The Hyderabad Food Guide

Gachibowli

13 Dhaba beside HP Petrol Bunk, Telecom Nagar – What now stands there is an example of a Punjabi family’s love for food. Matharu family serves Kadhi, Rajma, Chole with rice and paranthe along with authentic Punjabi lassi and moong daal Halwa. Best out of their limited menu is Chole Bhature. I don’t remember eating such awesome chole bhature anywhere in Hyderabad during my two years stint with the city. (Alert – Limited seating and very crowded. Forget service!)

Over The Flames opposite Al Saba Restaurant Telecom nagar, is the only place in and around which serves wood wired thin crust Pizzas. I was a regular there until quality and service deteriorated. Nevertheless, still better than Dominos.

Hunan Spice next to Over The Flames, Telecom Nagar – Best Chinese at best prices. Period!

Gujrati Mess opposite Jayabheri Complex, Anjaih Nagar. Serves homemade healthy Gujrati thali for lunch and dinner at Rs 80. Sunday closed. Do you want to see how a mom made roti looks like? This is the place. Mix Veg Sabji is so good that I haven’t found anything close to that anywhere else.

Parivar Eatery opposite DLF serves good Sharwarma. It open till 2 AM and so are the sandwiches and omelet carts parked outside. If you are in Gachibowli and hungry, this is your last and best resort. There is a small jamun n samosa stall next to Parivar eatery, for Rs 10 per jamun, that’s the best one you can have at this side of the city.

Kairali near DLF serves great Kerala food – their seafood and Malabar chicken biryani is definitely something which will teleport you to Kerala. On Sundays, they serve basic Kerala meals along with their outstanding Aviyal.

Angara Kebabs on Charcoal located at Kothaguda Junction – If you eat the non Ac section at ground floor, you will realize service is impeccable, food is fresh n tastes better than any place around and prices makes you feel comfortable. Best place to have Halal Kebabs and chicken curries in Gachibowli.

Punjabi Tadka near Kothaguda Junction – Aloo Paranthas here are must try.

Kolkata House opposite RTO office – Reasonably priced Bengali food. Don’t miss Bhetki Masala and Chicken Rolls here.

Swaadh near Chirec Public School, Kondapur – Want to try some Awadhi cuisine with live Ghazal music? Head to this place for dinner and order some Galawati kebabs.

Kebabs & Combos near Chirec Public School, Kondapur – Very good kebabs buffet. Reasonably priced, top notch service.

Tolichowki/Mehdipatnam

Ice & Spice located in Yusuf Tekdi Complex, Nanal Nagar –Serves very good Lebanese food - shawarma, muttabaq, mandi and falafel.

Siddique Kebabs located in Yusuf Tekdi Complex, Nanal Nagar – Arabic Chop is a must try. Specializes in kebabs only, don’t try curries.

4 Seasons located in Yusuf Tekdi Complex, Nanal Nagar – Extensive menu covering Indian, Turkish and Lebanese preparations. Good ambiance, good food, good desserts.

Shah Ghouse Restaurant located opposite Yusuf Tekdi Complex, Nanal Nagar – Very good chicken biryani. Earned quite some reputation. If you want to head for heavy breakfast – have Kheema Roti here, washing it down with a cup of Irani Chai.

Marhaba Restaurant near Olive Hospital, Nanal Nagar Junction – Mandi and Shawarma. They put clove and cardamom in the mayonnaise which gives a distinct taste to its Shawarma.

Al Hejaz Café opposite Premier Hospital near Olive Hospital – This is typical middle eastern café and you will hardly find any locals here. The moment you enter here you will find people munching on some boti sandwiches and talking nonchalantly in Arabic. Must try stuff here is – Sabbah, which is a sandwich made by stuffing eggplant, eggs, fries, mayo and falafel kebabs in samoli bread; along with Sulaimani Chai (black tea with mint leaves).

Yum Yum Tree inside Alaa Boom, opposite Meraj Café, Mehdipatnam – Serves best chicken burgers in town. Beats KFC burgers on any given day. Verified after taking reviews from die hard KFC fans.

