By Tasveer Hasan 2 on March 1st 2022
Anand Crossing, Qaiserbagh Some 90 years ago, Mahadev Prasad Gupta left his native Unnao for Lucknow, and set up the business here. After him, his son Sunil Kumar Gupta; and now grandson Ashish Kumar Gupta have taken their tradition of excellence forward. Ashish says that customers come near and far for lassi. The enjoy the […]
By Tasveer Hasan 2 on March 1st 2022
On the near Odeon Cinema, Machchli Mohaal Mohammad Rahim says that this business was started by his father Makhdoom Baksh about 80 years ago. They used to live in this locality itself. He started out with tea and qeema samosa. Rahim’s mother used to prepare the qeema samosas. Even when Rahim was young, it was […]
By Tasveer Hasan 2 on March 1st 2022
22, Lalbagh Crossing Mohammad Asif is a graduate and has been managing the restaurant for the past six years along with his brother Yusuf. He tells us that this business was set up by his grandfather Ashraf Ansari back in 1960. His grandfathre had moved from Bijnore to Lucknow at the time of Partition. He […]
By Tasveer Hasan 2 on March 1st 2022
42, Trilokinath Marg, Sushanpura, Lalbagh Karanjeet Singh tells us: “The shop was named by my forebears. After partition, they fled straight to Lucknow and settled here. In the beginning, they set up shop in the verandah right outside. They would sit with chhole in a large platter and halwa in a pan, and customers ate […]
By Tasveer Hasan 2 on March 1st 2022
Lalbagh Lalit Sharma’s father Chandra Prakash Sharma moved from Aligarh to Lucknow, and set up a tea shop in 1950. Initially, a coal-fired clay oven was used for cooking. Tea was served in clay tumblers (kullhad) then, as it is today. Liberally buttered buns (bun-makkhan) was much liked. When Lalit was a boy, one serving […]
By Tasveer Hasan 2 on March 1st 2022
Lalbagh, Lucknow Dinesh Shankar Shukla, about 65, retired as a banking professional. For the past 50 years, he has manned the dispensing of batashas at one of Lucknow’s iconic chaat outlets—Shukla Chaat House. This outlet is unbelievably tiny. When asked, he responded that they never felt the need to expand. This much of space was […]
By Tasveer Hasan 2 on March 1st 2022
Opposite SBI Main Branch (Tare Wali Kothi) Anoop and his brother Ranu are pleased that they are now famous because of lemonade. The two brothers run this outlet jointly. They started with a trademark spiced lemonade in 1992, which sold for Rs. 8 a glass. Now they have added cold drinks and snacks to the […]
By Tasveer Hasan 2 on March 1st 2022
LIC Building, Hazratganj Some time back, a radio channel organized a ‘samosa challenge.’ The field comprised 268 competitors. The people of Lucknow had propelled the Sehgal brothers (Sanjay and Ashok), who sell samosas and tea in the compound of the LIC Building, to a spot among the las ten. The brothers could scarcely believe that […]
By Tasveer Hasan 2 on March 1st 2022
KD Singh Babu Stadium, Parivartan Chowk Laddoo Chanakya KD Singh ‘Babu’ Stadium, Parivartan Chowk When he was 17, Darshan Singh ran away from home. From Faizabad, he moved to Kanpur, and got a job at a shop that was renowned for kulfi. One day, the then Chief Secretary to the Government of Uttar Pradesh came […]
By Tasveer Hasan 2 on March 1st 2022
Near KD Singh ‘Babu’ Metro Station Originally set up in 1941 by Hari Narayan Tandon, this outlet is famous for aloo chaat, matar, spinach (pataura), brinjal pakoras and of course, paani ke bataashe. It is currently run by Hari Narayan Tandon’s grandson, 56-year-old Arjun Tandon. According to him, his grandfather was a freedom fighter, and […]