Hyderabad: Why Irani cafes in this Indian city are dying out

The southern city of Hyderabad was once a centre for iconic Irani cafes - now many of them are closing down.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatchHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureTravelEarthVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS ElectionUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessWomen at the HelmFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioWeatherNewslettersIconic Irani cafes serving creamy chai and fresh samosas face extinction in Indian cityGetty ImagesThere are hundreds of Irani cafes in Mumbai, Pune and HyderabadA lingering fragrance of bun maska (bread and butter), plates loaded with freshly cooked samosas and cups of piping hot and creamy Irani chai.

These are some of the sights you would typically find at a Persian-style cafe in India.

Popularly known as Irani cafes, these iconic restaurants - with their signature marble-topped tables, old-style clocks, chequered floors and a distinctive menu - have been a part of India's culture for more than 100 years.

And their influence has spread beyond India: Dishoom, one of London's most recognisable restaurant chains, was inspired by these cafes.

They came up in cities like Mumbai and Pune in the 18th and 19th centuries when there was an influx of Persian immigrants from Iran.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg2rn0kexxo

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