Looking for the best restaurants in Lahore? Well look no further- this guide has everything you need to know about gluttony in Pakistan’s culture capital.
Imagine the best foodie city you’ve ever been to. Now imagine that on steroids, and you might come close to just how incredible Lahore’s food scene is. The lively Punjabi city is a foodie heaven, and there’s an endless number of contenders for the best restaurants in Lahore.
Before visiting (and subsequently spending over a month there), I had heard that Lahore knew how to cook. But what I experienced surpassed even my wildest expectations.
The juiciest of meats, the best naan I’ve ever encountered and dishes that literally burst with spices and flavors made my weeks in Lahore especially memorable. There was always a new place to eat at, and always a new dish to try.
Considering food is life, I made it a mission to visit Lahore’s top eateries during my stay in what is now my favorite city in the world.
From karahi to haleem to halwa puri to oreo cheesecake, here the ultimate guide to the best restaurants in Lahore – a city that truly has something for each and every type of foodie.
The Best Restaurants in Lahore
The best places to visit in Lahore are often restaurants. Here are some of the very best eats in the city!
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M Ashraf Mutton Shop
While the name of this restaurant might lead you to believe it only sells mutton, rest assured that all kinds of meats are on the menu.
This tikka shop in Gulberg was one of the most delicious places I ate at in Lahore, so delicious in fact that we ended up returning at least 5 times so far.
Yes, they might be known for their mutton, but the true highlight of M Ashraf was none other than their chicken piece. For 150 PKR, you can choose from a breast or leg piece to enjoy with raita and naan.
To this day, I’ve never encountered such tasty chicken. Pakistanis are truly masters of the BBQ and Mr. Ashraf’s business is undoubtedly one of the best restaurants in Lahore, and a bit of a hidden one at that!
The shop can be found in a roundabout in Gulberg 2, and has both indoor and outdoor seating. Expect to pay between 300-1000 PKR for larger dishes.
Asil Phajja Siri Paye
Located near the Badshahi Mosque, Phaja Siri Paye is a small shop that serves up some of the best food in Lahore. The specialties here are paya and mutton brain curry, both delicacies that Pakistanis are sure to know and love.
What’s backpacking Pakistan without trying some crazy new foods, right?
For those who might be visiting for the first time, don’t be scared off by the names! Paya (goat hoof) is absolutely DELICIOUS here, and is flavored to perfection. I also thoroughly enjoyed the mutton brain curry, which sounds weirder than it tastes.
Prices here are quite affordable, and while it doesn’t have the view that the nearby food street restaurants, it makes up for it in quality.
Keep in mind that there are multiple ‘Phajja Siri Paye” on Google Maps, yet the one you want to look for is “Asil Phajja Siri Paye.”
Its Walled City Location makes it a perfect place to pop in either before or after visiting iconic spots like the Lahore Fort or the Minar-e-Pakistan.
A full meal should cost around 200-500 PKR per person.
Tip: If you’ve never tried these dishes before, I highly recommend you order both the paye AND and the brain curry (also called bheja fry).
Riaz Halwa Puri
There are many places that might claim to have the best breakfast in Lahore, but I’m convinced that Riaz Halwa Puri actually does. The puri here is simply divine, and unlike some other breakfast spots, you can enjoy it all day long!
Riaz Halwa Puri is a small street-side shop in Anarkali Bazaar, where they make both halwa puri and chole bathure. Like many of the other spots on this list, I found myself coming back here time and time again.
There’s something to be said about each type of puri, and while I’m a self-proclaimed dessert addict, I think the chole bathure is my favorite. And if you’re looking for something else, you can also find chicken kachori here, too.
The best part about this modest locale is their incredible prices. For just 25 PKR, you can savor the deliciousness that has been being made here for 70 years!
Butt Karahi
Perhaps one of the most famous restaurants in Lahore, Butt Karahi is somewhat of an institution. This popular Lahori eatery has been operating since 1947, and I feel like you simply cannot visit the city without trying their karahi.
While it goes without saying that Butt Karahi is famous for their karahi (a chicken/mutton curry of sorts made with spices and many tomatoes), they also serve a full menu of Pakistani favorites.
Personally, I wouldn’t leave without trying their signature dish, but if karahi’s not your thing, dal, tandoor, tawa, masala, makhani, qeema and more is all on Butt’s menu.
