Nadia Coffee Shop Breakfast Buffet, Marriott

The Nadia Coffee Shop at Marriott needs no introduction. It has been around since as far back as I can recall. 

The ambience of the shop is inviting and cozy, as you can see.

On Eid this year, after the early morning Eid prayers, our hunger pangs made us decide to stop and have brunch at Nadia. It was a first time for us, so we decided to make the Eid morning a bit special and feed ourselves heartily after a month of fasting and worship. 

As we all know, eating food during the morning on Eid feels really special because it is something all Muslims have not done together in 30 days!

The leather seats were very comfortable, and the tables were laid out to perfection.

The weather that morning was cloudy and pleasant. 

Fresh fruit was on offer in a large variety, in addition to jams, jellies, and yogurt.

Chutneys and sauces were also available.

The bread counter: croissants, doughnuts, bagels, crumpets, scones, French loaf, you name it! All sweet and savory kinds of breads were there. 

The desi breakfast was also available: qeema mutter (mince with peas), aaloo ki bhujia, puri's and paratha's.

Cereals with warm or cold milk

Cheeses and juices. Sweet and salty lassi was also there! Note: foreign cheeses should be checked to see if they are halal, so we decided to pass. 

Cheese, olive, and mushroom omelette: the best I have ever had, no exaggeration! 

A seasoned chef made these before our eyes, and it was really expertly prepared: well browned on all sides and on cutting off a piece, the melted cheddar cheese inside oozing out. 

Waffle with maple syrup and butter. 

Pancakes (made before your eyes) with maple syrup and butter

Paratha, hash brown, beef sausage, Scottish meatloaf, and an omelette with the works: cheese, black olives, mushrooms, tomatoes, green chillies and onions. 

Seasonal and canned fresh fruit

Starting clockwise from right: A hash brown, beef frankfurters, aaloo bhaji, qeema mutter and paratha's (top). In addition to these items, there were red baked beans, rice pudding (of porridge consistency), puri's and unlimited tea and coffee.

For Rs 750 per head, including taxes, I think the feast was fit for a king! Although many people are not fans of buffets, what I like about them is that everyone can have as much of what they like as they want to, without any reservations. 

My two children aged 5 and 3 were greeted and served cordially by the friendly staff, which is a prime concern for me where ever I go. And they were not charged, by the way. 

Verdict: All I can say is, "Why didn't I ever have breakfast at Nadia before?!" :) Perhaps one reason I enjoyed it so much was because it was Eid morning and I hadn't had breakfast in days! 

Al-Haaj Bundoo Khan, Sindhi Muslim

Located in Sindhi Muslim Society, Bundoo Khan is one of the most famed and vintage-classic eateries of Karachi, famous for its mouth-watering chicken tikka, kababs and paratha's.

These are the shops and eateries opposite Bundoo Khan, across the road.

It is surrounded on all sides by other international and more posh food franchises, such as KFC and Nando's, but though these new restaurants might have borrowed some popularity by being in the vicinty, they have not dampened Bundoo Khan's roaring business in the least.

Roasters Gourmet Coffee House is right next to Bundoo Khan as well.

They have recently expanded and opened up a new portion on the upper floor for families.

For those who have dined at Bundoo Khan over the years, it is obvious that the new decor and interior quality is a major improvement from what it used to be!

There is outdoor seating for those interested in alfresco dining as well.

Beef Bihari boti and Mutton Seekh kabab's. We are not big fans of chicken tikka, but that is great too.

The crispy and light puri paratha's are a famous must-have at Bundoo Khan.

The order is accompanied by complimentary raw onion rings and savoury imli or tamarind chutney.

The sooji ka halwa is an age-old favorite, enjoyed with the puri paratha's or on its own.

Verdict: Al-Haaj Bundoo Khan has succulent, great-tasting barbecue food at affordable rates. Perhaps that is why their loyal clientele keeps coming back for more, despite the mushrooming of a plethora of new eateries, down the road and everywhere else in Karachi!

Halwa Puri Breakfast, Boat Basin, Clifton

Boat Basin has always been famous for the traditional halwa puri breakfast it offers on weekend mornings. Numerous eateries along the line that offer barbeque by night, open their doors early in the mornings on Saturdays and Sundays to offer rich but delicious delcacies to their customers.

Reportedly, the workers are up since 5 a.m to whisk up the breakfast items.

We arrived late, at 10:30 a.m, but breakfast was still going strong.

This is where we sat to dine; or rather, squatted.

School students and families were in abundance, especially groups of young teenaged lads.

