Adil Najam
Note: An updated list of the Best Pakistani restaurants outside Pakistan is now available here.
Here at ATP we like talking about food. Especially Pakistani food (on chai here, on ganderi here, here, on aam here and on omletes here). The start of Ramzan, fasting and feasting, seems to be as good a time as any to talk more about food.
Soon after this blog was first launched we did a post (1 July, 2006) asking our readers to nominate places where they thought one could get the Best Pakistani food Outside of Pakistan. Over the last 12 weeks or so, the post has got some – but not too many – responses. But, interestingly, it remains one of our most consistently visited posts, especially through Internet searches. My guess is that while people are unwilling, or unable, to suggest good places to eat Pakistani food outside Pakistan, they are very eager to find what others suggest.
It is time to tabulate results and do a second installment.
The purpose of this post is (a) to again invite our readers, especially newer ones, to suggest good places for Pakistani food outside Pakistan (especially if you happen to be outside of USA but not in Pakistan); and (b) to consolidate the list that has evolved in the comments section of our first post. This is labelled version 0.01 partly because we hope to have future versions released, and partly because our level of confidence in this is fairly scanty because we know from personal experience that there is much more out there than is reflected in this list.So, based largely on the comments on the first post, but also on my own (wide-waistline) experience, here is a first cut at a list of restaurants (Pinglish = ‘hotels’) outside Pakistan where one might get good (sometimes, great) Pakistani food. We will start with the US, where we did get some fairly specific suggestions.
United States of America (USA)
For variety alone, nothing can come close to Devon Street (Pinglish = ‘Diwaan’) in Chicago. However, great culinary treasures are also to be found in in Dallas and in the San Francisco Bay Area. At least according to those who responded in the first round, the New York / New Jersey belt has a lot of Pakistani food, but not the best Pakistani food to offer. Here are some specific suggestions from our readers:
Best of the Best:
Tahoora Sweets (Chicago) for mithai and meetha
Shalimar (Bay Area, San Francisco) for chicken tikka
Bar B Q Tonight (Carrollton, Dallas) for nihari
Ravi Kabab (Washington DC) for chicken karahi
Highly Recommended:
Sabri Nihari (Devon, Chicago) for nihari
Usmania (Devon, Chicago), for paya and kabab
Lahore Grill (Devon, Chicago) for chargha
Al-Markaz (Richardson, Dallas) for bihari kabab
Kabob King (Jackson Hieghts, New York) for seekh kabab
Roti Boti (Jackson Hieghts, New York) for desi fish
Food Factory (Washington DC), for tikka
The Pakistani Cuisine (Manhattan, New York), for karahi
Agha’s Juice (Carrollton, Dallas) for gola
Royal Sweets (Carrollton, Dallas) for mithai
Mirch Cafe (Freemont, San Francisco) for mithai
Kabab Palace (Washington DC) for kabab
Unfortunately, from elsewhere in the world, the suggestions we got in the first round were less specific. I know from personal experience that there is a lot of great Pakistani food to be found in Canada, in the UK, all over Europe and in the Far East. I am hoping we will get more specific suggestions in the second round.
Canada
Toronto has a large Pakistani population and many Pakistani restaurants; especially in Gerrard Street (Toronto’s mini-Devon). Our readers suggest Lasani, Iqbal Tikka House and Lahore Tikka House (which, we are told, is actually owned by a Lahori!
United Kingdom
Some readers lament that there are lots of ‘desi’ restaurants in the UK, especially London, but not too many real ‘Pakistani’ ones. Amongst the exceptions that have been suggested are: Mirch Masala (branches in Tooting and in Streatham) and the very highly recommended Salloo’s in Knightsbridge.Far East
We are told that in Kuala Lumpur there is a small dhaaba called Pakeeza (off Federal Highway in Petaling Jaya). “The Lahori chef there will cook things ‘desi style’ if you ask him to and will even do paaya and nehari on request in advance.” In Singapore, there is Saffron (in Clark Quay).
So, that is it for now. We hope to hear your views on these and of any others you would add. Especially outside of the United States.
Dallas:
Al-Markaz: Pretty good Bihari-Kebab.
