A meat lover’s guide to Ahmedabad
From bite-sized buff ‘samosas’ to ‘dosa’ omelette, there is enough non-vegetarian food in the city, only if you look in the right direction
In 2024, Ahmedabad was awarded the country’s “most vegan-friendly city" by PETA India, even though it is one of the highest consumers of cheese. The city is often touted as vegetarian if not vegan. This is where big food brands like Pizza Hut opened their all-vegetarian outlet, and KFC was forced to have a vegetarian menu with separate kitchen and staff. That it is difficult to find non-vegetarian food here is a myth.
Most non-vegetarian eateries are located in areas with higher Muslim population, either in Mirzapur and Bhadra in the Old City, or in Juhapura. Unlike the cuisines of Delhi and Lucknow, where there is a heavy Mughal influence, Ahmedabad’s non-vegetarian food is largely influenced by the Dawoodi Bohra community and the Irani Muslims. Bhatiyar Galli, named after bhatiyars or cooks who cater to large gatherings, is well-known for its shops and carts selling fresh meat and dried fish along with kebabs and other grilled meats.
Eat your way through Ahmedabad's unique non-vegetarian food offerings with this guide.
New Famous Samosa House and Bera Samosa
Eating buff kebabs may seem like a political choice in Ahmedabad, but in the Old City, it is an everyday affair. Shops here make the bite-sized samosas and sell by weight ( ₹ 40/100gms) with a stuffing of minced buff cooked with onion and chillies. They also have deep-fried kebabs the size of a lemon (also made with minced buff). New Famous Samosa House in Mirzapur and Bera Samosa in Bhadra near Teen Darwaza are the two strong contenders for these snacks. At the former, you can pair them with buns to make a meal out of it.
New Irani Restaurant
The pre-independence era restaurant in the walled city has gone through a bit of a makeover in the past few years. The blue arches, tables with Persian tiles and a display of classic kitchen tools behind the cash counter, place it somewhere between the classic and the modern. The restaurant is known for its Irani chai and bun maska with white butter. The bun was once made with an egg wash, which was later discontinued to cater to the vegetarian clientele. The dal gosht ( ₹ 230) is a must-try, and is a flavourful dish of goat meat cooked with lentils till it is tender. Order it with a plate of plain khichdi ( ₹ 70).
sandwichworkZ
This 13-year-old café is an anomaly. Where most non-vegetarian restaurants and shops are located in pockets with high Muslim population, sandwichworkZ is located on IIM Road in the posh part of the city. The menu offers largely sandwiches and burgers, but the Indian food section is equally diverse. The mutton korma ( ₹ 480) tastes familiar, like the kinds found in an old Delhi home; not surprising since the owner is from the capital. The meat is tender, spices subtle and the curry runny — perfect to dip a soft tawa roti in. Also order the delicate mutton galawati kebab ( ₹ 420) served with paratha cut into triangles.
Rajdarbar Caterers and Javed Nihari Wala
Both the shops are situated in the Juhapura area near Sarkhej Roza, the 15th century Sufi mosque. While Rajdarbar ( ₹ 360 for mutton nihari) is local, Javed ( ₹ 250 for nalli nihari) is an import from Delhi’s Jamia Nagar. Both the places are known for their Delhi-style nihari made with buff as well as goat meat – the unmistakable carmine red colour and layer of oil floating on top of the curry are hard to miss. Wipe it off with their fluffy khamiri roti.
Magic Chicken
Ahmedabad’s street-side non-vegetarian food stalls are known for their tawa dishes, mutton or buff cooked in a variety of spice combinations on tawa like bheja fry, gurda fry, and chaap fry. However, there’s a new wave of food stalls that serve a range of Middle-eastern and Western-style chicken dishes. Magic Chicken has a limited menu of shawarma, shawai or marinated and grilled chicken, American broasted fried chicken served with fries, and chicken al faham ( ₹ 620 for full chicken) that is marinated in yoghurt and Arabic spices including sumac, cumin and chilli, and barbecued till the chicken is tender and charred.
RK Egg Eatery
The city is also dotted with road-side stalls selling omelettes and a variety of egg dishes. RK Egg Eatery is one of the oldest and has been catering to the student population. Located near the National Institute of Design campus, it has a menu of over 50 egg-based dishes. Some dishes may have a mention of kheema in the name like Hyderabadi kheema ( ₹ 90) and boiled tikka kheema ( ₹ 100), but it is eggs that mimic the texture of minced meat. Try the green omelette made with coriander and chillies ( ₹ 70), dosa omelette with vegetable fillings ( ₹ 220), the egg curries and also rice-based egg dishes.
Shirin Mehrotra is a Delhi-based food writer and researcher.
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