Nimrah Cafe and Bakery

Nimrah Cafe and Bakery is a tiny Irani cafe on Charminar Road, within sight of Charminar in the Old City of Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It is known for Irani chai and Osmania biscuits, and it has become one of the most photographed and visited tea stops in the historic quarter. The setting is small and simple: a compact cafe with a bakery counter in front, where locals and tourists crowd together at peak times and standing room is common. The cuisine is that of the Hyderabadi Irani cafe tradition, which grew out of the tea houses opened by Persian migrants in the city. Irani chai, a strong milky tea brewed to a distinctive sweetness, is the signature drink. Osmania biscuits, a lightly sweet and salty tea biscuit, are the emblematic pairing and are often dunked in the tea. The bakery counter also sells bun maska, a soft bun split and filled with butter, and nan khatai, a crumbly shortbread-style cookie, along with other cookies and baked snacks. The dining atmosphere is informal, noisy and quick, with no dress code and no reservation system; the cafe works entirely on a walk-in basis. There is no wine or cocktail programme, and tea is the centre of the offering. Prices are among the lowest of any venue in the city, at about ₹50-250 per person, roughly $1-3, so it is an inexpensive stop even for a family. The cafe opens early, at about 6AM, and stays open until about 11PM, which suits both an early walk around the monument before the crowds and a late tea after the evening markets. The entrance is stepped and the space is very small, so access for wheelchair users is limited. Visitors often pair the cafe with a walk through Laad Bazaar for bangles, a visit to Charminar itself and a stop at nearby Old City restaurants for biryani. Packaged boxes of biscuits are popular as inexpensive souvenirs to take home.