Though it was a bit (okay, VERY) spicy for my gora tastebuds, my karahi experience was absolutely legendary. The chicken basically melted in my mouth and the flavors paired perfectly with naan and cold drinks.
Butt Karahi can get a bit pricier than some of Lahore’s other top restaurants, but it’s worth the splurge, especially if you’re a first-time visitor to the city.
A full plate of karahi is 1150 PKR for chicken and 2350 PKR for mutton. Most other dishes run between 500-1000 PKR.
Tip: The weirdest thing about Butt Karahi is there are SO MANY knockoff restaurants, many of which actually neighbor the real thing! The Butt Karahi you want to head to is in LAXMI CHOWK.
Haji Sardar Fish
Lahore is known for its fish come winter, and Haji Sardar is one of the best places to eat it. I personally love seafood so coming here was a real treat.
There are numerous kinds of fish to choose from, and the taste? Absolutely delicious!
Like most places in the world though, seafood here ain’t cheap. Expect to spend anywhere from 1000-1600 PKR for a full plate of fish, depending upon which variety you choose.
On the bright side though, portions are large- you’ll definitely be full after eating here!
I really enjoyed the fish tikka and baam fry fish. For those looking for non-seafood options, various inexpensive meat dishes are served here too, along with essentials like naan and chutneys.
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Muhammadi Nahari House
Another one of the best restaurants in Lahore is Muhammadi Nahari House, a popular locale that’s been serving its signature nahari for years.
If you’re not familiar with nahari, let this place be your introduction. Also spelled nihari, this flavorful stew is usually made from either beef or mutton slow-cooked with an array of spices and bone marrow.
I tried the beef nahari here and I was certainly not disappointed. The tender pieces of beef literally melted in my mouth. Though it’s one of the top restaurants in Lahore, don’t expect anything fancy as far as decor goes.
Even so, folks travel from all over Lahore and beyond to get a hold of their famous nahari, which also comes in chicken for those not too keen on other ghost.
Aside from its iconic namesake, the Nahari House also provides diners with other options too. The menu includes maghaz fry, nali, and even paya nahari too!
A full plate of nahari will run you about 500-1800 PKR depending on the type of meat you choose and whether or not you opt to have it fried.
The Nahari House is also famous for its “Special” nahari which is a pricey 1800 PKR.
While it’s certainly not the cheapest restaurant in Lahore, the quality of the dishes they serve make it a perfect place for tourists to have a special meal.
Tip: There are multiple Muhammadi Nahari Houses in Lahore, though the one that I recommend is located in Mozang. I also visited the branch on Abu Bakar road, though portions and taste is best at Mozang.
Kozi Haleem
I had never heard of haleem prior to backpacking in Pakistan but ended up enjoying it multiple times in none other than Lahore. The best place to eat haleem in the city is Kozi Haleem, a decades-old establishment that is famous for its signature stew dish.
It’s easy to get nahari and haleem confused if you aren’t familiar with the two, but haleem is slightly thicker and its color is mustard yellow whereas nahari tends to be darker and of a thinner consistency.
Kozi Haleem is one of the go-to cheap restaurants in Lahore, and also happens to be one of the oldest too. Taste was seriously on point here, especially when I was dipping freshly baked pieces of naan into my bowl!
One thing I noticed about the best restaurants in Lahore is that there are a LOT of copycats. If you google Kozi Haleem for example, you’ll find numerous locations, but the one you want to head to called “Kozi Haleem Secretariat” on National Highway 5.
Both beef and chicken haleem are available to eat, and each only costs 80 PKR for a bowl…so why noy try out both?
All dishes come with small trays of toppings that include green chilis, lemons, fried onions and cilantro (which unfortunately tastes like soap to me… sigh).
Siddique Kebab Shop
I was surprised when I discovered that one of the best places to eat in Lahore was in Model Town but y’all- this is no exaggeration. I was lucky enough to eat here twice so far and each time I was truly blown away.
Juicy pieces of mutton, beef and chicken along with traditional kebabs are all on the menu along with what I believe firmly cements this place on this list: their paratha.
I personally love paratha, and didn’t encounter a single other place in Pakistan that makes it better than Siddique’s.
Doughy, flaky, and a perfect companion to your main dish, I almost had to be rolled out after finally finishing.
