Dal Makhni To Tandoori Chicken: You've Got To Eat At This 40-Year-Old Iconic Dhaba

Sagar Papaji Ka Dhaba has started as a takeaway joint in the 1980s and has grown into a dhaba over years. Easily one of the first dhabas in Hyderabad, we go here for authentic Punjabi food. 

Touted as a restaurant that serves the most authentic Punjabi food, Sagar Papaji Ka Dhaba is run by Kuldeep Dua and his family. Everything about the food here is homespun — it's homecooked, even the spices and masala are homemade. There is no fuss about the ambience and you should only worry about finding a table. When you're lucky enough to find one, the menu is handed to you right away and the service doesn't dawdle. An onion chutney and a plate of masala onions are first served, and the chutney goes well with tandoori chicken. But don't stop right there and dig into tandoori roti and Chicken Ashiana (a gravy-based curry), kheema fry. Can't get enough of the meat? Go for Kheema Khaleji (mutton liver). The meat dishes are terrific and surprisingly enough, there are plenty of vegetarian options that are equally delicious. Vegetarians, you cannot miss dal makhni and chawal, and if you're all about comfort food, ask for an aloo paratha. 

Since the food portions are large, if you've still got some space in your tummy, wash it up with a glass of lassi, which can be shared between two people. 

A parking space would be great.

The dhaba is swamped beyond 8 pm and you'll have to wait for a table to clear up, so if you're cool with an early dinner, hop in by 6.30 pm or 7 pm, maybe?