Karim's — Indian Hospitality Magazine
Legacy Restaurants

Karim's

Jama Masjid's 112-year Mughlai dynasty — where Old Delhi's royal kitchen still cooks

K

Haji Karimuddin (descendant of Mughal court cooks)

Founder · Est. 1913 · Jama Masjid, Old Delhi, Delhi NCR

Karim's was established in 1913 in a narrow lane near Jama Masjid by Haji Karimuddin, a descendant of cooks who had served in the kitchens of the Mughal court. When the Mughal dynasty ended, the recipes did not — Karimuddin took them from the Red Fort to the gullies of Old Delhi and opened a restaurant that would serve Mughal cuisine to anyone who could find it.

Over 112 years, Karim's has maintained its position as India's most recognised Mughlai restaurant. The preparations — mutton burra, chicken jahangiri, aloo gosht, and the seekh kebabs grilled on open coals at the restaurant's entrance — are prepared from recipes that the family traces to the Mughal period. The kitchen operates continuously from early morning to midnight, producing food at a scale that is industrial in volume but artisanal in method.

The lane behind Jama Masjid — accessed through a narrow opening in the wall of shops — is the journey. The grill at the entrance is the announcement. The dining room, with its plastic chairs and fluorescent lights, is not designed for aesthetics; it exists because the food requires a place to be consumed.

Karim's — additional image

“These recipes came from the Mughal court. We brought them to the street. The street has kept them alive for a hundred years.”

What Defines Karim's

Mutton Burra— Large mutton chops marinated and grilled over charcoal — the Mughal court preparation maintained in the Old Delhi lane.
Chicken Jahangiri— Named for the Mughal emperor; a preparation with a specific spice profile that Karim's attributes to its historical kitchen archives.
Seekh Kebab— Minced mutton kebabs grilled on skewers over open coals at the restaurant entrance. The first thing you see and smell.
Mutton Korma— Rich, slow-cooked mutton in a yoghurt-based gravy. The archetypal Mughlai preparation.
Badam Pasanda— Flattened mutton cooked with almond paste — the preparation that most clearly demonstrates the Mughal court's sophistication.

The Experience

You enter through a narrow lane behind Jama Masjid. The grill is at the entrance — coal smoke, the smell of meat, and the sound of skewers turning. The dining room is functional: plastic chairs, shared tables, fast service. The noise is the noise of Old Delhi — rickshaws, vendors, the mosque. The food is transcendent. The setting is democratic.

Rated & Reviewed By

Condé Nast Traveller India · New York Times · Lonely Planet India · Zomato 4.1★ · BBC Travel

Editorial Notes

  • Karim's has been profiled by The New York Times, BBC, CNN, and virtually every international food publication — it is Old Delhi's most documented restaurant.
  • The lane behind Jama Masjid is narrow and crowded; the journey is part of the experience.
  • The breakfast service (7:00–10:00 AM) — nahari and naan — is a distinct experience from lunch and dinner.
  • Mandatory curriculum reference for hospitality students studying Mughlai cuisine, heritage restaurants, and the Mughal culinary legacy.

Getting There

Nearest Metro: Jama Masjid (Violet Line, 5-minute walk through Old Delhi lanes). By road: Gali Kababian, near Gate 1 of Jama Masjid. Follow the lane behind the mosque.