Do you recall those cool pineapple pastries that were bright in color and dripped icy sugar syrup with each bite? No matter how many cheesecakes they eat, it is a fundamental memory that many Hyderabadi children from the 1990s and 2000s find impossible to let go of. Those overly sweet, neon-colored pastries, which were served on a thin paper plate, were spectacular but not gourmet. You have a bakery culture that influenced the city's overall palate when you combine that with a rich dilkhush, a buttery bun, or a cream roll with a lovely coating of frosting.
Hyderabad's traditional bakeries were more than just stores for a very long time. Serving schoolchildren's cravings for cream rolls, office workers stopping for a plate of biscuits and chai, and elderly people gathering rusks for their evening tea time, they were a part of daily life. However, a lot of these bakeries have either disappeared or undergone such radical changes over time that they are hardly identifiable.
The india Herald has taken on the challenge of documenting the disappearance of Hyderabad's traditional bakeries in this piece. In a city known for its bakery culture, we honor the ones that once stood tall, take a look at the cherished baked goods, and investigate the factors that contributed to their final decline.
Iconic old-school bakeries of Hyderabad
Hyderabad's old-school baking heritage is largely preserved by the smaller, less well-known bakeries, even if several well-known brands, including Subhan and Karachi, have modernized. Only a small number of neighborhood bakeries in both the old and new cities still make nostalgic delicacies the way they used to.
Consider the Morine Bakery, which is located close to Nanal Nagar. Even though it is so old, the locals still adore it. Regulars commend its decades-long consistency and recall its cream rolls, dil Pasand slices, and desi-style burgers.
Another illustration would be the Kings and Cardinal Bakers in Himayatnagar, which was previously the epicenter of student food and is well-known for its bread rolls, chocolate eclairs, butterscotch pastries, and handmade burgers. Locals continue to honor their memory despite the fact that their management has changed since the pandemic.
Established in the 1960s, Lakdikapul's Garden Bakery continues to provide a wide selection of biscuits, puffs, spring rolls, hot dogs, and other treats. Amjad, a college student, incorporates Garden Bakery into his daily routine. Every day on my way home, I stop by this bakery because it's close to the metro station. "My favorite is their dilpasand and dry cakes," he tells india Herald.
The nostalgic treats
A simpler, more soulful selection of baked treats could be found at Hyderabad's bakeries prior to fondant cakes and cheesecakes becoming the standard. These stores specialized in simple, reasonably priced snacks that were freshly prepared, easily recognizable by their scent and appearance.
In the dessert area, classics included cream rolls, dilkhush, dilpasand, cool cakes, buttercream pastries, plum cakes, coconut macarons, cream buns, and tutti fruti cookies. Not to be overlooked are the pizzas, cutlets, spring rolls, hot dog rolls, and Desi-style curry burgers that were served with crispy hot chips.
How has the time (and menu) changed?
Increasing ingredient costs, shifting consumer tastes, and the increasing dominance of café culture are some of the reasons behind the demise of Hyderabad's traditional bakeries. Demand for simple buttercream pastries and curry rolls started to decline as the city shifted toward international culinary trends and desserts with a strong presentation. Numerous family-owned bakeries quietly closed because they were unable to compete or meet the expenses.
The survivors have had to change. Hot dog rolls and jam-filled pastries have given way to jar cakes, truffle brownies, peri-peri nibbles, and fondant cakes that look good in photos. The majority of neighborhood bakeries in the old city have accepted this change, signaling the end of one era and the start of another; however, others stubbornly cling to the past.
Hyderabad's traditional bakeries were more than just stores for a very long time. Serving schoolchildren's cravings for cream rolls, office workers stopping for a plate of biscuits and chai, and elderly people gathering rusks for their evening tea time, they were a part of daily life. However, a lot of these bakeries have either disappeared or undergone such radical changes over time that they are hardly identifiable.
The india Herald has taken on the challenge of documenting the disappearance of Hyderabad's traditional bakeries in this piece. In a city known for its bakery culture, we honor the ones that once stood tall, take a look at the cherished baked goods, and investigate the factors that contributed to their final decline.
Iconic old-school bakeries of Hyderabad
Hyderabad's old-school baking heritage is largely preserved by the smaller, less well-known bakeries, even if several well-known brands, including Subhan and Karachi, have modernized. Only a small number of neighborhood bakeries in both the old and new cities still make nostalgic delicacies the way they used to.
Consider the Morine Bakery, which is located close to Nanal Nagar. Even though it is so old, the locals still adore it. Regulars commend its decades-long consistency and recall its cream rolls, dil Pasand slices, and desi-style burgers.
Another illustration would be the Kings and Cardinal Bakers in Himayatnagar, which was previously the epicenter of student food and is well-known for its bread rolls, chocolate eclairs, butterscotch pastries, and handmade burgers. Locals continue to honor their memory despite the fact that their management has changed since the pandemic.
Established in the 1960s, Lakdikapul's Garden Bakery continues to provide a wide selection of biscuits, puffs, spring rolls, hot dogs, and other treats. Amjad, a college student, incorporates Garden Bakery into his daily routine. Every day on my way home, I stop by this bakery because it's close to the metro station. "My favorite is their dilpasand and dry cakes," he tells india Herald.
The nostalgic treats
A simpler, more soulful selection of baked treats could be found at Hyderabad's bakeries prior to fondant cakes and cheesecakes becoming the standard. These stores specialized in simple, reasonably priced snacks that were freshly prepared, easily recognizable by their scent and appearance.
In the dessert area, classics included cream rolls, dilkhush, dilpasand, cool cakes, buttercream pastries, plum cakes, coconut macarons, cream buns, and tutti fruti cookies. Not to be overlooked are the pizzas, cutlets, spring rolls, hot dog rolls, and Desi-style curry burgers that were served with crispy hot chips.
How has the time (and menu) changed?
Increasing ingredient costs, shifting consumer tastes, and the increasing dominance of café culture are some of the reasons behind the demise of Hyderabad's traditional bakeries. Demand for simple buttercream pastries and curry rolls started to decline as the city shifted toward international culinary trends and desserts with a strong presentation. Numerous family-owned bakeries quietly closed because they were unable to compete or meet the expenses.
The survivors have had to change. Hot dog rolls and jam-filled pastries have given way to jar cakes, truffle brownies, peri-peri nibbles, and fondant cakes that look good in photos. The majority of neighborhood bakeries in the old city have accepted this change, signaling the end of one era and the start of another; however, others stubbornly cling to the past.
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