What’s more is that Siddique Kebab Shop is located in a quiet neighborhood with a plethora of outdoor seating. Prices are not particularly cheap, but not the most expensive, especially if you’re sharing.
For example, beef tikka goes for 900 PKR, chicken boti is 770 PKR and beef seekh kebab is a much more wallet-friendly 360 PKR.
The specialty paratha is a bit pricey at 70 PKR per order, but trust me: your taste buds and stomach will thank you!
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Feeqa Lassi Walla
Located near Gawalmandi, Feeqa Lassi Walla is about as iconic as Lahore desserts get. This small but famous shop serves some of the best street food in Lahore, and they’ve been at it for decades.
The extra-large lassis are topped with a hefty serving of buttermilk fat and brown sugar, and is the perfect refresher from the Lahori heat. This was actually the first place we came to in the city, and boy was it an ideal foodie introduction!
This shop has been a Lahore staple for years on end, and once you have a sip you’ll learn why. While you can get the lassi without the toppings, I highly advise against that.
The thick and creamy buttermilk is what sets this lassi apart from others, and despite trying dozens of lassis all over Pakistan AND India, none compared to this one!
The shop is open from early in the morning until mid-afternoon, making it an ideal nashta spot. An extra creamy lassi costs about 160 PKR.
Haveli Restaurant
Perhaps the top roof restaurant in Lahore, the Haveli Restaurant is an iconic (albeit expensive) place to eat that overlooks the famous Badshahi Mosque.
The restaurant itself is located on “Food Street” and its views definitely live up to the hype.
Of course, if you’re coming here to eat you HAVE to sit on the roof. While the food is nothing special and will certainly dent your wallet, you can always come for a cup of Kashmiri chai to avoid overpaying for a meal.
This is what we did and it was definitely worth it, even though the chai was still pretty expensive at 145 PKR .
Nevertheless, Haveli is one of the best restaurants in Lahore for special occasions due to its scenic views. If you plan to have a full meal here, expect to pay anywhere from 700- 2000 PKR depending on what you order.
Tip: The best time to come here is right before sunset to catch the Badshahi Mosque and surrounding areas illuminated in orange/pink golden hour light!
Yousaf Falooda
One of the best restaurants in Lahore for dessert is none other than Yousaf Falooda, a long time staple located in Anarkali.
While there are many falooda shops in the city with the exact same name, the one in Anarkali Bazaar just might be the best.
What really sets Yousaf Falooda apart is their delicious kulfi falooda, which combines the two popular desserts into a creamy, sweet bowl that you won’t be able to resist.
For those not in the know, the ice-cream like dessert is filled with translucent noodles and creamy sticks of kulfi.
As an ice-cream addict myself, I quickly fell in love with kulfi, and here the quality of the frozen custard was second to none. This dessert especially hits the spot in the summer, but is open to be enjoyed all year round.
A small bowl is 120 PKR while a large bowl is 170 PKR.
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Shah Chicken Tawa Roast
Right across the street from the aforementioned Phaja Siri Paye, Shah has the best chicken tawa in Lahore, and delicious roti to go with it.
The spices, the tenderness, the flavor: it was all so good I came back here at least 3 times in the month I spent in Lahore.
The best dish to dry here is the traditional tawa chicken, which is expertly marinated chicken that is then cut into small chunks and then roasted on the tawa (AKA a desi frying pan).
Though I deff recommend trying that version, you can also experience all the epic flavors with chicken pieces of either breast or legs as well. Foreigners be warned: tawa chicken is SPICY, and that’s where the naan, raita and cold drinks come in.
This top Lahori restaurant is fairly priced as well, especially compared to the Food Street restaurants nearby. Expect to pay between 300-700 PKR depending on what and how much you order!
Chatkhara
Chatkhara may not be as well known as some of the other best restaurants in Lahore, but trust me, it should be! The small DHA eatery specializes in a dish that none of the other famous eating places do: daal mash.
Before coming to Lahore, I had only tried daal in India, and it was always of the brown variety. Daal mash is completely different though.
It’s more yellow instead of brown, and far, far tastier. I’m not overexaggerating when I say Chatkhara’s was the best daal I had in all of Pakistan.
Flavorful and creamy, it paired excellently with their naan, of which they have literally a dozen options to choose from.
Aside from their signature specialty, Chatkhara has tons of other food options to choose from, including everything from malai boti to mutton karahi.
