As the land of the Nawabs, Lucknow has always been paradise for gourmands. The Muslim royals were great connoisseurs of food, and are known for having created Avadhi delicacies like galouti kebab, kebab paranthas, and even an entire technique of cooking—dum pukht. If you’re visiting the city, we’d suggest you make enough time in your schedule for each meal here—you definitely don’t want to miss out on everything on offer. Tunde Kebabi may be the one of the first names you hear when you ask someone to recommend places to eat in Lucknow, but that’s just the start of the gastronomical rabbit hole. To help you navigate the streets better, we got chef Ranveer Brar, who grew up in the city, to reveal his list of must-visit restaurants in Lucknow. Scroll ahead and take notes.

Shami kebabs at Sakhawat Restaurant

On top of Chef Brar’s list was Sakhawat Restaurant. He says that the shami kebabs here are a must-have—they are more sumptuous and tender then the galouti kebabs and will immediately melt in your mouth. An interesting fact he let us in on was about how the moody the owner can be—if he’s not fond of you, he might not serve you.

Address: 2, Behind Oudh Gymkhana Club, Kaiserbagh, Lucknow

Band gosht at Alamgir Hotel

His next pick was Alamgir Hotel’s band gosht, especially during the holy month of Ramzan. The restaurant doesn’t open in the day at this time, and the dish is actually cooked for five to six hours—a slow-cooked delicacy you can’t miss out on. All you need with it is a side of your favourite Indian bread.

Address: Naaz Cinema Road, Aminabad Market, Aminabad, Lucknow

Nihari kulcha at Raheem’s

Located in a narrow lane at Akbari Gate in Chowk, this 125-year-old restaurant serves nihari that’ll have you reminiscing long after you’ve left Lucknow. The dish is typically made up of succulent pieces of meat in a thick, flavourful gravy, and is best served with kulcha. But chef Brar believes it’s the oil Ramu Chacha, the man who runs this place, pours on top of the nihari here that makes it so unique.

Address: Opposite Tahseen Masjid, Akbarigate-Gole Darwaza Road, Chowk, Lucknow

Bilai Ki Gilori at Ram Asrey

In Lucknow, if you want to eat a malai paan, you get it made from the people who first conceptualised it. An icon in its own right, Ram Asrey was set up in 1805, and claims to be the birthplace of the popular delicacy. Legend has it that the dish was originated during the times of the nawabs, when paan was banned by the Nawabs. This was when the chefs invented the malai paan or Bilai Ki Gilori, a version of the paan made with milk and malai, setting the humble Indian mouth freshener on a new journey.

Address: Ban Wali Gali Chowk, Khun Khun Ji Road, Chaupatiyan, Chowk, Lucknow

Dum Biryani at Idrish Hotel

For biryani in Lucknow, chef Brar points to Idrish Hotel, an eatery presently owned by the third generation of the same family. The dum biryani here is slow-cooked with milk and malai, along with rice, meat herbs and light masalas, and is an undeniable crowd favourite.

Address: Raja Bazar, Opposite Patanala Police Station, Chowk, Lucknow

Kakori kebabs at Falak Numa Restaurant, Hotel Clarks Avadh

Chef Brar calls this the one place he goes back to for nostalgia. Chef Imtiaz Qureshi, who’s known for reviving the dum pukht tradition of cuisine and creating the popular culinary brand of Bukhara, began his career at the pit here. If you’re in Lucknow, make sure you place an order for their kakori kebabs—they’ll leave you wanting for more even before you finish your plate.

Address: Hotel Clarks Avadh, 8, Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Hazratganj, Lucknow

Mattar Ki Tikki at Chappan Bhog

For the vegetarians, chef Brar recommends Mattar Ki Tikki at Chappan Bhog in Sadar Bazaar. “[The dish] makes me want to go back to Lucknow,” he told us. But if you’re looking for a (relatively) lighter meal, the chats at this joint are pretty popular too.

Address: No 311, Prabhu Dayal Marg, Sadar Bazaar, Cantonment, Lucknow

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