Haven’t had your fill of nihari yet? This rich, slow-cooked meat stew is on our list of favourite breakfasts, and we found a few places where you can grab the best ones.
Get Your Nihari Fix At These 8 Iconic Kolkata Joints
Sufia, Bara Bazaar
These guys are synonymous with nihari in Kolkata. Shop opens at 4 am and almost immediately you’ll find a crowd nestled around, all waiting for one thing — beef nihari. It sells like hot cakes at INR 140 a plate, along with dal puri or tandoori roti at INR 5 per piece. Non-beef people, you can have the mutton paya (it has the same gravy used in the nihari) for INR 80. Get there early — it gets over by around 7am to 8am.
Saiqa, Beck Bagan
This tiny age-old establishment may not have the most presentable ambience, but serves mouthwatering Mughlai food at seriously cheap prices. The beef nihari costs INR 45 and is available 4 am onwards. The winter breakfast menu includes mutton paya for INR 65, and dal puri/tandoori roti for INR 5.
Shiraz Golden Restaurant, Mullickbazaar
This is kind of an institution for Mughlai cuisine in this city, Shiraz serves a mean mutton paya and lamb nihari during winters as breakfast. They often run out as early as 6:30 am! We recommend you give them a call before heading there. Price INR 130.
Nafeel, Park Circus
This is another very popular Mughlai joint for beef lovers in Kolkata. The nihari sells from 4:30 am to 9 am, and the mutton paya {lamb nihari} sells in the evening from 6 pm to 11 pm. Both are priced at INR 65.
UP Bihar Restaurant, Hogg Market
Here’s a chance to catch a reasonably early winter breakfast without compromising much on your sleep. Serving food since 1937, this old hideaway next to the famous Nizam’s are veterans in Mughlai cuisine. They sell delicious beef nihari 7:30 am onwards for INR 70. Add dal puris for INR 3 each.
Nawab Eating House, Taltala
Yet another hole-in- the-wall, age-old, pocket friendly, beef lover’s paradise. Tucked away in Collin Street, the 15-seater restaurant opens at 7:30 a.m. and serves piping hot beef nihari for INR 50 only. They also have a range of beef dishes cooked with different parts of the meat, including some liver delicacies.
Oudh 1590, Deshapriya Park
Competing with some very old players in the game, these guys have made quite a name in providing a fine dining experience in Mughlai cuisine, and lamb nihari (a.k.a. nehari khaas) is on their main course menu along with a plethora of other flavourful Awadhi dishes. Try it out for INR 325. You can also find this item at their Salt Lake, Sector 1 and Southern Avenue outlets.
Kareem’s, Sector 5, Salt Lake
This new and chic eating house is creating quite a bit of buzz among Mughlai food lovers in Sector 5 and claim to serve authentic food with the best spices that come from different states. They serve an exquisite lamb nihari (INR 390) in their main course. They also do a gosht nihari.