Hyderabad India – Dishes to Try and Places to Eat

We always dread when we need to go to Hyderabad. Because inevitably, we come back a little heavier and a little rounder! Be it the delicious biryani, halim, crazy curries or the heavenly sweets, it is just impossible to not overeat.

The eating venues of Hyderabad are so numerous it is just impossible to list out and so, we decided to just take a ballpark swing to help you get a fair idea on what to expect in terms of food in Hyderabad.

Dishes to try in Hyderabad

A number of dishes have originated from Hyderabad and a lot of other dishes have evolved into something totally different here. While these dishes are available in other cities as well these days, if you want the best, head to Hyderabad.

The hyderabadi biryani is probably the best biryani in the world. We have had some heated discussions when it comes to biryani, but Hyderabad almost always wins!

The fragrant rice infused with the taste of succulent meat is best enjoyed with a mirch ka salan, a spicy curry with chilli as its main ingredient. Halim, boti kebab, ghosht pasinde, paaya and maghaz masala are some other Hyderabadi dishes that you must try on your visit. Word of caution though, these dishes are all main courses and are heavy, so keep some space saved! While these dishes are available almost throughout Hyderabad, the Madina commercial area near the Charminar is full of good places to try out some of these Hyderabadi delicacies.

Breakfast Hyderabadi-style

Another thing that we absolutely always do on a trip to Hyderabad is trying out the various breakfast options.

A staple diet of south India is the dosa, and true to form, Hyderabad serves up some interesting takes on dosas with butter dosa and tawa idli bandis being our favourites.

When we are in the mood for some meaty breakfast options, we often turn to paayas, niharis and keemas which are served with pav, a kind of bread. This combination is an utter delight to have with different flavours having a ball in our taste buds!

Iconic hotels like Shadab and Alpha serve these breakfast options from pretty early in the morning and we try to sneak in a meal before work pulls us away from the food.

Another place with good breakfast options is Pragati Gully near Sultan Bazaar. From samosas, mirchi bhaji and other south Indian delicacies, Pragati gully is a good spot to gain some weight!

Hyderabadi tea

The tea in Hyderabad deserves a special mention. Irani chai with osmania and tea biscuits is almost an early morning ritual in Hyderabad and we absolutely love soaking in the wonderful taste of the Irani chai in Hyderabad. It’s available almost everywhere in Hyderabad and is best enjoyed straight off the kettle.

Best areas for Local food

Another question which we find ourselves asking the locals pretty frequently is whether there are any hubs which we should visit for food. As it turns out, Hyderabad has quite a few of those. The first name which came up was the Charminar area. It is a busy market area with a number of vendors selling their wares and as such there are many food option available too. Munshi Naan, near Purani Haveli and Agra Mithai Ghar were some of the most recommended places and they lived up to their reputation.

A very popular Indian street food is the chaat and almost any self-respecting city in India has its own take on it. The Sindhi colony in Hyderabad is no different with options galore in terms of bhel, tikkis, noodles, parathas and pizzas. Along with that, Golconda Street is also something one must visit if you want to try out some of the South Indian delights.

Fine dining

Hyderabad also has some very interesting and good places if we are ever in the mood for a proper sit down meal and what’s more is that there are plenty of options to suit all budgets.
Places like K&K, Okra and Dakshin offer the fine dining experience if you don’t mind the hole in your pocket and you can get an amazing dining experience with scrumptious food which will cost you around INR 1500 and above per person. Their menus are extensive and offer cuisines from not just Hyderabad, but all over the world.

Local restaurants

But if like ours, your budget doesn’t allow you to splurge that much, there are plenty of places where you can eat till your hands get tired (yes, hands, because that is how the locals eat the food and we suggest you do the same for a better food experience). Places like Bawarchi, Feast, Chutneys and the legendary Paradise restaurant on Sarojini Devi road offer a great food experience which would cost around INR 600 per person.

Western and international food

We are guessing that by this time, your mouths are already watering but in the case that your stomach is already grumbling thinking about the spicy Indian food, have no fear. Hyderabad has a lot of options in case you don’t want to run the risk of a runny stomach or fancy a change of taste and they do offer up some pretty tasty food.

Mataam Al Turki on the Moosaram Bagh Cross Road offers up some authentic Middle Eastern food, Prego in the hi-tech city is known for its Italian fare and Mekong in the Greenpark Hotel serves delicious Japanese food. There are also many other places which serve European and American food like Café Eclat, Bumblebee café and others and it is easy to forget that you are in Hyderabad as you dig into that steak.

Cafes and coffee houses

Very often, we get the urge to just go to a café, sip on a little coffee and just chat the night away. And when such urges hit us in Hyderabad, there are a few places we visit on a regular basis. One of them is the Nimrah bakery on Champapet main road and Café Niloufer on the Red Hills road. They are known for their excellent tea, delightful biscuits and a very friendly staff. What’s more, if you are a little lucky, you might get into interesting conversations with the locals who will tell you about the hidden delights of the city which will make your trip even more memorable. And the fact that these cafes are very easy on the pocket makes the place even better!

Of course, there are the regular options like Starbuck and Café Coffee Day spread around the city, so in case you are looking for them, you will probably not have to go very far.

Sweet delights

Like any good meal, we would also like to wrap up this article with sweets! Hyderabad is famous for some of its mouth-watering desert like the khubani ka meetha, jauzi halwa, double ka meetha, firni and others and they are available for a very decent price across the city.

A visit to any market will bring you to stalls which are selling these delectable desserts and we highly recommend that you try them. And then there are various bakeries like the famous Karachi bakery where you can get some delicious cookies and pastries and places like Oh So Stoned, Softy Den and Cream Stone creations which serve up some wonderful flavours of ice cream.

As we said before, it is difficult to sum up Hyderabad’s food and there are still many places which we would want to recommend. But of course, that will become an endless piece and we suggest that you try some of these places for sure. And in the case you are watching your weight, we do suggest hitting up the gym before you come to Hyderabad because it will definitely leave you a few kilos heavier!