Colourful college students hover over a plate of greasy Punjabi chowmein. Nearby, a family shops at a grocery store. Amidst this hustle and bustle, an after-work crowd walks purposefully towards a diner. Street vendors try to push-sale their wares late into the night. This might seem like a freeze shot of any neighbourhood market in India, yet, here we are talking particularly about New Friends Colony Community Centre Market, NFC in short.

NFC with its pleasant mix of low budget Chinese and tandoori dhabas and high-end restaurants, draws a variety of clientele, from cash-strapped students to high-heeled connoisseurs. Any given day, a motley bunch is seen whiling away their time over a cuppa at Barista or Café Coffee Day or gorging on a plate of greasy fastfood from Concept.

The market is literally a Mecca for food lovers. Among the popular choices are Nathu’s Sweets for spicy chaat, Open Oven for delicious bakes, Al Bake for a quick bite of Shawarmas, McDonalds for burger and fries and Fast Trax for the fries, burgers and privacy for dating couples. The Pebble Street, Moksha, Mystic Heights, Nothing Authentic, Mezz and Ego’s many options—Thai, Italian and desi—are hugely popular with the “spirit-ed” and the sober alike.

On a balmy evening, NFC comes alive with shoppers of every kind. Just swipe your card at the ATM machines in the market complex and you are raring to go. Before you get carried away by window shopping, stop by Lily General Store for your grocery or CRS Health for the essentials.

That done, you are free to explore the arcade with its array of shops. Fashion Point is well known for its range of men’s wear. Trendz and The Beginning would answer the clothing needs for the entire family. Tailors like Ganjee too have their space carved out. And if you are seized by the sudden desire to pamper yourself, there are the beauty salons like Affinity and Ravissant. While the former offers excellent massages, the latter is known to be one of the best hairdressers for women.

Other than the glitzy stores, NFC also has quite a few hole-in-the-wall outlets selling everything from knick-knacks to lingerie. Another special feature of this market is the pushcart vendor, peddling around his ware like books and magazines.

Parking is never a problem here although you need to remember that NFC is closed on Tuesdays.

There’s always something for everyone at this friendly neighbourhood market.