Beyond the biryani, here's how Hyderabad's culinary scene is evolving today

A Hyderabadi itinerary always includes a visit to the Old City around Charminar for Irani chai with Osmania biscuits Mutton Hyderabadi biryani and haleem Wersquoll leave it to you to tell us whether Pista House or Paradise wins your vote but we are also big fans of the classic thalis From Pappu lentils cooked in gongura leaves to jonna roti curries pulusu and mirch ka salan you get a taste of Telanganarsquos true earthy agrarian soul And now therersquos a growing list of addresses proving that Hyderabad is no longer just a city you eat in but one you travel to eatCurdrice inspired Southern Storm At Bar Stormy right Stormy Mcstormface at Bar StormyOld playersThe first wave of Hyderabadrsquos culinary boom swept through Jubilee Hills and Banjara Hills between 2010 and 2017 Home to the cityrsquos old elite the neighbourhoods became a testing ground for chefled restaurants allday cafeacutes artisanal bakeries and boutique bars When Tabula Rasa opened in Jubilee Hills in 2017 it offered the cityrsquos answer to a desi Hard Rock Cafeacute Spread across a 2000 sq yd property it built a loyal following around live Telugu Hindi and jazz performances ldquoWe built a community that came for the music dancing and regional foodrdquo says founder Shravan Juvvadi Six years later the concept outgrew its original home and relocated to a 10000 sq ft venue Despite serving global fare 60 to 70 per cent of sales still come from South Indian dishes ldquoTherersquos immense cultural pride here People enjoy Western food but they always come back to the flavours they grew up withrdquo he saysSuryansh KanwarLong before that Spicy Venue had begun redefining Telugu cuisine When it opened in Jubilee Hills nearly 25 years ago thirdgeneration owner Sampath Tummala says regional food was largely associated with canteens and messes ldquoWe wanted to give Telugu food a more contemporary setting while still catering to families so we introduced soups noodles and IndoChinese alongside the thalirdquo he saysBar stormyNew flavoursBy the end of the pandemic national hospitality groups had identified Hyderabad as one of Indiarsquos untapped FampB frontiers Burma Burma and Whisky Samba were among the first movers in 2023 Since then the cityrsquos dining scene has evolved boosted by its growing MNC workforce an affluent and welltravelled population and diners eager to embrace new formats Today Osmania biscuit and curd riceinspired cocktails share bar menus with classics Nihari is reimagined as bonemarrow lamb shank served with Japanese milk bread sushi dominates delivery apps and holeinthewall Vietnamese cafeacutes dish out baacutenh migrave Inspired by Mumbai and Delhi chefs are also favouring intimate reservationled restaurants over the sprawling 300 to 500seater breweries and multicuisine establishments that once defined the cityrsquos dining landscapeFireback HyderabadLast November Tummala took that evolution a step further with Theta Theta Telugu T3 a restaurant that reimagines regional classics through a contemporary lens Chintapandu Ghee Prawns arrive with curry leafinfused laadi pav in place of bread At the same time the familiar pairing of muddapappu and rice is transformed into a hummusstyle dip served with pita and kalamata olive pickle ldquoThe flavours are unmistakably Telugu Itrsquos only the treatment thatrsquos internationalrdquo says TummalaLili Hyderabad right Bar stormyAmong the restaurants defining Hyderabadrsquos new dining scene is Bar Stormy in the Financial District Conceived by Delhirsquos celebrated bar duo Yangdup Lama and Minakshi Singh with Red Rhino Brewing Co founder Kishore Pallamreddy the 75seater channels the understated elegance of Sidecar and The Brook with warm wood moody lighting and commissioned local art At its heart is Yangrsquos Bar a patented 19foot counter designed to make conversations between the bartender and guest as central as the cocktails Named after the Dark lsquonrsquo Stormy the bar pairs precisioncrafted drinks made with rum ginger beer and lime with a menu that balances comfort and creativity from Wai Wai Bhel Brie on Toast and Mushroom Galouti Sliders to Bone Marrow Nihari and Mutton LukhmiSampath Tummala right Shravan Juvvadi Founder Tabula RasaldquoA bar is universal It is not about what kind of bar you do but how you do it and understanding who your audience is With food yoursquove got to be a little critical With drinks you have to be approachable to the local consumer This is what we do well and when we got the opportunity we dived right in Since we are a small space from business point of view if we are able to kind of maintain that and maintain our numbers then wersquore sortedrdquo says LamaTabula Rasa opened in Jubilee Hills in 2017 and was the cityrsquos answer to a desi Hard Rock Cafeacute