Karachi is a city rich with culture and food, no two opinions about it! A city full of edible treasures, where a gem is hidden in almost every nook and corner. So, POV: You’re a Karachiite but haven’t tried all the yumminess I am about to share. You will find food from Kashmiri origins to Bohri cuisine; the best biryanis (with aloos of course) to a huge variety of street food and bakeries full of great options to choose from.
I would like to start with Irani Cafes. Did you know these have been around since the 1950s? Opened by the Parsis who migrated in the 1920’s, these were once a prevalent part of Karachi’s heritage. There were quite a few around but now only a handful remain. You may have had the chullu kebabs multiple times, without realizing that they were introduced by the immigrant Iranis, and how perfectly their food has been entrenched in the city’s culinary personality.
Best known for their Chullu Kebabs with steamed rice with a slab of butter, daal frys, mutton patties with a special chutney concocted by their chef, sabzi ghotala (ghotala means a mix of vegetables cooked in rich spices), mahi kebab (mahi meaning fish in persian), but the menu is not limited. The menu of most of these cafes contain over a 50 dishes, including daal-fry, chicken tikka, prawn masala maghaz, (cow’s brains), palak gosht, daal palak, sandwiches, seafood and even bar b que. These cafes have been here for at least 40 years, serving journalists, bankers, businessmen – a hub of multicultural discussions while painting a pretty a picture of the cosmopolitan city that Karachi is. Public places like these encouraged progressive political discussions and intellectual debates over a cup of chai. These cafes gave Karachi a cultural growth, welcoming people from all walks of life. The notable thing about these cafes is that they are economical yet consistent in quality. The owners do not compromise in the flavour, or quality of the dishes served focusing on the details as well. Only when you devour a plate of chullu kebab (with juicy beef kebabs and bar-b-qued cubes of chicken) will you realize what a difference those buttered rice make in terms of flavour.
The produce is bought every day fresh from Empress Market, the centre of fresh vegetables, fruits and the best quality spices and rice, ensuring top quality. Having lunch in one of these is an entire experience in itself. Not just in terms of food, but it terms of ambiance as well.
The fast food chains and the current food trends have had an impact on these Cafes, causing most of them to close down, not to forget, current economic conditions and inflation as well. Though, here are some of the cafes that are still serving:
- Khairabad Tea House, located at the corner of I.I Chundrigar Road, also one of the oldest Iranian Cafe.
- Cafe Durakhshan, located in Saddar.
- Chullu Kebab Sistani, formerly known as Cafe Subhani also located in Saddar.
- Cafe Mubarak, Garden Road, Saddar, opposite IBA city campus.
- Cafe Victory, Hasrat Mohani Road, Seari Quarters.
- Queens Café, Civil Lines.
There are a few recently opened Iranian Cafes in the vicinity of Defence and Clifton.
- Chullu Kebab Irani, located at Khayaban-e-Badar, D.H.A.
- Daily Dubai Restaurant, Badar Commercial. Not a typical Irani Cafe, but serves Iranian food.
- Saffron Café, E-street, Clifton.
Let’s visit these cafes to preserve the heritage, their strong immigrant history and their culture. Here’s hoping that Karachi lives up to its reputation, housing these cultural and culinary gems till the very end.