fruit Cake, Sachertorte, Black Forest, vegan and gluten-free cakes, and classic tarts. A Sunday-only apfelstrudel nods to Vienna, while daily service from 10 am to 10 pm offers slices and whole cakes at premium prices.
Opened in 1936, The Imperial was the first luxury hotel hosting Nehru, Gandhi, Jinnah, and Lord Mountbatten within the same Victorian, Art Deco, and Lutyens-inflected walls. It holds two Michelin Keys and a spot on the World’s 50 Best Discovery 2025. The hotel houses the world’s largest private collection of over 5,500 artworks. And as of May 2026, it has a patisserie.
Haute Patisserie draws from two specific pastry traditions. The first is Parisian: The stagecraft of the Opéra cake, the precision of French sablé and frangipane construction. The second is Viennese: the ceremonial formality of hofkultur, the sachertorte, the apfelstrudel. The menu sits at the intersection of both, guided by texture, balance, freshness, and seasonal ingredients.
The anchor piece on the menu is the Imperial Fruit Cake, a curated balance of orchard and garden flavours with careful attention to texture and sweetness. The Sachertorte follows the Viennese original closely. Think moist sponge, orange jam filling, and a glossy bitter chocolate glaze. The Black Forest uses dark cherry, cream Chantilly, and delicate chocolate flakes, reimagined through The Imperial's lens of precision. Further along the case sit Mango and Coconut, a Gluten-Free Orange and Chocolate, and a Vegan Chocolate. The eggless range covers Classic Vanilla with Madagascar vanilla, Cinnamon Caramel, Imperial Pineapple, and Banoffee. The Grandmother-Style Tart sits alongside with equal rigour: the Pecan Nut Tart uses sablé shortcrust with caramelised toasted pecans, the Frangipane Fruit Tart layers a sweet pastry base with seasonal fruits and a crisp frangipane, and the Apple Caramel Tart combines sablé, almond cream, and caramelised apple.
On Sundays, the kitchen prepares fresh apfelstrudel. It is a nod to Viennese tradition, made on the day and not available any other time during the week. Worth building a weekend plan around.
Haute Patisserie is open daily from 10 am to 10 pm at The Imperial, Janpath, New Delhi. Slices are priced at INR 550 plus taxes. Whole cakes and tarts are priced at INR 2,500 plus taxes.