BBQ-Tonite:
Very good Nihari and good grilled items. A very large brunch on weekends (food quality is pretty good). Couple of years ago Sabri (guy from chicago) openned one of his location here in dallas a block from BBQ-Tonite but had to close down within a year.
Houston:
Bandu-Khan is pretty good. Note a huge menu but food is typical Pakistani style.
i wish i had found this page earlier. i have comments. im very passionate about food. and even more passionate about good paki food. u can not be a true lahori otherwise.
so ever since america, i have come to the conclusion that ppl here r not even trying to imitate the paki food style. they have their own new paki-merican food. which is south asian because it has a lot of spice in it, but not really pakistani finger lickin goods ‘cos, they’re lacking our style.
i wud b willing to pay much to get the same taste as in pakistan, remaining here in america.
I live in London, UK and can honestly say there are dozens of Pakistani Restuarants. Of course everyone has their own opinion’s on how good they are ,which is fair enough.
As everyone knows London city has a very large popoulation of Pakistani’s spread all over the city.
I will do my comment in two stages:
The first part showing areas of London (like Jackson Heights, NY and Devons Road, Chicago) where walking down the road will feel like walking down any Pakistani City, with the hustle and bustle of people, and of course desi shops; be it for eating, clothing, music or barbers.
1.) Green Street is the most famous. It is located in an East London surburb full of Pakistani’s, about 30 minutes from Central London on the Tube underground. Are in the process of building a Plaza just like back home.
Easy to get to. Upton Park Tube Station on the District and Hammersmith & City lines is on Green Street itself.
http://www.green-st.co.uk/home.html
2.) The surburb of Walthamstow in East London has a good sized Pakistani population. Two main area’s of interest are the High Street and Hoe Street. Everything is a bit more spread out here compare to Green Street, but still a must. High Street has also the longest street market in Europe (not just desi but others)
Takes about 25 minutes from Central London. Come of at Walthamstow Central Tube Station on the Victoria line.
http://www.walthamstow.towntalk.co.uk/about/index. php
3.) Ilford Lane in the Suburb of Ilford in the North East on London. Abit harder to get to, as it does not have a Tube Station at its door step.
Nearest transport is Barking Tube Station on the District and Hammersmith & City lines, about a 20 minute walk.
Or abit more complicated. Catch the British Rail Train from Liverpool Street Station in Central London To Ilford Town Train Station, which is a 5 minute walk.
http://www.ilfordlane.com/index.asp?id=1
In terms of Restaurants, here is the pick of my bunch:
1) Khans.
They put it under Indian section, but in the UK they do that to most pakistani places, i suppose to make it easier for the English. Is in a great location in Central London. One concern, not as good as years gone but still can’t knock it.
http://www.khansrestaurant.com/
http://www.londonrestaurantsguide.com/Advert_Displ ays/Advert_211.asp
2) New Tayyabs
They just did this place up in the last year or so. It is in the heart of the largest bangladeshi area of Whitechapel in East London. Located behind the magnificent East London Mosque. A class place for a meal, always queues of people.
http://www.tayyabs.co.uk/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/weekend/story/0,3605,147 6932,00.html
3) Lahore Kebab House
One of the first to open up in the whole country and still going strong. Also located in Whitechapel, East London. A great place for a meal.
http://www.london-eating.co.uk/3011.htm
Phewwww…..
Excuse the long comment. I have to do some justice to London. There are many other places, believe me, with a population of over half a million Pakistani’s just in London; we love to eat.
Email me for any info, i will try to help.
Hi
This is my first post for Pakistaniat. I have lived in France. I guess no one has suggested a restaurant in France. Let me tell you about some restaurants that are famous for Pakistani food.
In Paris there is a whole street full of pakistani and indian cousine called ” rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis” but frankly i have not eaten any thing except one samosa and tea at small corner shop there.
However i have visited two restaurants in Lyon in south France.Le Ravi and Le Karachi , both restaurant offer a range of pakistani and indian cousine. Both restaurants have started their bussiness in early Eighties.
http://www.le-karachi.com
http://www.leravi.com
Le Ravi is famous for its Rice and Tandoori while Le Karachi is good for its vegetable recipies.
Tanveer
Peshawar,Pakistan
Recently I was in Paris,
-although we travelled quite a lot up an down the Boulevards,
we tried some restaurants, Indian/Pakistanii