The story of Irani cafes in Hyderabad is a testament to the influence of culture and migration on the culinary landscape of a region. Irani businessmen who were invited by the nizam to settled in the city and had developed close connections with the nizam popularized Irani chai, a beverage that captured the taste-buds of Hyderabadis unlike any other. While chai was already a favourite beverage of the locals, the Irani version stood out, and it became an essential part of the city’s food scene.