More than Biryani but of course Biryani. Prepare your appetite for a journey in flavour town and check out these city-staple spots for Hyderabad’s best and most talked about dishes. More than just comfort food, these dishes have a place in even Hyderabadi’s heart. So which one of these will make a place in your gastronomical hall of fame? Let us know!
Eat Your Way Through Hyderabad At These Hyderabadi Certified Spots
Irani Chai At Nimrah Cafe
Hyderabad, old city, shopping! In the midst of it all, soothe your overstimulated senses (old city markets can get overwhelming) with a cup of irani chai at Nimrah Cafe. This old, iconic cafe stands tall against the test of time and has over the years created a new iconic tradition for itself - people traveling from the farthest corners of the city to click a picture of the chai ka cup with Charminar in the backdrop. So while you are at it, get some Khara (flaky tea biscuit) as well to dip and eat.
Price: INR 20
Bun Maska At Niloufer Cafe
Whether you’re luxe shopping in Banjara Hills or on the way to Tank Bunk passing by Lakdikapul, hit pause and taste the melt-in-mouth Bun Maska at Niloufer Cafe. The craze for this Bun Maska knows no limitations. Even at 3 AM, the area around Niloufer will be buzzing with foodies getting their plate of this good fan favourite, piping hot.
Price: INR 80
Hyderabadi Biryani at Cafe Bahar
No explanation needed – Hyderabadi Biryani is the best biryani in the world and Cafe Bahar is the OG place where foodies queue up to bond over the best flavored rice in the world (we’re not exaggerating). If this will be your first time eating this, beware of the portion sizes. They will have two sizes, regular and family pack and even the regular will be big enough to feed a khaata peeta family. The true blue Hyderabadi way is to pair it with Thums Up and end the meal with double ka meetha because it will get real teekha.
Price: INR 228 and upwards
Haleem At Pista House
No Hyderabadi will miss out on recommending Haleem to their out of city pals. A true Nizami dish, it’s a simple dish that combines dal and mutton but the taste? It’s freaking good. The Nizams certainly have great taste because this thick and rich stew will surprise you.
Price: INR 160
Jauzi Halwa at Hameedi Confectionery
After Nizam’s favourite stew, comes Nizam’s favourite sweet. Firstly, the shop itself dates back 100 years and the recipe is unchanged. Albeit, it’s a Turkish dish but it’s as much Hyderabadi as mandi (honorary mention), a middle eastern dish. It’s a ghee and milk sweet, bright red in colour with notes of saffron and topped with lots of cashews. Sounds simple? It takes 16 hours to make it. Yup!
Price: INR 315
Buttabhojanam At Subbayya Gari Hotel
Let’s not forget that Hyderabad is the capital of Telangana and Telugu cuisines is a heaven for spicy food lovers. Okay, now think of this dish as a thali. Butta means basket and bhojanam stands for meals. Like how several dishes are served in a thali, pappu (dal), sambar, rasam, kura (curry), pacchadi (pickle), and other accompaniments (depending on the specials of the day) are served in a banana leaf basket. The flavours vary from mild to spicy and back to mild but the tastes are different each time. A true foodie experience is to sit down on the floor, get a big glass of majjiga (buttermilk) and start the feast.
Price: INR 515
