A day-long food walk in Hyderabad – Where & what to eat

Dil ne dastarkhaan bichaaya, Daawat-e-Ishq haiiiiiiiiiiiii, Ayeee! Let’s go, you all know I am smiling ear to ear while writing this blog (HEHEHE). Blog topic hi itna achha hai.

Kisi ne sahi hi kaha tha, “Pehle pet puja, baaki kaam duja” and that’s the motto of my life—and should be yours too. To know a city, you have to first know its food. After all, food is that one thing that can make or break a trip. But what happens when you visit a city that’s known for its food? What do you do? How do you decide where to go and what dishes to try? I know, I know, kaafi confusing hota hai. Mere saath bhi hota hai, chillax.

So, to get you all out of this indecisiveness ka labyrinth, I have called up Pavan da, a local who has been born and brought up in Hyderabad and is a very dear friend of mine (at least I think so — I annoyed him a lot for this blog — sorry Pavan da, thanks Pavan da, love you Pavan da!)

And when I say a curated list, I mean A CURATED LIST. Vegetarians, fikar not, I have something for you too!!!

So baat jab nawabon ke sheher ki ho toh khana bhi nawabon ke tarah khaana chahiye, right? So go on, pack your stretchiest pants, 'cause you're gonna need them after reading this blog.

4 AM – Biryani, bun maska & the secret hour of food lovers

Abh baat jab mehmaan nawazi ki aaye aur nawab peeche reh jaaye aisa kabhi ho sakta hai ? Long nights or early starts – either way, Hyderabad welcomes you with open arms and steaming plates at 4 am. And when the rest of the world is asleep, this city’s most loyal lovers are feasting.

Biryani at 4 AM, Madhapur
Yes, you heard right. While other cities are pressing snooze, Hyderabad is dishing out hot, spiced biryani to night-shift heroes and after-party wanderers. It’s not fancy, no LED boards or Instagrammable lighting – just simple foil boxes, the aroma of long-grained rice soaked in masala, and silence between the first and last bite.

Malai Bun at Café Niloufer, Charminar (4–6 AM only)
This is old-school Hyderabadi romance. A soft, slightly sweet bun, thick with malai, dipped in Irani chai that could wake the dead. For those two hours, it's like time forgets itself. Locals gather, quietly sipping, sharing a smoke or two, watching the world slowly come alive. But you have to be fast cause THEY run out fast.

The iconic first dip of Malai Bun into the chai is everything

Late morning – Breakfast like a Nawaab

Nawaab Hotel
Now this one is Pavan da’s favorite. I could hear it in his voice, he loves this place. Somewhere in the folds of the Old City, this place doesn’t need Google reviews. You’ll know it by the line of autos, the thick smell of mutton being cooked down to its soul, and the laughter of early risers digging into food that speaks of royal times.

Start with Chaar Koni Naan with Mutton Paya – a thick, square naan made to scoop up that slow-cooked, bone-deep stew. Every bite is a memory. Then go deeper –

• Bheja Fry – buttery goat brain, spiced to perfection.
• Keema Masala – robust and rustic, tastes like Sunday at a Hyderabadi nani’s house.
• Khichdi with Khatta Gravy – soft rice, with a side of sharp tamarind curry – comfort food ka baap.
• Paya Fry – fiery, fatty, and glorious.
  

Yahan ka nashta? Poora nawaabi affair hai.

The most gemetrical bread anyone would have ever seen

Lunch – It’s Biryani o’clock again

Because in Hyderabad, one biryani a day is a disservice.

Shaadab, Charminar
If biryani had a temple, this would be it. The meat melts, the rice is fragrant, and the raita? Pure magic. Every spoon feels like an emotional reunion.

Mehfil
This one’s not for the faint-hearted and full of peak Hyderabadi flavour. If you can handle zabardast spice, come here. You’ll sweat and tear up a little, but won’t stop eating.

Paradise
Now, everyone will tell you Paradise biryani is the best, but this place is for the lightweight spice lovers, a little toned-down version of Hyderabadi Flavors. But the real jewel? That small, unassuming stall outside – Pehlwan Lassi. Served thick, creamy, and cold in steel glasses big enough to bathe a baby in.

My heart keeps on singing "Dil ne dastarkhaan bichayaaa, Dawat-e-Ishq haii"

Evening snacks – Chaat, shawarma & full Hyderabadi street feels

Sindhi Colony, or Ideal Lake (Kukatpally)
This is when the city starts stretching its limbs and the chaat walas start their game. Try the aloo chaat, cut mirchi, masala puri – each bite with just the right punch.

