Hyderabad House

The very mention of the House biryani is enough to get this reviewer drooling on the keyboard. The tenderest of mutton you will find here, with perfectly spiced mirchi ka salan to send your tastebuds straight to that big ol' biryani heaven in the sky. A regular size should fill up two moderately hungry people, but if you're ravenous, get the large and ask for extra mutton. Ooh. If you like mutton, the Rogan Josh is a great choice, too. And the king of kebabs here has to be the Mutton Shikampur, a melt-in-your-mouth creation that goes perfectly with rumaali roti.

This is not the best place for vegetarians, really, but if you're a ghaas-phoos person, skip the biryani and order their excellent Gutti Vankaya, with the perfect balance of sweet and spice. This is possibly the only thing a carnivore would eat here, and is highly recommended. For dessert we recommend their kulfi - creamy and just sweet enough. But for sweeter teeth, we recommend the Qubani-ka-Meetha (Hyderabad's classic dessert), or the Double-ka-Meetha. Ask for extra custard with the Qubani - it's too rich to be eaten on its own.

You used to be able to sit outside the Begumpet outlet and watch the traffic, but they now have a dine-in area upstairs. All branches do, but the restaurant is still most popular for its takeaways. They're typically out of food by 9:30pm or 10:00pm, so plan an early dinner. And go with lots of stomach space!

Masab Tank - 2322-7861
Tarnaka - 5521-7445
Begumpet - 5531-1786
Banjara Hills - 2355-4747/4848
Himayatnagar 2760-8797