Menu

Karim's

Karim's Hotel, Old Delhi
Karim's Hotel, Old Delhi Image: Wikimedia Commons. Edmund Gall / CC BY-SA 2.0

Overview

Karim's is an Indian restaurant chain headquartered in Delhi, known for serving Mughlai cuisine. Its flagship outlet, located in the Gali Kababian lane near the Jama Masjid in Old Delhi, is regarded as a landmark of the city's culinary heritage and is frequently cited in writings on Delhi's food culture.

Key facts

Name Karim's
Type Restaurant chain
Cuisine Mughlai
Headquarters Delhi, India
Flagship location Gali Kababian, near Jama Masjid, Old Delhi
Founder Haji Karimuddin
Founded 1913

Background

Karim's was founded by Haji Karimuddin, whose family traced its culinary lineage to cooks who had served in the Mughal court. The restaurant opened in the lanes around the Jama Masjid in Shahjahanabad, an area that has historically hosted a concentration of eateries serving north Indian Muslim cuisine. The original menu drew on dishes associated with the kitchens of the Mughal nobility, adapted for a commercial setting catering to pilgrims, traders and visitors to the mosque.

History

The flagship establishment was set up in 1913, coinciding with the period when Delhi was being prepared as the new capital of British India. Over the following decades, the restaurant expanded its menu and reputation, and was passed down through successive generations of the founder's family, who continued to operate it as a family-run business.

In later years, Karim's expanded beyond its original premises, opening branches in other parts of Delhi and the National Capital Region, and subsequently franchised outlets in other Indian cities. The brand has also been associated with overseas outlets, contributing to its description as an international chain.

Cuisine and significance

The restaurant is associated with dishes such as mutton burra, seekh kebab, mutton korma, nihari, biryani and various breads from the tandoor. Karim's is widely cited in food writing on Delhi as one of the principal repositories of the city's Mughlai tradition, and its flagship outlet is a regular stop on heritage food walks in the area around the Jama Masjid and Chandni Chowk.

Its location places it within the broader food landscape of Old Delhi, which includes long-running establishments serving paratha, kebabs, sweets and street food. The restaurant has been featured in numerous travel guides and television programmes on Indian cuisine, and is frequently mentioned in discussions of food tourism in Delhi.

Operations

Karim's operates through a combination of family-run outlets and franchised branches. The flagship outlet near the Jama Masjid retains a courtyard-style layout typical of older eateries in Shahjahanabad, with kitchens visible to patrons.

References