Prince Hotel behind Humayun Nagar Police Station, Mehdipatnam- Very famous for its beef Tala Hua Ghost. Avoid anything else. Open till wee hours ~ 2 AM

International Juice Center behind Mehdipatnam Raythu Bazaar – Must try Fruit Salads specially Fruit Cream Salad. Probably the only place in this which sells Sharjah as well, though I don’t like it much. I am fan of their salads.

Subhan Bakery near Nampally Railway Station – Chicken Cheese Hotdog is my favorite here. Fruit biscuits and Rote better than Karachi Bakery.

Banjara Hills/Jubilee Hills

Bikanerwala next to Karachi Bakery Road No. 1 BH. Good North Indian veg buffet at first floor. Ground floor in-houses sweets and snacks section. Morning breakfast is bliss here.

Ruci & Idoni beside City Centre Mall Road No. 10 BH. I have been there for breakfast, for lunch, dinner and evening quickies. A bit expensive. Desserts and lemonades are my favorite picks there. Try this if you have the patience to bear there crappy service, once you get through it rest all is wonderful.

Ofen at Road No. 10 BH. It’s a bakery with café style seating and service. Must try is Sacher Torte, Linzer Torte, New York Cheese Cake and Marble Cakes. Regular café menu with pizzas, pastas and sandwiches.

Deli 9 at Road No.1 BH. As the name suggests, it’s a Deli and one of the oldest one in the area. I had croissants there and they earned an instant fan. Good pastries too.

Dine Hill next to Crystal Hotel, Road No.1 BH. Popular for its Grilled chicken items. Best one is Arabic Grilled Chicken which they serve in traditional Arabic platter. Unique taste and experience.

Peperoncino at Road No.12, BH – Known for its wide range of Italian flair. Must try – Pastas, Spaghetti with meat balls and lasagna. Good ambiance and service. Open kitchen. They also offer different kind of lunch buffets on weekdays.

A’La Liberty at Road No.12, BH – Very good ONLY VEG buffet. Good spread and variety. Total Paisa Vasool – VFM !

Finjaaan, opposite Iranian Consulate BH – One of its kind place in Hyderabad – It’s tea lounge. Over 36 varieties of teas – black, green, white, fruit, full body, iced teas. Kiwi Iced Tea is the must try. They don’t serve milk tea, no sugar and no snacks. It’s a Tea only place.

Mocha Road No.7 BH near Iranian Consulate – Good coffee in an ambiance similar to Moroccan Kahwa places. Neatly done place.

Absolute BBQ opposite Madhapur Police Station – Bored of BBQ Nation? Try Mongolian Wish Grill at Absolute BBQ which serves rabbits, quails, ducks, squids, octopus and what not!

 Vacs Pastries Road No. 10, Jubilee Hills – You will find excellent soufflé, gateaux and quiches.  Famous for its fresh fruit cakes. However my favorite is Butter Chicken Roll.

Concu Cakes Road No 36, Jubilee Hills – In-housed in a boutique bungalow, this French deli serves good Choux Bun, Green Tea Sandwiches and Éclairs.

The Blue Door Road No.45 Jubilee Hills – Beautifully done interiors with blue and white to highlight that Greek touch, this restaurant is famous for its Greek/Mediterranean food which is prepared by chefs from Greece.

Minerva Coffee Shop near Jubilee Hills Checkpost – One of the best filter coffee in the town. Mind it!

Mist N Creams Road No.12, MLA Colony near Omega Hospitals – Freshest ice-creams!! They take milk, mix fruits/nuts and pour liquid nitrogen on it which freezes the mixture instantly, and then its served to you. Can’t expect anything fresher than that, isn’t?

Zaffran Exotica Road No. 12 BH – Good ambiance. Avoid lunch and buffet here. A’la Carte dinner at open air deck is awesome. Even a candle light dinner do quite well here unless it is a weekend. Do not even think to show up without reservation.

Secunderabad/Necklace Road

Tansen Necklace Road – Best managed Ohri’s restaurant in the city. Beats all other Ohri’s with its ambiance, service and food. North Indian/Rajasthani cuisine. Expensive but VFM.

