Karim’s

Karim's in Powai brings a little of Old Delhi's legendary Jama Masjid dining tradition to Mumbai's sprawling northern suburbs. The original Karim's, founded in 1913 by Haji Karimuddin whose ancestors cooked for Mughal emperors, remains one of the most celebrated restaurants in the subcontinent, and the Powai outpost carries forward that inheritance with faithful attention. Powai itself has transformed in recent decades from a sleepy lakeside neighborhood into a hub of technology companies, business schools, and upscale residential complexes, attracting Muslim professionals who appreciate a reliable halal kitchen serving the rich Mughlai dishes of their heritage. The menu at Karim's Powai reads like a primer on Mughal court cuisine, with mutton korma slow-cooked in yogurt, fried onions, and cashew paste, chicken jahangiri named after the fourth Mughal emperor and prepared with a rich almond and saffron gravy, mutton burra kebab chopped from the rib cage and marinated in raw papaya and spices before grilling, and seekh kebabs hand-minced with green chilies and coriander. The restaurant's signature mutton biryani arrives in a sealed handi, the dough crust cracked open at the table to release an aromatic steam carrying notes of kewra water, cardamom, and browned onions. Every meat cut adheres to halal standards, and the chefs trace their apprenticeships to the Jama Masjid kitchens where Karim's originated. Breads include tandoori roti, butter naan, sheermal scented with saffron milk, and khameeri roti, an old-fashioned leavened bread once served in the Red Fort's royal kitchens. Kheer, firni set in clay pots, and shahi tukda made from fried bread soaked in rabri syrup provide a fitting sweet finale. Weekend lunches fill the dining room with families, and during Ramadan the restaurant offers both iftar and suhoor services, with special nihari and paya on the menu during the last ten days. The decor blends brass lamps, Mughal miniatures, and Urdu calligraphy recalling the restaurant's imperial lineage. Powai's tech professionals often order delivery during late work nights, while weekend evenings bring families gathering for reunions after long work weeks, and the restaurant has earned a reputation as a reliable choice for hosting out-of-town relatives from Delhi, Lucknow, or Aligarh who arrive expecting the standards of Mughlai dining they grew up with.