The 101-year-old dhaba in Amritsar that is world famous for its dal makhani

The name Amritsar straight away flashes memories and visuals of the grand Golden Temple which came into existence in 1604. But apart from the Gurudwaras that dot this historic city, it is also a heaven for foodies. For vegetarians as well as non-vegetarians, there are plenty of options which can keep the belly busy but this post is dedicated to the popular Kesar Dhaba.

Started in 1916 by Lt. Lala Kesar Mal and his wife Lt. Smt. Parvati, Kesar Dhaba was originally in the Sheikhpura region of Pakistan and after the partition in 1947, the Dhaba was shifted to Amritsar. A pure vegetarian dhaba, this joint is has a kitchen equivalent to the size of the dining area and is a place that’ll take back you in time. Famous personalities like Lala Lajpatrai, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi dined at the place back in the times and the legacy has continued.

Their famous dal makhani is cooked for more than 12 hours overnight in a brass utensil over a slow flame to bring out all the flavour. All their tandoors and kitchen is equipped with mammoth old-school mud layered utensils which take you back in time. The Dhaba celebrated 100 years of existence last year and has got a wide coverage in the media including the likes of Discovery and BBC News.

Very generous with their use of pure desi ghee, one meal here would keep you full for the day. Apart from the Dal and Kulcha, the place is known for its Phirni, a traditional Punjabi sweet. The menu is not very elaborate but every dish is and a visit to this historical place will leave your taste buds satiated.

What makes Kesar Dhaba even more worthy of mention is that it has remained true to its roots and hasn’t tried to play the expansion card by coming up with a chain. Places like these retain the essence of a city and make it unique. And India is filled with such diversity in every aspect in every region but in aping the western values, much of it is getting lost. If we can stay true to our core and keep both the aspects of development in mind, India has a beautiful future.

Website: Kesar Ka Dhaba

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