Paratha, aloo bhaji and sooji (semolina) halwa. Obviously this kind of eating out is not for high-maintenance germophobes who can't 'get down and dirty' to rough it once in a while.:)

Omelette and puri's. Health-conscious salad-leaf nibblers, this breakfast is obviously not for you. ;)

Wash it down with hot doodh patti (strong, sweet tea brewed in milk).

Verdict: Dining alfresco in the cool morning breeze - a great option for an occasional family outing on weekend mornings! Try it some day.

BBQ Tonite, Clifton

BBQ Tonite is one of the most popular, vintage, smoothly-run and booming restaurants in Karachi. 

As this picture reveals, its been going strong for over 2 decades now.

More than a decade ago, they were running only from the ground floor of this building. Now, they have occupied the whole three floors of it, in addition to the rooftop.

This barbecue and grill station just outside the entrance of the restaurant, amidst the sprawling parking area,  shows the chefs in action.

Originally, BBQ Tonite (as the name suggests) was open only for dinner. They now also serve lunch and Sunday breakfast. Also, they have added many items to their previously next-to-nothing dessert menu.
This place is obviously growing by leaps and bounds each year.

The restaurant has four seating levels, all of which are full to capacity on most nights, with significant turnover (viz. a table fills up as soon as it is vacated). A long queue of families exists at the entrance, waiting their turn.

We opt for the secluded corner tables on the rooftop side terrace, which enable us to enjoy the cool sea breeze under the night sky whilst dining "alfresco". :)

It is in no way easy on the wallet to dine here. However, BBQ Tonite's steep prices never deter their customers.

Their steaks are quite good, and cost as much as in other restaurants.

"Special" Hot 'n Sour soup.

It had tofu, prawns and mushrooms in it, in addition to the usual ingredients. It was very delicious!

Chicken Tikka's, Puri Paratha's and Garlic Naan.

Chicken Steak for Rs 400, with Fresh Lime. Two generous chicken breast fillets topped with a slice of cheddar cheese and oodles of barbecue sauce, served with one baked potato and boiled vegetables on the side.

A glass of traditional sugar cane juice for Rs 75

BBQ Special Platter - Rs 5000

The view of the Clifton roundabout from the rooftop terrace, where we sat.

South City Hospital is visible in the distance.

Recently, BBQ Tonite has started a breakfast buffet on Sundays. 

This sumptuous, all-inclusive breakfast buffet can be enjoyed only on Sundays from 8 a.m to noon, for Rs 525 per head (taxes inclusive). 

Update: The breakfast price is now Rs 650 per head.

It is fun to eat out early on Sunday mornings, once in a while, and enjoy mouth-watering omelets (custom-made for you live by chefs) bursting with olives, mushrooms, vegetables and cheddar cheese, accompanied by hot tawa paratha's and freshly squeezed orange juice. 

You don' get all of that at home, unless meticulous preparation is done in advance.

What more is on offer at the buffet: the entire variety of halwa puri, channa, aalo bhujia, nihari, paye, mutton mince (qeema), naans (flatbreads); a variety of breads and cereals, freshly prepared eggs, bowls of fresh seasonal and tinned fruit, salad, boiled eggs, sarson ka saag with makai (corn) ki roti (pictured above), chicken sausages, hash browns (looking more like potato cutlets, as shown in the picture above), pasta in white sauce, French toast and unlimited orange/grapefruit juice, lassi, tea and coffee.

The cute little pancakes. Actually, I was pleasantly surprised how well these were made: very fluffy and golden brown on both sides. 

A coffee machine was available for ordering fresh, hot cappuccino. It was great!
You could ask for black coffee, regular coffee, or cappuccino.

 Another shot of pancakes with maple syrup. The children loved having them!

Penne pasta in white sauce was also part of the menu. Scrumptious and creamy.

Brownies, croissants, fruitcake, bran and white toasted bread, canned and fresh fruit (apples, figs, apricots and melons) were also available.

Verdict: The food is high-quality, as is everything else at BBQ Tonite. The waiters wear gloves whilst handling the crockery, so you can imagine the kind of quality control in place. 


Tip: if you want a seating arrangement of your choice for dinner, arrive early (before 9 p.m), otherwise parking your vehicle and acquiring a good table could prove to be a test of your patience.


The Sunday breakfast/brunch buffet was thoroughly enjoyed by our family. Our children aged 5.5 and 3.5, were not charged. I recommend that whoever wants to have this buffet arrive early i.e. before 10 a.m. If you arrive after 11 a.m, you'll have to face a lot of crowds in front of the food platters and long lines before the fresh fruit juice and egg-frying stations. Also, you'll be dealing with more frazzled waiters and have less choice of good sitting places. 


To see the official promotional video of the Sunday breakfast buffet, please click here.