8 restaurants and cafes in India which are older than Republic

Our food habits have been ever evolving. And long before India became a republic in 1950, there were cafes, dining rooms, and home kitchens across the country, serving food and stories to mankind. These places are not just testaments of survival but also treasure boxes of stories, memories, and evolving flavors. They remained rooted in tradition, and in the age of social media, they still sit quietly serving us and have survived changing tastes. This Republic Day, let us trace back the roots of these iconic establishments in India that opened before the Republic and are standing tall as living reminders of the country’s rich culinary and social history.

Located on Bankim Chatterjee Street, this one is for all the coffee lovers, who also love old-world charm. Their top dishes apart from filter coffee includes mutton sandwich, mutton afghani, onion pakoda, veg noodles, and fish kobiraji

When we talk about the charm of Old Delhi, mentioning the aroma of Karim’s in the by lanes of the national capital becomes mandatory. Established in 1913 by Haji Karimuddin, it is the city's most famous culinary space that is known for Kormas, Koftas, and Biryanis. If you are a non-veg lover, a visit to this place is a must! It is known for its Butter Chicken, a velvety creamy curry made with onion, tomato, and cashews in which marinated chicken pieces are cooked to perfection and is then topped with fresh cream.

Founded in 1871 by Iranis, this cafe shot to fame after 2002 Mumbai attacks and till date there are bullet-riddled walls and mirrors from the 26/11 terrorist attacks. It is a multi-cuisine cafe and bar that is known for its Mutton Keema, Roast Chicken, Kung Pao Chicken and much more.

Since 1885, this bakery of Guwahati is known for its cakes, pastries, and bread. As per experts, this bakery was Assam’s passage into Western confectionery at that point of time. Now, the menu also includes hotdogs, burgers, sweets and more. As per their website, India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru too was known to be "extremely fond" of this bakery's cheese straws. Their menu features a wide array of items including signature pastries, artisanal bread, various biscuits, and cookies.

This place has been functional since 1923 and is known for its berry pulao, mutton dhansak, creamy caramel custard, salli boti, and fish patra.

Popularly known as MTR, this food joint was founded by Parampalli Yajnanarayana Maiya and his brothers in the year 1924. It is known for its Udupi cuisine of coastal Karnataka. As per reports. During World War II, shortage of rice supply resulted in MTTR inventing Rava Idli, which later became popular across India. The must-have dishes here include rava idli, masala dosa, set dosa, chandrahara, Mangalore buns, bonda soup, badam halwa, gulab jamun, and fruit salad.

United Coffee House was established in 1942 and is till date known for its delicious food and intricate interiors. From Indian to Oriental, they serve everything which is enjoyed by families, diplomats, bureaucrats and tourists. They are known for their small plates and soups too. From the classic mushroom soup to spring rolls, one can get addicted to all in one go at this classic establishment. High ceilings, old-world mirrors, polished wood panels, and uniformed servers lend the place a stately calm, making long lunches linger and evening dinners feel ceremonial, a reminder of Delhi’s enduring love for grand cafés and timeless hospitality.

In 1878, Sorabjee Dorabjee started a tea stall which he later expanded into a restaurant and today it is known for its authentic Parsi Irani dishes prepared traditionally on a charcoal fire. Most interestingly, they still have the menu from the years gone by where rates are mentioned in annas. For breakfast lovers, they have a wide range of mutton and egg preparations like mutton liver masala, mutton liver fry, masala omelette, akuri, mutton cutlet, mutton patties and more.