Cafe Niloufer

Cafe Niloufer is a historic Irani cafe brand from the 1970s, famed across Hyderabad, Telangana, for its Irani chai and Osmania biscuits. The branch on Niloufer Hospital Road in Red Hills, near Lakdi-ka-pul, is one of the best-known outlets, and the brand also operates in Banjara Hills. The cafe sits in a central part of the city near government offices, hospitals and the busy Lakdi-ka-pul junction, so its customers include office workers, hospital visitors, students and long-time residents who have made a habit of stopping in for tea. The cuisine is that of the traditional Irani cafe, a tradition brought to Hyderabad by Persian immigrants. The chai is strong, milky and slightly sweet, prepared in large volumes and served in small cups. The signature items are Irani chai, Osmania biscuits and cake rusk. Osmania biscuits are lightly sweet and salty and are made for dipping, while cake rusk is a twice-baked crisp slice that suits tea. The cafe is not a full-meal restaurant, so visitors tend to come for a short stop rather than a long sit-down dinner. The atmosphere is casual, lively and crowded at peak times, particularly in the early morning and evening, and service is fast because tea is the core product. There is no dress code and no reservation system; customers queue or find a seat and order at the counter. The cafe has no wine or cocktail programme, and its beverages are focused on tea and a few other hot and cold drinks. Prices are low, at roughly INR 60 to 200 per person, and packed biscuits and rusks are sold for takeaway. The listed hours are 6AM to 11PM daily. The brand is often visited by travellers who want to experience the culture of Hyderabad's chai cafes and bring home a box of Osmania biscuits.