Biryani Or Irani Chai! What Do You Love The Most At This Iconic Cafe Turned Restaurant?

Cafe Bahar — a once modest Irani cafe, now turned into a restaurant in Basheer Bagh is a popular biryani joint that has acquired a cult following amongst Hyderabadis. Osmania biscuits are baked throughout the day here and if you’re lucky, you might catch a whiff of it too along with the biryani. Started by a Persian settler who moved to Hyderabad from Mumbai, Cafe Bahar is a go-to for many. 

Started in 1973 as a chai-coffee place and a provisional store rolled into one, Cafe Bahar’s identity has grown from a humble cafe just serving tea and snacks to a full-fledged restaurant. This probably explains its divided loyalists — the biryani lovers and the chai fiends. The ambience isn’t particularly great, but walk in and you’ll be enveloped in aromas that might make you cry with joy. It opens its doors at 4 am and runs beyond midnight. Although the restaurant opens at 11 am, the chai-coffee kiosk opens at 4 am. It is said that thousands of cups of chai are sold every day.

Despite facing stiff competition from places like Bawarchi, Cafe Bahar continues to serve its horde of loyal customers that throng the cafe throughout the day. The queue often stretches till the edge of the street and the crowd is always devouring chai and biscuits here. While people go for their fix of chai every morning, there are also working individuals who stop by in the evenings for grabbing a quick bite from the bakery section which includes Irani samosas, Special Chai, and sugary cream buns. Ask for double masala in their Hyderabadi Dum Biryani, but don’t settle just for that. Mutton Tikka Masala and Bheja Fry must be devoured with equal amounts of gusto. 

Recently, they have extended their menu to make room for continental and Mughlai cuisines with dishes like fried rice and Murg Musallam. Care for a dessert? Then Qubani Ka Meetha will make you want to weep with joy. Since the place is always crowded, we recommend going for a midnight meal. Yum, midnight biryani!