The 10 Best Local Restaurants in Hyderabad, India

If you’re too far from a Paradise branch, but desperately craving a delicious, well-cooked biryani, look for a Bawarchi restaurant instead. Bawarchi is another Hyderabad chain of restaurants that locals love and flock to for some of this ubiquitous, rice-based staple. Several variants of biryani are up for grabs, including a vegetarian option, but in the most popular recipe the basmati rice is seasoned with succulent bits of marinated mutton meat. Besides biryani, Bawarchi serves delectable, traditional Asian fare spanning meat dishes, noodles, fried rice and kebabs.

In India and the entire South Asia, chutneys are available in an incredible number of variants, consisting of a dip obtained from a combination of spices, vegetables and fruits. These traditional delights give the name to Hyderabad’s Chutneys, a famed, local set of restaurants serving scrumptious, traditional South Indian food, including a signature selection of six different type of chutneys. Here you can also try other yummy treats courtesy of South India like dosas, idlis and pesarattus – three different type of wraps, all equally delicious. Alternatively, join Chutneys for breakfast and try upma, a favorite staple similar to porridge.

Hyderabad’s regional cuisine features a stronger emphasis on fish and seafood than in the country’s northern regions. Hyderabad’s restaurant Dakshin, part of the city’s ITC Hotel, specializes in South Indian specialties and reflects the prominence of sea-inspired dishes through a tantalizing variety of fish-based treats; but the house’s menu lists many other delectable delicacies of the South, including the mouth-watering traditional Kerala stew. Dakshin’s chefs surprise patrons with personal, creative touches that throw new light – and taste – on the staples they eat every day.

Minerva Coffee Shop has been part of Hyderabad’s dining scene for many years now. The restaurant has a solid fan base of foodies that thoroughly enjoy the scrumptious, authentic dishes of Indian cuisine expertly prepared by the kitchen. In fact, Minerva provides all the highlights of both North and South Indian cooking, which can be quite different from each other. Open all day-round from breakfast time to dinner, this casual haunt has one of its major draws in South India’s tiffins, a collective name used to describe an array of inviting snack pastries like the dosas or the idlis.

Choose Gufaa for an unconventional dining experience in Hyderabad. The themed restaurant’s rocky walls are designed to resemble the inside of a cave. Sculptures of elephant and tiger heads are hung on the walls, plant roots and branches creep up the rocks and a large mural mimics ancient man’s rock drawings, as dim lighting plunges the restaurant into half darkness. Sit in one of the bamboo chairs with zebra-skin cushions and enjoy a meal of tasty Indian fare.

Hosted inside Hyderabad’s upmarket Westin hotel, restaurant Kangan is firmly driven by chef Rakesh Singh. Chef Singh delivers a delectable menu of Indian specialties which fully celebrate the country’s distinctive aromas and spices. In particular, Kangan is a recommended choice to experience the tastes of Northwestern India’s gastronomy, influenced by the Peshawari tradition hailing from the neighboring Pakistan. The beverage department is another forte of Kangan’s. The restaurant boasts a fine selection of Indian teas typical of Hyderabad, as well as an outstanding gamut of single malt Scotches.

Stepping into irresistibly charming restaurant Olive Bistro, you are made to wonder whether you’re still in Hyderabad or if you have been magically teleported to the Greek island of Santorini. Beautifully decorated, the bistro’s whitewashed walls are nicely complemented by faux vaults, tablecloths in floral patterns and pastel tints, and a stunning tile floor. The outdoor patio is simply magical, complemented by garden furniture and offering panoramic views of the freshwater Durgam Cheruvu lake ahead. A gem of a restaurant in a lucky location, come to Olive Bistro to experience exquisite Mediterranean fare.

The first train to ever take to the rails in India took off from Bori Bunder in 1853, during the British Raj. Hyderabad’s restaurant Sahib Sindh Sultan celebrates that historical episode and era in a truly unique way. The venue is set up like a train station: on one side, plenty of tables are arranged on what would be the station’s platform; on the other, extra seating is available in the wagons of a pretend train that carries the name of the restaurant spelled in gold lettering. Elegant decor, silverware, silk tapestries and exquisite Anglo-Indian dishes complete a mesmerizing, must-visit restaurant in Hyderabad.