The Hyderabad street food scenario has seen a sea of change in the last 12 years or so. I used to live in Hyderabad in the mid-seventies. There were no street foods at that time except a few snacks that were sold in the tea shops. I mean there were no regular food stalls on the sidewalk.
Of course, I remember seeing mobile vendors on the sprawling tank bund but they too did poor business. Actually, the present Hyderabad street food culture was unheard of then.
I have been reading about the new street food varieties on the Hyderabad and Secunderabad streets and what I read thus far are enticing me to make a trip to the twin cities.
I have visited so many Indian cities. Next to Madras or other cities in Tamilnadu, I would rate Hyderabad city as the best for tasty foods. There are numerous restaurants in and around Abids in Hyderabad, Charminar circle, Koti, and Sarojinidevi Road in Secunderabad.
A few of my friends who are living in Secunderabad now gave me a few inputs as to what Hyderabad street food is to eat and recommended a few places to try them.
Based on my research, I have compiled a list of Hyderabad street food recommendations to try in Hyderabad. Bookmark it, mate; who knows when it will come in handy.
11 Hyderabad Street Foods to Eat
What could be better than the world-famous Hyderabadi Biryani to start the list of the most famous Hyderabad street food items!
1. Hyderabadi briyani.
Naturally, the famous mutton briyani has to top the list of Hyderabad street food -isn’t it? After all, the Hyderabadi briyani has become an identity of the city.
The Hyderabad mutton briyani has also evolved and now, they call it “dum briyani”. It requires you to turn the food on your bowl upside down several times thoroughly so as to mix the main masala ingredients with the fragrant briyani rice.
About 3 decades ago, the briyani was sold only in restaurants. These days, they are pushed out of the restaurants and now the briyani is a street food in every Indian city.
Where to eat the best Hyderabad mutton briyani.
Try to go to Pragati Gully in Sultan Bazar or Sindhi Colony or many shops near the Charminar chowk. Look around for hotel Madina or Shahdab in the Charminar area. It can be crowded in the late evening.
2. Irani tea
The famous Irani tea shops still exist only in Hyderabad. There were a few in Madras long ago near Midland Theater in General Patters Road but not anymore.
Irani tea run by real Iranians has a distinct flavor and no one could find out the secret behind the aroma of Irani tea.
These days, along with Irani tea, they also serve unique biscuits that go well with it.
Again, in the Charminar area, you find several Irani tea shops.
3. Hyderabad Street Food Haleem
This Arabian dish is so widely eaten street food that the Hyderabadi Haleem has now become a staple for Hyderabadis. This wheat and meat stew is available throughout the day except during lunchtime in the Deccan. Every shop serves the Haleem with the same taste. There is no special street food stall recommendation to eat the Haleem.
4. Qubani ka Meetha
Don’t miss out tasting this delicious sweet of Hyderabad street food. I believe the Qubani ka Meeta is not sold in any other Indian cities as the dish is made of exclusive Apricot fruits that are cultivated in Hyderabad. Almonds are liberally used in its recipe and so also a gel made of rose petals called ‘Gulkand’.
The garnishing part of topping the sweet with a blob of cream or custard is a latter-day innovation.
Where to eat the best Hyderabad street food Qubani ka Meeta.
Visit Parivar Dhaba that is located in Airport road. Full address and mobile phone number are given below:
6-4-8 Airport Rd Metro Classic Garden R R Dist, Shivrampalli Village, Hyderabad Phone: 099630 85885
5. Boti Kebab
A kebab is usually a piece of meat, invariably mutton that is served on a stick. These boti kebabs are said to be spongy and delicious only at a few places in Hyderabad. If you want to try this Hyderabad street food, try the following outlets:
- Kebab-e-Bahar- Zehra Nagar, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad,
- Bade Miya Kebabs- Behind Ramdas Statue, Upper Tank Bund, Hyderabad
- Siddique Kebab Centre- Yousuf Tekri Complex, Opp RTO Office, Toli Chowki, Hyderabad
6. Mirchi Bajji, Popular Hyderabad Street Food
This fantastic Hyderabad street food needs no introduction to the Indians because the hot and spicy mirchi bajjis are available in every city streets and villages in India.
Nonetheless, the taste of this ubiquitous street food is definitely different in Hyderabad. I am not exaggerating, folks! The mirchi bajjis of Hyderabad are certainly different and heavenly delicious. Maybe the besan (lentil flour) in Hyderabad is of superior quality.