Tiwari’s opposite Khairatabad MMTS – Club Kachoris, Pav Bhajis, Chat, Dhokle, Sweets. Go there on a weekend evening and the mad rush there will justify its popularity. I love their Mango Lassi.

Universal Bakers MG Road – Mayo dripping absolutely delicious fluffy chicken burgers. Pakka Hyderabadi style!

Dadu’s MG Road – Best Pav Bhaji/Kulfi and variety of sweets to push you to a sweet coma for quite some time.

Pizza Den PG Road opposite Wesley College – opens up at 5 PM. Only Veg. Desi style pizza. Eat it to know it. Other than pizzas, they serve smoothies, sundaes and shakes. All good.

Dimmy Pan Palace PG Road, Sindhi Colony – Good variety of Pan in the shop. The counter outside serves regular Maharashtrain snacks – Vada Pav, Pav Bhaji, Misal Pav, Pani puri etc.

Alex Kitchen – Near Paradise Hotel, next to Sunshine Heart Institute – Best Momos in the town and nobody disagrees on that.

Paradise Bakery Ground Floor Paradise Hotel, MG Road – Assam Dust Tea with Nan Khatai here.

Paradise Hotel MG Road – I like Paradise, not for Biryani but for Kheema Roti. Starts at 6 AM and gets over by 9 AM. Reach early and enjoy the traditional Hyderabadi breakfast of Kheena Roti here.

Alfa Hotel near Secunderabad Railway Station – Whether it is early morning breakfast of Kheema Gurda Bhaji Parantha or afternoon snacks of Tie Biscuits n Dilskush Dilpasand, this place is always houseful. Personally, if I have an early morning train to catch from Secunderabad, I make sure I hog on Kheema Parantha from Alfa.

Old City/Abids

Nimrah Café near Charminar – Irani Chai.

Govind Bandi Ghansi Bazaar – Ghee Idli and Butter Upma Masala Dosa. Very crowded. Opens up at 5 AM and runs out of stock at around 10 AM. Dosa is exceptionally good.

Akbar Hotel near Charminar Bus Stand – Popular for its Chicken 65, served with Ginger garlic chutney.

Shahran Hotel near Gulzar Houz Charminar – Must try here is Seekh Kebabs and Parnathe served with peanut chutney.

Shadab Hotel near Madina Charminar – Famous for Paya Nahari, Chicken Biryani. If you are coming around with family, this is the only place in the vicinity in Charminar which has an AC section with decent ambiance and service.

Highcourt Jalebi opposite Afzal Ganj Highcourt – There are 6-7 namkeen shops which serves Jalebi, Imarti, Samose and Kachori.

Sohanlal Tea Company near MM Market Abids – They serve very good Masala Chai. It is so spicy that you just can’t have more than one cup. Being a tea lover, I never forget to stop here for a cup of tea whenever I am around.

Shezan Hotel near Nampally Exhibition Grounds – Try their Khubani ka Meetha with Malai/Ice-Cream. Exceptional!

Hameedi Confectioners opposite Famous Icecream – Ever heard of Nutmeg Halwa? Well, Hameedi Confectioners are serving it since Nizams era and it’s actually good.

Santosh Dhaba in Jaya International Lane, Abids – Typical North Indian food.

Mataaam Al Arabi in Barkas, Chandrayangutta – Best Chicken Mandi I ever had. They also serve Mutton and Fish Mandi, Kabsa and desserts (Aseed, Kaddu ki Kheer etc).

Places nearby Hyderabad

Thinespo near Excellency Gardens, Suchitra (Medchal Highway) – This place serves Italian and American food. Had the best lasagna of my life here. Wood fired pizza and chicken salad sandwiches are good as well. Ample parking spacing. Open air seating. AC indoor seating also available.

Zam Zam Dhaba NH9, Sangareddy – Good food, very good tea. Upstairs has an open air seating with Hookahs available.

Hill Park Restaurant NH7, Jadcherla – Nice place to go for a quick highway ride and back to Hyderabad.

Annapurna Dhaba outside IBS, Shankarpally – Serves very good paranthas, tea and sandwiches.

Note- This list was last updated in March 2014.