building a loyal following around live Telugu and jazz performancesHyderabadrsquos young restaurateurs are also taking cues from Mumbai and Delhi swapping large venues for intimate chefled spaces built around experienceFrom left Yangdup Lama Kishore Pallamreddy and Minakshi Singh of Bar StormyLiLi a 45seater Cantonese restaurant that opened in Jubilee Hills this March is one such example Anchored by a dramatic dim sum chandelier by Goabased artist Siddharth Kerkar the restaurant draws inspiration from Naar Bandra Born Veronicarsquos and Paparsquos ldquoWe wanted to create something more experientialrdquo says cofounder Abhilasha Oruganti Its compact format has also introduced Hyderabad to timed seatings ldquoMost restaurants here have 350 to 550 covers People arenrsquot used to waiting for a tablerdquo she says Nearby They See pairs modern Indian food with a hidden 22seater speakeasy where Afrohouse beats segue into retro Bollywood Chef Suryansh Kanwarrsquos menu reflects the same playful spirit from sous vide eggs on dibba rotti with avakai hollandaise and podi kimchi to upcycled packets of chips finished with regional chutneysNooresha Kably Rohit Khattar Abhilasha Oruganti CoFounder LiLiEHV International that also owns Indian Accent have opened Fireback Barback and Hosa at The Loft in HiTech City Founder Rohit Khattar says it was a natural choice for our first venture in South India ldquoHyderabad has emerged as one of Indiarsquos most exciting culinary destinations with an audience that deeply appreciates quality innovation and hospitalityrdquo Fireback offers authentic Thai cuisine to the city while Barback extends a cocktailled experience inspired by Bangkokrsquos ChinatownThe action is also shifting west Around Durgam Cheruvu Viksit Hospitality has created a destination with neighbourhood bar Kadamba and the Hyderabad outpost of Mumbairsquos Izumi Chef Nooresha Kably who has spent a few years of her childhood in the city acknowledges the city isnrsquot the same anymore Also she expected to dial up the spice ldquoI thought wersquod need more seasoning than we use in Mumbai or Goa We didnrsquotrdquo she says Today Izumi has a weeklong waiting list signalling that Hyderabadrsquos diners are embracing subtler flavours alongside their beloved regional classicsThe city is witnessing new inclusive buildings that create social cultural and premium workspace hubs ldquoAfter Mumbai Delhi and Bengaluru Hyderabad has become a city worth planning a food trip aroundrdquo says Vikaas Passary cofounder of Viksit Hospitality ldquoJust donrsquot skip the Old Cityrdquo he signs offBrewing a cafeacute cultureHyderabadrsquos cafeacute scene is having a Seoul moment The movement began in 2017 with Roastery the cityrsquos first specialty coffee roastery ldquoPeople barely knew what specialty coffee was We hosted roasting workshops and blind tastings to introduce them to Indian beansrdquo recalls founder Nishant Sinha Today he estimates more than 500 cafeacutes serve specialty coffee and Roastery itself is expanding with two new outlets this yearCoffee shops with unique concepts pepper the city today Among them are Tru Black for its Japandi aesthetic Kohe for its orange cake and coconut cold brew Grey Fuel set in an amphitheatre setting pouring brews and affogato and Katharsquos vinyl listening sessions are a hit too At Naad coffee expert Marc Tormo leads a coffee academy and cafeacute raising the bar further with a stronger focus on education and craftWhat Hyderabad wantsRajveer Kaur Brand strategist and Rajendra Nagar residentlsquoPeople experimented with new cuisines as early as 2012 but the city wasnrsquot ready Today corporate hubs social media and exposure to Mumbai and Delhi have completely changed Hyderabadrsquos dining habitsrsquoChaitanya Muppala Founder Manam ChocolatelsquoThe city is finally coming of age with an upwardly mobile population and greater spending capacity Hyderabad never lacked creativity It has always seen interesting concepts across interesting business From day one we were focussed on educating the customer Today they know exactly what they arecoming forNew haunts to tryWindmills CraftworksThe Bengaluruborn brewery and jazz theatre made its Hyderabad debut in February with a sprawling 16000 sq ft space in Madhapur Lined with bookshelves that double up as acoustic buffers the venue blends craft beer with live music and thoughtful design On our visit the Manganiyar folk ensemble Barmer Boys brought the house alive Next door sibling restaurant Oota serves hyperlocal Andhra and Telangana cuisineAT MadhapurOxymoronrsquos Fussy CcatThe team behind Begumpetrsquos 32seater cocktail bar Oxymoron has launched Fussy Ccat a reservationonly lunch concept that transforms the bar space into a daytime spot Its first edition spotlights ramen offering a newage dining experience in the cityAT Begumpet