Expect to pay 240 PKR for the daal, and anywhere from 120 PKR- 1350 PKR for their various other dishes.
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Hotspot Cafe
As someone who is obsessed with oreo cheesecakes and other gluttonous desserts, I was taken aback the first time I visited the Hotspot Cafe.
The iconic dessert place has been opened since 1995, and nowadays operates numerous branches all over Pakistan, with 4 in Lahore alone.
Delicious ice cream, cheesecake, brownies, cakes and more all homemade here, and it’s all done so with perfection.
The cute interior makes it one of the best restaurants in Lahore for couples, and the quality of their items will definitely have you coming back for more.
I fell in love with their Oreo Cheesecake, which was something I definitely wasn’t expecting to find in the city, though if cheesecake ain’t your thing, you can’t go wrong with any one of their offerings.
Admittedly, Hotspot is NOT cheap and it’s not exactly somewhere where you’ll find traditional Lahori treats.
Nevertheless, it’s a sugar-lovers’ paradise that I HAD to include in this guide. Expect to pay between 180-650 PKR depending on what you order.
Tip: While there are numerous locations in Lahore, the nicest one is located near Qadaffi Stadium.
Best Street Food in Lahore
Now that I’ve given a low down of the best actual restaurants in Lahore, here are three of my favorite street dishes that you should definitely try while visiting the city.
Unsurprisingly, Lahore’s street food game is top-notch and this list will be updated as I continue discovering more!
Corn Stand
…Corn? Yes, corn. The best corn I’ve ever had in my life (like many other dishes, apparently) was tried in none other than Lahore.
Vendors roast various types of corn kernels and even peanuts in soot, spice and salt them, and put them in different sized bags all for about 10-20 PKR.
While Pakistanis might not get the hype, as a foreigner I cannot rave enough about these delicious little stands.
They do not exist everywhere in the country, and are absent in places like Hunza Valley or elsewhere in GB, so do enjoy them in fall and winter.
Boy, do I miss having one right outside of my doorstep!
Saag Paneer
A thick stew of spinach, paneer and spices this Punjabi favorite is especially popular in the winters, though I was able to find it in the Anarkali Bazaar in August as well.
A whopping heap of butter is often plopped atop the dish, and the best part is it’s served with corn roti, which was the only time I encountered it in all of Pakistan!
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Chicken Corn Soup
I tried this in mid-November from a random Lahori street stall and it was so good that I ended up making it numerous times once I arrived back home.
Shredded chicken, hard-boiled eggs, even more eggs, and spices and a generous addition of black pepper give this a unique flavor that sets it apart from other similar soups.
Jalebi
For those yet to experience the magic that is jalebi, let me quickly explain: Jalebi is a popular sweet that you can literally find all over Lahore.
The bright orange dessert is made by frying a combination of sugary syrup and flour into pretzel-shaped treats. Not all jalebi is created equal though, so don’t be afraid to try a few different stalls!
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Map Of the Best Restaurants in Lahore
Best Restaurants in Lahore: Wrap Up
And with that, so concludes my guide to the best restaurants in Lahore. Lahore is undoubtedly one of the world’s most underrated foodie paradises that you should consider yourself lucky to be able to enjoy!
While these are some of the most iconic eating spots in the city, I have no doubt that in typical Lahori fashion, there are dozens of more hidden locales that deserve a spot in this guide and in my stomach.
Feel free to comment any restaurants I might have missed, as I’m always down for a new culinary quest!
Lahore Lahore hai!
Samantha is the founder of Intentional Detours. Originally from the USA, she’s been backpacking the world since 2017, and is passionate about slow, adventure travel that puts local communities first. She has visited 19 countries and has been living in the Karakoram Mountains of Asia’s Hunza Valley since 2021. She’s super passionate about helping people get off the beaten path anywhere (on a budget of course), and her travel writing has been published in the likes of BBC Travel, CNBC, Business Insider, and more.
Lahore looks like it has some incredible food. The Jalebi is something I really want to try after reading this but so many of these dishes look great. I love traveling through food, and Pakistan seems like a good place to do that
What an amazing gastronomic journey you have presented of the streets of Lahore. Though its my neighboring country, I havent had the pleasure yet of traveling there.
Wow, I didn’t know that Lahore is a foodie city. I have to admit that most of these food are foreign to me, but they all look exciting! When I go to Pakistan, I’ll make sure not to miss Lahore.