A later day innovation is the mirchi bajjis are stuffed with meat and vegetables and are served with mint chutney.
I have seen bigger size of the stuffed mirchi bajjis in Bangalore street food pushcarts. They use the big capsicum to make the stuffed bajji and it is called Shimla Mirch in Bangalore.
Since every street corner tea shops and evening food stalls serve the mirchi bajjis, there is no exclusive recommendation for this Hyderabad street food.
7. Mirchi ka Salaan
It looks very appetizing-eh? This is a side dish to accompany your Hyderabadi briyani, or the dinner time roti and chawal. It is made of those very hot Andhra green chilies, green peas, and ground coconut.
You get the best Mirch ka salaan in Hotel Nayaab located at 22-8-111 & 112, Nayapul Road, Nayapul, Nassir Complex, Charminar, Chatta Bazar, Hyderabad.
Another street food outlet to try the Mirch ka salaam in Hyderabad is Hotel Shahdab found at 21-1-140-144, Near High Court, High Court Road, Madina Circle, Charminar, Ghansi Bazaar, Hyderabad
8. Lukhmi
If you believe the Hyderabadis make the best mutton briyani in India, then, you must trust they make the best mutton samosas, the small one that you see vendors selling in local trains in India.
Lukmi is a Hyderabad street food, a slight variation of the small meat-based samosa whose shell is crispier than the traditional vegetarian samosa.
The Lukmi is stuffed with minced meat of lamb along with finely cut onions and green chilies.
You get to eat the Lukmi just about every street food centers in Hyderabad and Secunderabad.
9. Chettinad Chicken Frankie
The American Frankies was once the favorite of educated and up-scale clienteles. They have come to the streets now in Hyderabad. The cooks in Hyderabad are an innovative breed. They keep trying new stuffing and the Chettinad Chicken stuffing is the latest offering in Hyderabad street food.
Tibbs Frankies are a chain of frankies outlets in Hyderabad. Choose the one that is near to your place of stay. Google will help you find one.
10. Chaats
Chaats are favorites of everyone these days. From children to adult, chaats are anytime eatables. Chaats too have been evolving according to street food cooks’ innovative mixing of ingredients.
In addition, they also give such names to chaats that induce curiosity to gourmet lovers.
For example, how about these names of chaats in the street food world?
- Maharaja Chaat
- Ragda Pattice
- Mutton Ghooghni
- Poha Jalebi
- Daulat ki Chaat
- Chana Guni
- Mangode
- Papri Chaat
You can get most of these chaats in Hyderabad but only during the evening.
Koti is a busy shopping area in Hyderabad and you will see numerous street food outlets selling all and sundry. Try to locate Gokul Chaat located at:
Koti Main Road, Opp Koti Women’s College, Koti, Hyderabad.
11. Hyderabad Street Food :Nihari
This is an exclusive Hyderabad street food available mostly in the morning as breakfast. It is basically a stew made with lamb.
Yeah, it is a stew alright but only the consistency is thicker than a vegetable stew. Nihari is innovatively cooked using lamb bone marrow as the main ingredient to enhance the taste. I read, it is a long process involving in keeping the marinated ingredients including the lamb bones overnight underground! Wow! That’s a long process really!
If you ever go to Hyderabad and if you are a non-vegetarian, don’t miss eating a bowl of Nihari with onion salad that goes well with the lamb stew.
Again, hotel Shahdab is recommended by Zomato for authentic Hyderabadi Nihari.
Well, these are exclusive Hyderabad street foods. Of course, you can eat all those South Indian delicacies such as idly, dosa, and vada in street food kiosks.
In fact, I have seen several pushcarts in Secunderabad that sell 50+ varieties of dosas that are unheard of even in Tamilnadu where dosa originated.
3 comments
Very nice info about Hyderabad Street food and the pictures are mouthwatering. I enjoyed most of those foods during my Hyderabad days. In the time of Iftaar (before Eid), we the group of foodies often visit often visit the old city, especially the Charminar area to experience the taste of different kind of non-veg street foods like Haleem, boti kababs and so many items…I can’t remember the names..:-).
All these foods look too good to me. One thing that intrigues me is their mutton samosa. Would love to try it sometime.
Mouthwatering….will love to try each one.