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Hyderabad is known for its Mughlai culture embedded with a typical south Indian mindset. This city can be called the Delhi of South, people are more inclined towards winning an argument in a what-so manner ever, everything else fades away at that moment and to be honest food and culture play a huge part in this behavior. The real Hyderabad is not in the Salar Jung Museum or the Golkonda Fort, the heart of Hyderabad doesn’t lie in its heritages, it lies in its food, culture, and atmosphere. The very dialect of a language in a place can tell you about the food they eat and the type of life they lead. Being born in Hyderabad is a privilege and I am a hard-core Hyderabadi. In this blog, you will see Hyderabad from a local’s eyes. And trust me if you ever visit Hyderabad you will not follow any other blog. If you’ve missed any of these spots during your travel to this insane city, you should revisit now.
Rio Samosa Point:
Samosa is a snack that is close to every Indian’s heart. Well, Rio Onion samosa is the best one you will find in the entire Hyderabad and if you ask me even South India. The point opens at around 4 every day in the evening, the place sells more than 2500 samosas in just 4 hours. The point is located extremely close to the Secunderabad central and the RTC central bus depot. And almost every bus touches Secunderabad central, resulting in a huge number of employees walking down the lane and forgetting about their stressful routines for a few moments before catching their connecting bus. The point is so famous that there was a bus stop named after it a few years ago.
How To Reach:
Rio Samosa is situated near the clock tower at the Patny center crossroads. You can take a cab or else walk from the Secunderabad central station as it is in very close proximity.
Mujtaba Grills:
The new USPs of Hyderabad are ‘Shawarma and Mandi’. ‘Mujtaba grills’ are known for its Shawarma. It gives you the best shawarma in the entire city at the most reasonable price of 120 Rs. The Shawarma is not too spicy, not bland yet it hits you hard. The taste of a Shawarma lies in the recipe of the tomato masala, and this place nails it. It gives you one of the juiciest shawarmas in possible with minimum Mayonnaise. The place gained popularity for the Paneer shawarma. I know Paneer Shawarma is to waste of an effort to eat, but this place nails it too. Though Paneer isn’t as good as the Chicken Shawarma, it still hits you right in your gut. I can tell you that this place will provide you with arguably the best ‘Shawarma’ in the entirety of South India.
How To Reach:
Take a cab to Picket road or else you can take a bus on 218 or 219 routes.
Alpha Café:
One of the most prominent and most visited Cafés of Hyderabad. Established way back, the Alpha hotel gained popularity throughout the city for the chai it served. For a fact, it still serves the best Irani chai in the city. It opens at 4 in the morning and runs till 11 in the night. The café is located exactly beside Secunderabad central, making it a public hotspot for an evening snack. People rush into the place for a cup of tea, continuously worried whether they are going to miss their connecting bus is the ‘malai’ over your chai.
If you ever board a train at the Secunderabad central, do not forget to taste the Alpha special Irani chai. It is a symbol of hope that not everything is going south, somethings will stay intact.
How To Reach:
Situated exactly beside the Central Railway station. All you should do is cross the road.
Ram Ki Bandi:
What started as a regular tiffin spot in the residential neighborhood of Afzal Gunj has now transformed into the early morning hangout spot of the city. Ram ki Bandi was the first place to experiment with South Indian food in the city. The Dosa along Coconut-Pudina chutney of the place is the perfect way to start your day. The restaurant opens as early as 4 Am and closes at around 9 Am. On average it sells 54 dosas in every 5 minutes. Ram Ki Bandi is one of the few things in Hyderabad worth waking at 3 in the morning. Crowds start gathering as early as 3:30 in the morning including the winter and the rainy seasons. Though a lot of places have duplicated this idea of opening early with similar menus, Ram Ki Bandi remains always ahead in the race.
How To Reach:
Book a cab in advance if your going in the earliest of the morning. The location is Begum Bazar, Ram Ki Bandi. You can go after sunrise as well but it won't be fun.
Charminar:
If you’ve visited Charminar during the day, and you’re still in Hyderabad go back at night. The nightlife culture was first introduced at Charminar. Charminar enlightens the entire neighborhood during the night. The old city of Hyderabad is always alive throughout the day, but its heartbeat can be heard at night. The beauty of the monument comes out at night. The local food stalls remain open all night, as the inflow of customers keeps increasing by the hour. Though, Hyderabad is famous for its chicken Biryani it’s actually the Mutton Biryani at Charminar that steals the show. The local stalls provide you with crisp and juicy mutton pieces in the biryani. Cooked at low flame for over an hour, the biryani could easily win you the title of MasterChef.
How To Reach:
If you are visiting during the night, book a cab. That's the only way, if you want to enjoy it.
NeckLace Road:
The entire city stops at the Necklace road during the evenings. Constructed in the shape of a Necklace around the Hussain Sagar lake, the necklace road is the go-to hangout spot of the city. This location is more than just a hangout spot, it is an emotion that is deep-routed in the heart of every Hyderabadi. The road is filled with crowds during any celebration in the city. The road is used for marathons, rallies, and a lot more, including the Ganesh Nirmarjan. The Necklace road is filled with food stalls, mini-gaming centers, and cafeterias. If I were to explain Necklace road to you one line it would be “A central organ of the city which binds every citizen together.”
How To Reach:
Take a bus mostly route number 40 from Secunderabad Central. Get down at Himayat Nagar, take a bus route number 10 after that. Else take a cab or an auto.
Maharaja Chat:
You must have heard about Gokul Chaat in Koti. Well, let’s just say that this the new Gokul chaat on the rise. Maharaja Chat serves you by far the most delicious of Ragadas in the entire city. This might sound cliché but if haven’t eaten the Ragada patties here ‘Phir kya khaya apne’. I don’t know how but the patties over here are so sweet and tasty that it urges you to do the cliché sign of ‘Mmmm’ with your eyes closed and head waving around randomly.
How To Reach:
The chat bandar is located in the midst of Madhapur. Travelling from the Central railway station to here would take a lot of time by public transport. Yet if you want to try it take a 49 to Mehdipatnam, then board a 120 or 126 route. Simple way to reach, book a cab(Traffic is unbearable in this route.)
Osman Sagar:
What defines a city is not just the sound it can make but also the silence it can provide. Located in the extreme suburbs of the city, Osman Sagar is a perfect nature retreat and get-away from the noisy city. Osman Sagar is a reservoir constructed in Gandipet, Hyderabad. The lake offers you some mind-numbing visuals. It is “THE” spot to hang out with your pals if you’re on a group trip or simply want to laze around with a couple of beers. Osman Sagar will definitely trip you into the area of surrealistic time.
As I mentioned earlier, Hyderabad is known for its culture and food. If you want to know, understand and awaken the Hyderabadi vibe within you then you must visit the above places. I am completely sure that you will fall in love with the city while you travel around to these spots.