Virtual Bangladesh : Food and Recipes : Dhaka Restaurants

[snacks: jilapi, halim, fuchka] [restaurants] [kabab places] [bakeries]

Jilapi, Halim and Phuchka

The best Jilapis in Dhaka can be found in Purnima snack bar (in Gulistan cinema Hall building). The jilapis are really thick and juicy.

Mama Halim (it's sold from a push cart on Mirpur Road near Kalabagan bus stand) is the best in town. Their taste is even better during the month of Ramadan.

One or two places in Mouchak (at the intersection of Rampura road and Outer Circular road) have real good phuchkas. If you are a phuchka fan, the trip will be a worthy one.  

Restaurants

Hazi's Biriyani

It's a place on Kazi Alauddin Road (adjacent to Fulbaria fire station) without any sign boards. Possibly the best Tehari in the world. They serve only for breakfast and dinner. The dinner is served just after magrib and one must be there within an hour or so to make sure that they aren't sold out. Don't get upset if you have to wait in a line for some time. It's worth it. The cost is reasonable. In '90 each plate was 32 taka.

Khawa Daowa

It's on Chwak square near the mosque. Their specialities include, mutton kachhi, chicken kachhi and morog musallam. The moong dal (which BTW is on the house) is exceptional. The price is reasonable. In '90, one could have a nice meal (except for the musallam) for less than 50 taka.

Star Hotel

It's on Bonogram road south of Thatari bazaar. They Serve good morog musallam and chicken tikka (only in the evening). Their kachhi is also OK.

Ananda Confectionarya

On Abul Hasnat road near Central Jail. It's isn't excatly a restaurant. But they have a variety of old town specialities like different kinds of bread including bakarkhani and different types of Parata, different types of cakes, shami Kebab and mutton leg roast etc. The quality is much better than the places in new Dhaka, but the price is probably also slightly higher.

Nirob

It's a real shabby place on Nazimuddin Road near the Central Jail which is very popular among the university students. The place is very cheap. They serve a variety of dishes which range from Ilish mancher matha and shutki to Brain massalla and liver bhuna. Parata and brain massalla is a must to try.

Nuraani

It's also on Chwak bazaar. They don't serve anything but lassi. But after a good meal at Khawa DAwoa or Nirob, a glass of nice lassi may feel good.

If you are planning to take your spouse and/or family to these places, they should be mentally prepared. These aren't the cleanest places in the world and also the atmosphere may not be exactly proper for ladies.

Cafe jheel

One is opposite to the press club and their other branch is near the Observer office. Their chicken jhaal fry and naan is very good. Boti kebab and chicken tikka is also OK. I wouldn't recommend their biriyani. the price is cheap.

Hotel pithaghor

On Bongobondhu avenue, opposite to the stadium. Their bhuna khichuri and duck bhuna is very good. They also serve different kinds of pithas and Bogurar doi.

Kasturi

On Purana paltan, near House building finance office. This is a place to have maach bhat. The price and the size of the fishes they serve are both incredible. Nowhere else in Dhaka you will find fishes (like koi,pabda, rui, pangash, galda chingri etc) as big as they have unless you decide to go to Sowari ghat or New Market. The recomended pratice is to ask the price before you order because it will depend on the size.

Joy restaurant

It's right next to Kasturi. It's also a maach bhat place. They don't serve fish as big as they serve in Kasturi, but I like their cooking better. Also the price is much more reasonable than that in Kasturi. I would recommend to visit Joy to someone who is interested in the restaurants of Dhaka.

Sub Nuriyan

It's a fruit juice place opposite to the press club. (Right next to Cafe Jheel). They have a wild collection of fruit juices including papaya and apple. The juices will be freshly made in front of you.

If you don't care for your hygiene, the sugercane juice (seasonal) sold from a cart in front of the press club might sound interesting.

Monorom

It's a fast food corner in Baitul Mokarram. In my opinion they make the best lassi in town. Their's is even better than Noorani's. Don't try any other of their foods.

The National Stadium

There are a number of restaurants in the stadium. They include Provincial, President (both also serve maach bhat in separate places also in the stadium) and Islamia. Their food (mutton bhuna, naan, biriyani, chicken korma etc) are OK for a decent price. 

Kabab places

Now their are kebab corners in almost every paara. In new Dhaka, I recommend * Khayam's (Gulshan circle 2). For serious and authentic kebab, one should of course go to the old town (Star, Cafe Jheel etc). A very expensive and very good kebab place in New Dhaka is * Mughal's (near Banani bazaar). If you don't mind paying 400 taka per person per meal (in star it would be around 50 for a very good meal), then this is the place to go. 

Bakeries

There are quite a few very good European style bakeries in Dhaka. they sell good pastries, cakes, cookies, meat patties, meat rolls, pies etc. Memory bakery is in Sobhan baag market, french bakery is in Gulshan and there are a few more scattered all over the city. Personally I think that the bakery of the hotel Purbani is the best in town (even better than those of Sheraton and Shonar gaon).