DLF, Gachibowli – The Secret Shawarma Scene
You want to eat like the locals? This is where the real ones go. Tucked between tech parks and PG hostels, these roadside shawarma joints serve juicy, spice-slathered hyderabadi rolls that put 5-star menus to shame.

Gokul Chaat, Koti
So iconic that it once survived a bomb blast. This place has seen it all and still comes out swinging with the best masala-spiked plates in the game. Their dahi puri could heal broken hearts.

Experience your favorite chaat dishes in a new Hyderabadi tadka

Late Night – The Haleem moment

Shaadab again, because loyalty matters
Come post-dinner, this place transforms. Lights dim, conversations soften, and from the kitchen emerges a bowl of heaven – Haleem. Cooked for hours with wheat, mutton, ghee, and secret spices – it’s rich, it’s heavy, and it's best eaten slowly, as the city winds down around you. Now, a warning, you’re gonna find Haleem anywhere in Hyderabad, but it’s not gonna be as good as the one in Shaadab. The ghee, the extra birista, and spices. Haleem of Shaadab is unmatchable. & This is my personal recommendation.

Dinner – Where the real daawat starts

Dinners are a big scene in Hyderabad, so for your dinner, I won’t recommend a hotel or a shop that has a name. Instead, I’ll ask you to open up your heart and put on your walking shoes because we are gonna recreate the iconic Dawat-e-Ishq hai scene. Walk around in any gali within 50 meters of Charminar, and you’ll find the same taste, the same mason ki khsubhu, and the same vibes from every stall, shop, or eatery out there. But but but… I would recommend you dishes.

So here’s what to hunt down:

• Kebab Platter – why settle for one? Seekh, boti, galouti, tangdi – sab kuch chahiye.
• Patthar ka Gosht – cooked on hot stones, smoky, tender, primal.
• Naan with Nihari or spicy mutton curry – the kind of combo that makes you believe in destiny.
• Mohabbat ki Sharbat / Mango Malai / Berry Cream from Milanj Juice Centre – it’s cold, it’s creamy, and it’s exactly what love tastes like.

The moment we all have been waiting for - The Royal feast

For the Vegetarians – The hidden treasures

Hyderabad may be a meat-lover’s wonderland, but vegetarians aren’t forgotten – they just need a sharper map (and I got you one *inserts wink emoji* )

Try these desi delights:

Think of a plate full of muddapappu (soft, comforting mashed lentils), a side of fiery avakai (spicy raw mango pickle), the tangy goodness of mamidikaya pappu (raw mango cooked with dal), golden aloo fry, and hearty, meaty jackfruit fry

Add a warm serving of raagi sangati (earthy finger millet rice balls), some crunchy bhindi fry, and end it all with a soulful bowl of veg avakai biryani (vegetable biryani infused with the bold flavours of raw mango pickle spices).

Where to go: Behind Banjara Market

• Kadapa-style canteens
• Rayalaseema Ruchulu – fiery and fabulous
• Vivaha Bhojanambu – old-school Andhra thali nostalgia
• Kamat – the dependable veg spot
• Southern Spice – like eating at a family friend's home

Looks so good I would move to Hyderabad just for this

Sweet endings

No Hyderabadi food trail ends without dessert. Go classic, go royal:

• Phirni – milky, grainy, served in clay pots, melts in your mouth & in your heart.
• Qubani ka Meetha in a kulfi cone – a genius invention of an old mithai, definetly a must try
• Shahi Tukda – isko kaun nahi jaanta, naam mein hie shahi hai
• Kaddu ki kheer - The Hyderabadi wedding special
• Khoya Malpua & Jalebi - Jalebi ki curls, Malpua ka swirl, dessert goals unlocked 

Reminds me of the dialogue - "Honey, she is an icon, the moment & the legend"

Hyderabad doesn’t serve food. It serves as a memory. It’s the old uncle at the Iranian café who knows your order. The aunty wrapping up shawarmas like she’s feeding her own kids. The smell of biryani in your clothes even after you leave.

This city doesn’t ask you to fall in love. It makes you.

To eat in Hyderabad is to understand what it means to be full, not just in your stomach, but in your soul.

So bas, Aap convince hogaye hai yaa main dusra blog likhun?