Eating Karachi: Burns Road to the boat basin

Burns Road and the old city

Burns Road is the oldest food street in Karachi and still the busiest. It runs through the old city centre, close to the bazaars and the colonial-era buildings around Saddar. The street is known for halwa puri breakfasts, nihari, haleem and dense sweet shops. Most of it is eaten standing or at small tables set on the pavement.

The food here is Punjabi and Muhajir in origin, with stalls that have passed through families for generations. Breakfast is the best time to see the street at work. By afternoon the snack stalls take over, and by evening the nihari and barbecue places are full. The lanes off the main road are worth a walk for samosas, pakoras and kebab rolls.

What to order first

Start with halwa puri, a fried bread served with sweet semolina and chickpeas. Nihari, a slow-cooked beef stew, is the other signature dish and is eaten with naan. Both are heavy, so plan a walk between meals rather than eating everything at one stall.

Barbecue and grill houses

Karachi barbecue is a separate tradition from the street snacks of Burns Road. The grill houses of the central districts cook seekh kebab, chicken tikka and bihari kebab over charcoal, usually from late afternoon until well after midnight. Many are simple rooms with plastic chairs and a single grill at the front.

The style is smoky and lightly spiced, with lemon and onion served on the side. Order by the skewer or by weight, and expect bread and salad to come with the meat. The busiest places are the ones to choose. A grill house with empty tables at nine in the evening is usually empty for a reason.

The boat basin at Clifton

The boat basin sits at the western end of Clifton, where small fishing boats moor along the creek. The seafood stalls here are a Karachi institution. You choose a fish from the ice, agree the weight and have it grilled or fried on the spot. Prawns, pomfret and lobster are the usual orders.

Tables are set outdoors and the pace is slow. Lunch is quieter than dinner, when the basin fills with families and the smell of charcoal. The fish is sold by weight and a fee is charged for cooking. Check the fish before it goes on the grill and ask for it to be shown whole.

Getting there

The boat basin is a short drive from the Clifton seafront and can be reached by taxi or rickshaw. Traffic along the seafront is heavy in the evening, so allow extra time if going for dinner. The area is busy but straightforward to visit.

Seafront snacks and sweets

Sea View is the long seafront road that runs through Clifton and DHA. After sunset the roadside fills with carts selling corn on the cob, chaat, gol gappay and ice cream. It is a casual end to a day of eating, and the sea breeze makes it a comfortable place to walk between snacks.

Karachi sweets are worth a separate stop. The old city shops sell gulab jamun, barfi and jalebi, often made in the morning and sold through the day. A box of mixed sweets travels well if you are leaving the city. Buy from a shop with a fast turnover and eat the jalebi while it is still warm.

Frequently asked questions