India GOSweets of Hyderabad and where to buy them
Hyderabad's sweets come from two kitchens. The old Hyderabadi kitchen gave the city qubani ka meetha, double ka meetha and the almond lace of badam ki jali; the Irani cafés and bakeries gave it Osmania and fruit biscuits, which are what most people carry home. Below: what each sweet is, which shop is known for it, and what travels well.
The sweets to know
The district administration names three Hyderabadi desserts: qubani ka meetha, double ka meetha and kaddu ki kheer, a sweet gourd porridge. The rest of this list is what the city's shops and bakeries are known for.
Qubani ka meetha
Dried apricots (qubani is Urdu for apricot) boiled down with syrup to a thick, dark compote, topped with blanched almonds or apricot kernels and served warm with malai, thick cream. It is a fixture of Hyderabadi weddings.
Double ka meetha
'Double roti' is what the city calls leavened milk bread. Slices are fried in ghee, soaked in syrup with cardamom and saffron, often layered with rabri or mawa (thickened milk) and finished with nuts. It is served at Muslim weddings and at Eid, usually after the biryani. Paradise in Secunderabad serves it after its biryani.
Badam ki jali
A lace-like almond sweet from the Nizams' time that few shops still make. Almond House, a mithai (sweet shop) house since 1989, is the name to know for it.
Osmania biscuits
Soft, sweet-salty shortbread named after the last Nizam and drunk with Irani chai. Subhan Bakery in Nampally claims to have created the original and still bakes an eggless recipe; Nimrah beside Charminar bakes its biscuits through the day.
Fruit biscuits
Dense biscuits studded with dried fruit, from Karachi Bakery, founded in 1953 in Moazzam Jahi Market. They are Hyderabad's best-known edible souvenir; dilkush, a filled sweet bread, is the bakery's other classic.
Pootharekulu
Paper-thin sheets of rice starch wrapped around sugar, ghee and nuts. The sweet comes from Atreyapuram in Andhra Pradesh, not from Hyderabad, but G. Pulla Reddy sells it alongside its Mysore pak and badam halwa.
Sweet shops and bakeries, by what you want
Traditional mithai: G. Pulla Reddy Sweets (since 1948, based in Abids) cooks with pure ghee and is fully vegetarian; it has outlets across the city. Almond House (Banjara Hills, also with several outlets) is the place for Nizami specialities such as badam ki jali.
Biscuits to carry home: Karachi Bakery's original shop is in Moazzam Jahi Market; Subhan Bakery in Nampally sells Osmania biscuits by the box. Pista House, founded in 1997 and now spread across the city, is a bakery and sweet shop for eleven months of the year, with Osmania biscuits, cakes and gift boxes.
With chai: Nimrah Cafe beside Charminar and Cafe Niloufer in Lakdikapul (since 1978) serve Osmania biscuits and maska bun with Irani chai. Sarvi in Banjara Hills has an Irani bakery with phirni, a set rice pudding.
Cold: Famous Ice Cream in Moazzam Jahi Market has hand-churned fresh-fruit ice cream since 1950 using the old salt-and-ice method. Flavours follow the season: custard apple, mango, chikoo and muskmelon, served on a plate.
European pastry: Conçu, which started in Jubilee Hills, makes French-style pastry: choux buns, tarts, macarons and medovik.
Good to know
A few things that help when buying sweets in Hyderabad.
- Dry sweets travel, wet ones do not — Fruit biscuits, Osmania biscuits and boxed mithai go home in a suitcase; qubani ka meetha, double ka meetha and phirni are for eating in the city.
- Last-minute shopping — Karachi Bakery is the classic 'before you fly out' stop: a tin of fruit biscuits and some dilkush.
- Vegetarian and eggless — G. Pulla Reddy is fully vegetarian, and Subhan Bakery's Osmania biscuits are made without eggs. For other shops, ask at the counter.
- Ramzan changes the queues — In Ramzan the lines outside Pista House are for haleem, a meat dish, not for sweets. Eid brings sheer khurma, vermicelli cooked in milk with dates, served at home after the morning prayer.
FAQ
Which sweet is Hyderabad famous for?
Qubani ka meetha (stewed dried apricots with cream) and double ka meetha (fried bread in saffron syrup) are the classic Hyderabadi desserts; Osmania and fruit biscuits are the best-known sweets to take home.
What are the best sweet shops in Hyderabad?
G. Pulla Reddy Sweets (since 1948) for traditional ghee mithai, Almond House for badam ki jali, Karachi Bakery for fruit biscuits and Subhan Bakery for Osmania biscuits.
Where can I buy sweets near Charminar?
Nimrah Cafe beside Charminar sells Osmania biscuits baked the same day, and Moazzam Jahi Market, between Abids and the Old City, has Karachi Bakery and Famous Ice Cream.
Is pootharekulu from Hyderabad?
No. It comes from Atreyapuram in Andhra Pradesh, but Hyderabad sweet shops such as G. Pulla Reddy sell it.
Which snack is famous in Hyderabad?
Irani chai with Osmania biscuits is the city's signature snack. For the savoury side, see what to eat in Hyderabad.
Sources (6)
Facts checked: 15 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.
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