Archive · 30 Aug 2026
Hyderabad’s Dining Scene Moves Beyond Biryani, Embracing Global Flavours
Hyderabad is famous for foods like biryani and haleem.
Now, people in the city are also trying more kinds of restaurants and drinks.
New places serve food and cocktails inspired by other parts of India and the world.
Bar Stormy is one new bar in the Financial District.
It makes some drinks using local flavours such as tamarind, cardamom and curry leaves.
The bar also serves food influenced by global tapas but includes mutton nihari.
At the same time, restaurants such as Theta Theta Telugu are presenting traditional Telugu food in new ways.
This means Hyderabad is trying new things without forgetting its own food traditions.
Hyderabad’s restaurant scene is expanding beyond biryani, mandi and haleem with new Indian and international venues.
Bar Stormy, launched by Minakshi Singh and Yangdup Lama, brings experimental cocktails and global tapas to the Financial District.
The bar’s cocktails and food incorporate local ingredients and preferences, including cardamom, tamarind, curry leaves and mutton.
The city’s growing population of global-company employees and changing demographics are encouraging more people to dine and drink out.
Restaurants such as Theta Theta Telugu are pairing contemporary presentation with traditional Telugu ingredients and culinary identity.
- Who
- Bar owners Minakshi Singh and Yangdup Lama, partner Kishore Pallamreddy, and Hyderabad’s restaurateurs and diners are central to the story.
- What
- Hyderabad’s dining and drinking culture is expanding beyond its biryani reputation, combining experimental global offerings with regional Telugu cuisine.
- When
- The shift has accelerated over the past 10-odd months; Bar Stormy opened last month, while Theta Theta Telugu opened in late 2025.
- Where
- Hyderabad, particularly the Financial District, along with restaurants and bars across the city.
- Why
- Changing demographics, the growth of global capability centres and a greater appetite for going out and trying new food and drinks are driving the change.
- New bar
- Bar Stormy is Minakshi Singh and Yangdup Lama’s first South India bar.
- Location
- Bar Stormy is located near Hyderabad’s Financial District.
- Global workplaces
- Hyderabad hosts more than 400 global capability centres, including those of Google, Microsoft and Meta.
- Recent openings
- New arrivals include Fireback, Hosa, Baan Padthai, Oota and Izumi.
- Local cocktails
- Stormy Samba uses butter-washed bourbon, cardamom and reduced beer, while Stormy McStormface combines dark rum, tamarind, jaggery and curry-leaf soda.
- Regional cuisine
- Theta Theta Telugu uses ingredients including murrel from the Krishna backwaters, pennada brinjal from Bhimavaram and Potla sheep mutton.