Every Ramzan, the Old City of Hyderabad turns into a food Mecca, with lakhs of people doing rounds of their favourite restaurants and stalls for haleem and pathar ka gosht. Even those who seldom venture out to that side make at least one visit for haleem hopping.
During the holy month, the Old City’s main road toward the Charminar turns into a sea of people each night, and shops are permitted to remain open until 4 am. For years, people have braved the crowd to undertake the ‘journey’ and taste their Ramzan favourites. However, with Hyderabad’s traffic worsening every year, there are some who think twice about the yearly trip. Gone are the times when one could think of travelling from Gachibowli to the Old City in under an hour.
Over the years, a newer and more sensible alternative has emerged at Toli Chowki in western Hyderabad. It’s not just closer to Gachibowli and HITEC City, but also to the posh areas of Banjara Hills and Jubilee Hills. I remember driving by once in Ramzan a few years ago—something I regret to this day. Not because of the food, but because I got stuck in traffic at 11 pm for 45 minutes just to cross a kilometre’s distance.
The source of the traffic was hundreds of people turning up on the main thoroughfare just to shop and eat during the last few days of Ramzan. I was surprised at the variety of food options—from Kebab stalls to even Sehri menus—Toli Chowki had everything we usually get in the Old City. And slowly, at least since 2021, the area has managed to create a similar Ramzan experience.
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Pista House, Shah Ghouse
I’ll be honest: I wouldn’t try everything that comes my way at Toli Chowki. But that applies to the Old City as well.
The one-kilometre-long main road at Toli Chowki transforms into a food paradise every year. In typical Ramzan fashion, people can experience the traffic jams of the Old City without going there. Yes, the Old City is great, but it isn’t necessarily the only place, or even the best place, as far as Ramzan delicacies are concerned.
Even Old Delhi, for instance, doesn’t have the best food. I’ve had better experiences in Shaheen Bagh and even Nizamuddin.
In Hyderabad’s Old City, complacency seems to have set in. Perhaps it’s because our ‘chalta hai’ attitude doesn’t deter us from enjoying a mediocre night to its fullest—after all, even making it to the Old City is its own joy. Beyond a point in Ramzan, it gets difficult to manage even walking, especially in the Charminar area.
And it’s not like the area has much to offer. The best places are open all year, barring the haleem and kebab stalls, of course.
A couple of years ago, when someone sent me a poster of a food walk happening at Toli Chowki, it made me wonder why anyone would go there in Ramzan. I was in for a pleasant surprise.
The massive food court at Toli Chowki, with some well-known restaurants such as Pista House and Mandar, and a Shah Ghouse outlet on the opposite side, has clearly helped.
Of course, there are no monuments. But if you want to escape dreary traffic, Toli Chowki may be just the place for you this Ramzan.
Yunus Lasania is a Hyderabad-based journalist whose work primarily focuses on politics, history and culture. He posts on X @YunusLasania. Views are personal.
(Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)