Hyderabad’s food culture is an eclectic mix of different cultures. Its street food features several indulgent desserts and soulful snacks. From the classic Osmania biscuits to the adventurous bheja fry, we’ve rounded up a list of the best foods to try and the places where you can get them. By Eshita Srinivas
The culinary scene of Hyderabad is often synonymous with biryani, and rightly so, considering how the dish is sacrosanct to most locals. However, the city’s food culture has a lot more than just that. Hyderabadi cuisine is a melting pot of Mughlai cuisine and Deccani practises, with strong influences from Andhra, Telangana, and Karnataka. Over the years, the food landscape has evolved to suit the palates of the locals while preserving some of the flavours of its origins. And the best way to get a taste of this hybrid food culture is to hit the streets. We’ve put together a list of a few must-try delicacies in Hyderabad, along with the street food joints where you can find them.
Best spots to grab delicious Hyderabadi street food
Cafe Niloufer: Malai Bun and Bun Maska
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You haven’t had breakfast like the locals until you’ve lined up at this cafe early in the morning for a taste of creamy, sweet milk cream (malai) served with a teaspoon of sugar and freshly-baked bread. The best way to eat this is to dunk a piece of the bun in the malai. A staple breakfast that was served across most Irani Cafes of the yesteryear, only a few spots in the city serve malai bun. Cafe Niloufer is the most popular, often running out of stock by 5:00 am!
If you’re too late to grab a malai bun, try some buttery, salty bun maska instead. The combination of warm, freshly-made buns and rich butter is hard to beat, especially when had with a cup of warm tea.
Nimrah Cafe and Bakery: Osmania biscuits and Irani chai
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A beloved spot in Old City, this cafe has been around since 1978. Despite the whirlwind of changes that have swept through the city, this spot’s charm has remained intact. Locals head here to grab a cup of Irani chai and a plate of Osmania biscuits against the picturesque backdrop of Charminar. For former is a creamy concoction of milk that’s been on the boiler for a long time, mild spices, and black tea and is served in a quintessential Irani white ceramic cup and saucer.
This tea pairs perfectly with classic, soft Osmania biscuits. Named after the seventh Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan, these are a simple blend of flour, sugar, butter, and custard powder, with a few recipe changes depending on where you get them from. The Nizam enjoyed them so much that he would have someone fetch them for him every evening. And there’s always fresh biscuits baking, so you can be sure of biting into fluffy, pillowy ones every single time.
Matwale Doodh Ghar: Falooda and Lassi
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Another popular spot in Old City, Matwale Doodh Ghar has reportedly been around since 1966. The spot is frequented by locals for delicious, creamy lassi and falooda and you’d have to line up for a sip in the summers. The lassi and falooda can be topped with ice cream and are often garnished with rose syrup and natural khova. The lassi is hand churned and the ice cream is made in-house as well.
Feel In Saudia: Shawarma
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A quaint Middle Eastern spot located in the bylanes of Nampally, this is the local go-to for delicious shawarma. The chicken and beef shawarmas come highly recommended, and you can opt to have yours in a rumali roti or bread. This one’s an indulgent meal rolled into shawarma, so be sure to have an appetite. That said, budget-friendly prices and delicious flavours make this an ideal spot to head to after overspending at shops around the city.
Gokul Chat: Ragda, Mirchi Bajji, and Kulfi
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Perhaps the most iconic street food spot in the city, Gokul Chat will satiate every chaat cravings you might have. Of their extensive menu, one of the most popular options is local favourites ragda which features chole and samosa/kachori as well as mirchi bajji. Also great options? The pav bhaji, masala puri, bhel dahi kachori, pani puri, and kulfi. There’s no seating at this spot, so be prepared to enjoy your meal on the road.
Munshi Naan: Square naan and kebabs
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A 170-year-old quaint space in Hyderabad, the square flatbreads at Munshi Naan are priced at just INR 15. A simple recipe of flour, curd, and cardamom transforms with the use of jaggery which adds a burnt orange colour and mild sweetness to the naan. On request, they also make other shapes like hearts and stars.
Soft and pillowy, this flavourful naan has no yeast and is easy to eat, even for the elderly who have weak teeth. It’s no surprise, then, that the place is quite popular across generations of locals. The naan here is served on newspapers with chutney and Hyderabadi mughlai kebabs or boti kebabs. A lot of small shops around the area also sell delicious kebabs to go with your naan.
Hotel Shadab: Lukhmi
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A local variation of samosa, lukhmi’s most authentic recipe includes savoury pastry filled with mutton keema. And Hotel Shadab, a popular, quaint old city haunt, has got some of the most delicious lukhmi in town. The mutton biryani and haleem are huge hits as well. This spot gets crowded very quickly so be prepared to share a table with a few others or grab your food to eat outside. While here, give the khubani ka meetha, an indulgent dessert made with dried apricots, a try.
Hameedi Confectioners: Jouzi Halwa, Phirni, Double Ka Meetha
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While we’re on the subject of desserts, we’d be remiss not to mention this iconic spot that began as a street trolley in 1913. Back then, the spot was manned by 15-year-old Muhammed Hussain of Turkish descent, whose most popular creation was the Jouzi Halwa, a blend of ghee, nutmeg, sugar, dry fruits, spices, extract of soaked barley, and saffron.
The story goes that Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan Asaf Jah VII heard of the dish and visited the trolley to try it out. Impressed by the flavours, he handed a letter of appreciation to the owner and named the shop after King Hameed of Turkey, his close relative. The letter is still showcased at the spot. Also, delicious features on the menu are local favourites like phirni, which contains rice, dry fruits, and milk as well as double ka meetha, a unique dessert made with fried bread slices that are soaked in a blend of hot milk and spices.
Ram Ki Bandi: Idlis and Dosas
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Popularly known as the best place to get dosa in Hyderabad, this spot was a food cart until recently. Serving up innovative dosas and fluffy idlis since 1989, Ram Ki Bandi shot to fame when it became one of the very few places to serve customers after midnight. This is also one of the first places in the city to serve cheese dosa, paneer dosa, and cheese corn dosa. What makes it better is that you can choose all the ingredients you’d like to feature in your dosa, and it will be customised for you.
Hotel Nayaab: Bheja Fry and Nihari Paya
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A popular spot that people in the city frequent early in the morning, Hotel Nayaab has the most authentic Hyderabadi fare on offer. The Nihari paya which features slow-cooked lamb or chicken with bone marrow and bheja fry, which is made with lamb brain, are quite popular here. The service is quick and you’ll find many people ditching the add ons like roti to just dig into the paya or fry. Although plenty of street vendors serve up these two breakfast staples, this hole-in-the-wall spot in Old City continues to be a favourite with locals.
Which of these do you look forward to digging into?
Feature and hero image: malayattoorkaran/Instagram
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