Best Nihari in Pakistan: Where to Go in Lahore and Karachi

The best nihari in Pakistan comes from two cities, Karachi and Lahore, and from a few old houses in each. In Karachi the names are Zahid on Tariq Road, Javed in Federal B Area and the old shops around Burns Road and M.A. Jinnah Road. In Lahore they are Waris on Abkari Road near Anarkali, Muhammadi in Mozang and Haji at Lohari Gate. Go early in the morning, ideally on a weekend, and order a plain plate first.

This guide compares the famous houses, explains how a Lahori bowl differs from a Karachi one, and covers when to go and what to order. For the full Karachi line-up, see our separate guide to the best nihari in Karachi.

What is nihari, and where did it come from?

Nihari is a stew of slow-cooked shank meat, usually beef in Pakistan, in a thick brown gravy flavoured with long pepper and a heavy spice mix. Its name comes from the Arabic nahar, meaning day or morning, because it was eaten as a breakfast. The usual story places it in Mughal Delhi or Lucknow in the eighteenth century, served to nobles after the dawn prayer.

It came to Pakistan with Partition. Urdu-speaking families who migrated from north India to Karachi opened restaurants serving it, and it became a large-scale success there before spreading north. Lahore's best-known houses also trace their recipes to Delhi, either through families who moved across in 1947 or, in Waris's case, through a cook from Delhi who taught the founder.

Some shops keep back a portion of each day's pot, called taar, and add it to the next day's batch, so the flavour carries on from one day to the next.

Where is the best nihari in Karachi?

Karachi is where nihari became a Pakistani dish, and the city still has the deepest bench of specialist houses.

• Zahid Nihari, Tariq Road and Saddar. Founded in 1974, and in 2024 it was ranked 89th on TasteAtlas's list of the 100 most legendary restaurants in the world. Basic, busy and focused on one dish.
• Javed Nihari, Federal B Area and Bahadurabad. Known for generous portions and bone marrow. A 2026 menu listing put a single plate of nalli nihari at about PKR 800 and a full plate at about PKR 1,400, with sales tax on top.
• Sabri Nihari, M.A. Jinnah Road. One of the oldest names in the old city.
• Burns Road. The food street has several nihari shops among its kebab and sweet houses. Our Burns Road guide covers the street.

Our Karachi nihari guide has timings and what to order at each.

Where is the best nihari in Lahore?

Lahore's nihari scene is smaller but has three names that come up again and again. Dawn's Images ran a side-by-side test of Lahore's nihari houses in 2015, and its ranking is still the most cited comparison.

Waris Nihari House, Abkari Road

Waris sits on Abkari Road off Urdu Bazaar, at the New Anarkali end of the old city. Dawn ranked it first in its 2015 test, praising the balance of the spice. The founder was a butcher who learnt the dish from a guest from Delhi. At the time it cooked twice a day and got through 75 to 100 kg of meat a day in winter.

Its signature is the finish. Just before serving, desi ghee is heated with ginger in a small pan and poured over the bowl, and garam masala is sprinkled on top so you can control the heat. Tandoori roti is served with it. Listings put its hours at roughly 8 am to 2 am, sometimes with a break in the day. The shop is small, so many people take it away.

Muhammadi Nihari, Mozang

Muhammadi, on the Mozang side of the city with a second branch in Allama Iqbal Town, is the best-known name for many Lahoris and came second in Dawn's test. It offers nalli and maghaz versions as well as plain, and Dawn reported in 2015 that it was open round the clock. It is generally seen as one of the dearer nihari houses in the city, and recent reviews still say so. Its staff told Dawn it had only two genuine branches, so be wary of shops trading on the name.

Haji Nihari, Lohari Gate

Haji Nihari's family started in Chandni Chowk in Delhi and moved to Lahore after Partition. The original shop is at Lohari Gate in the walled city, with a branch on Jail Road. In 2015 the Lohari Gate shop opened from the dawn prayer until mid-afternoon, which makes it the most traditional breakfast option of the three. Its owners said they still used the same spices they started with. Pair it with a walk through the old city; our walled city of Lahore guide suggests a route.

How is Lahori nihari different from Karachi nihari?

The base dish is the same, but the two cities serve it differently.

• Bread. Karachi eats nihari with naan. Lahore traditionally eats it with roti, and Dawn's reviewer insisted on khameeri roti, a soft leavened bread, rather than naan.
• The finish. At Waris and other Lahore houses, a hot tarka of desi ghee and ginger is poured over at the counter, which gives a glossy, rich top. In Karachi the finish usually comes as garnish: ginger, chilli, coriander and lemon to add yourself.
• Spice. Both can be hot. Waris sprinkles garam masala on top so the diner controls the heat; in Karachi each house has its own balance, and regulars argue about which is best.
• Variety. Karachi has more specialist houses and more choice of cuts on one menu. Lahore's best nihari is concentrated in a few old shops.

If you can only try one city's version, choose by trip: Karachi for the range, Lahore if you are already doing the old city and want nihari as part of a morning there. Our guide to the famous food of Lahore places nihari among the city's other breakfast dishes.

When should you go?

Nihari is a breakfast dish and the old houses are built around that. The pot is cooked overnight and is at its best in the morning, and popular cuts such as nalli can run out later in the day.

1. Go between about 7 and 10 am for the freshest pot and the full choice of cuts.
2. Weekends are busiest. Sunday morning is the traditional nihari outing in Karachi, and weekend mornings are busy in Lahore too, so expect a queue and arrive early.
3. Late nights work at some shops. Several houses stay open past midnight, which suits a late dinner, but the choice may be narrower.
4. In winter nihari is at its most popular. In the heat of June it is a heavy start to the day, so eat early and keep the rest of the morning light.

Opening hours in online listings vary by source and change over time. Where the door disagrees with the internet, believe the door, and ring ahead if you are crossing the city for it.

What should you order?

• A plain plate first. It is the fairest test of the cooking.
• Nalli nihari, with bone marrow, richer and dearer.
• Maghaz nihari, with brain, for those who like it.
• Half or full plate. A half plate with bread is enough for most people at breakfast.
• Chicken or mutton nihari, offered at some houses, lighter and usually priced differently.

Most shops put sliced ginger, green chilli, coriander and lemon on the plate or the table. Use them; they cut the richness. If you want less heat, say so as you order.

Prices have risen sharply in the last few years. We have quoted a 2026 figure for Javed above, but menus at other houses change often, so check the board before you sit down.

Is a nihari breakfast worth it?

Yes, if you eat beef, like spice and do not mind a heavy start to the day. A morning at one of the old houses is one of the most typical things you can eat in either city, and it costs far less than a hotel breakfast.

It is not for everyone. Nihari is very rich, there is rarely a non-beef alternative worth having at the specialist shops, and the old-city locations can be crowded and short on seating, which is hard with small children. If that is you, try the chicken version where it is offered, or go for halwa puri instead; our guide to the best nashta in Lahore covers the other breakfast options. More food ideas are on our experiences page.

Frequently asked questions