The best-known paya in Karachi is Adnan Qureshi Paya in New Karachi, a breakfast spot where queues start soon after dawn and the pot often runs out by mid-morning. For the newer nalli bong paya, go to Noman Qureshi Nalli Bong Paya, which began in PIB Colony and has opened a breakfast branch in Garden West. Expect roughly PKR 560 for a single plate of beef paya and PKR 900 to 950 for a special or nalli plate in 2026.
This guide covers the main paya houses, when to go, what to order with your paya and what it costs.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Classic breakfast paya | Adnan Qureshi Paya, New Karachi |
| Nalli bong paya | Noman Qureshi, PIB Colony and Garden West |
| Best time | 7 am to 9 am for breakfast places |
| Season | Busiest in winter, roughly November to February |
| Rough price | Single beef paya about PKR 560; special plate PKR 900 to 950 (2026) |
| Eat it with | Tandoori naan or paratha, ginger, green chilli, lemon |
What is Karachi paya?
Paya (or paye) is trotters slow-cooked for hours in a peppery, gelatinous gravy. Karachi's paya houses mostly sell beef paya, with mutton paya as a lighter and pricier option. Two newer cuts have become popular in the last few years:
- Nalli paya: paya served with marrow bones, so you get the marrow as well as the gravy.
- Bong paya: paya cooked with bong, the meaty shank, for a dish that is closer to a stew with chunks of meat.
Siri paye, with the head as well as the trotters, is more of a Lahore and Peshawar speciality. Our guide to Peshawari paya covers the northern style.
Where is the best paya in Karachi?
New Karachi: Adnan Qureshi Paya
Adnan Qureshi Paya, in Sector 5-B-2 of New Karachi near the Karela stop, is the name that comes up most often when Karachi talks about paya for breakfast. It is described as around 40 years old and as one of the oldest breakfast spots in North Karachi. People start queuing from about 6:30 am, and the advice from regulars is to arrive by 8:30 am, as the paya often sells out by mid-morning.
It is a no-frills place. Go for the food, not the seating, and expect families and groups of friends sharing big plates.
PIB Colony and Garden West: Noman Qureshi Nalli Bong Paya
Noman Qureshi Nalli Bong Paya made its name at the PIB Colony food street, where long queues for its nalli bong paya went viral online. The PIB Colony shop has traded as a late-evening place, and in 2026 it opened a second branch in Garden West, opposite Jillani Masjid, which serves breakfast as well. Its special nalli bong paya is listed at about PKR 890 on a delivery app in 2026.
Check its current hours before you go. Under the federal closing rules reissued in September 2026, restaurants must close dine-in by 11 pm, although takeaway and home delivery are exempt (Dawn). So late-night paya now usually means takeaway or delivery.
Burns Road and the nihari houses
Many of Karachi's nihari houses also serve paya at breakfast, especially in the old city around Burns Road. If someone in your group wants nihari and someone else wants paya, this is the easiest compromise. Our guides to the best nihari in Karachi and Burns Road food street cover those shops.
Delivery: the Qureshi paya chains
Several Qureshi-named paya businesses deliver across the city. One popular delivery menu in 2026 lists a single beef paya at PKR 560, a two-person beef paya at PKR 850, a special plate at PKR 900, a nalli paya plate at PKR 950 and a two-person bong paya at PKR 1,600, with mutton paya at PKR 700 a serving. That gives a useful guide to what paya costs in Karachi.
When should you go for paya?
Paya is breakfast food first. For the breakfast houses, arrive between about 7 am and 9 am, earlier on Sundays and holidays, when families come out together. Arrive late and you may find the pot empty.
Winter is paya season. The Express Tribune described in December 2024 how Karachi's breakfast spots fill up with families eating paya, nihari and haleem on cold holiday mornings, and how some customers ask shopkeepers weeks in advance when paya will be back on. Many places sell it all year, but it is at its busiest from about November to February.
What do you eat with paya?
- Bread. Tandoori naan is the usual choice. Tandoori paratha, lacha paratha and chapati are common alternatives.
- Garnish. Shredded ginger, sliced green chilli, a squeeze of lemon and fresh coriander, usually brought to the table.
- Chanay. Several paya houses sell cholay or anda cholay alongside, and "paya chanay" combinations in the Lahori style.
- Chai. A strong cup to finish.
Paya is rich and heavy. Share a plate before you order one each, especially if you are not used to it.
Which paya place suits you?
- For the classic Karachi paya breakfast: Adnan Qureshi Paya in New Karachi, early.
- For nalli bong paya: Noman Qureshi, at the Garden West branch in the morning or PIB Colony as takeaway.
- If your group wants nihari too: the old-city nihari houses around Burns Road.
- If you don't want to queue: order from one of the delivery chains.
A paya breakfast is worth planning around if you like rich, slow-cooked food and don't mind an early start. It isn't for anyone who dislikes gelatinous textures or wants a light meal. Our breakfast guide has other morning options, including halwa puri, and our experiences page has more ideas for the city.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best paya in Karachi?
Adnan Qureshi Paya in New Karachi is the most famous breakfast paya. Noman Qureshi Nalli Bong Paya, in PIB Colony and Garden West, is the popular choice for nalli and bong paya.
What time does Adnan Qureshi Paya open?
It opens early in the morning, with queues from about 6:30 am. Arrive by 8:30 am, because the paya often sells out by mid-morning.
How much does paya cost in Karachi?
In 2026, a single plate of beef paya costs about PKR 560 at a popular delivery chain, a special or nalli plate PKR 900 to 950, and bong paya for two about PKR 1,600.
What is bong paya?
Paya cooked with bong, the meaty shank, so the dish has chunks of meat as well as the gelatinous trotter gravy. Nalli bong paya adds marrow bones.
Can I get paya late at night in Karachi?
Some paya shops have traded late into the night, but under the 2026 closing rules dine-in should end by 11 pm. Takeaway and delivery are exempt, so ordering in is the easiest late-night option.
