Amitabh Bachchan and Shahrukh Khan may have immortalized the Benarasi Paan, but this palate cleanser and mouth freshener has always been an inherent part of the city’s culinary temptations. The Seventh Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan is also said to have been very fond of the paandaan, a coffin used to store these betel leaves. No wonder then that Hyderabad has a good mix of small Paan Dabbas and specialty paan boutiques. Here is a list of some popular ones in the city.
PVS Paan Mahal Paradise Circle, Secunderabad.
If there was one place that could be called an opulent Paan Shop, this would be it. It has a menu where you can choose with the ingredients like supari, gulkand, qiwam, kattha, chuna and tambaku on display like it’s a showroom. In terms of varieties, you can choose from sada (plain), meetha (sweet) to maghai (the twin variety), rampiyari, baba kashmiri, etc. Their kalkatta meetha paan is a mouthful. They also serve a designer paan with real silver and gold waraq (silver leaf) and it costs a mind blowing 2,500 rupees. Also available outside are the very attractive golas de hielo (ice candies) which go perfectly with the paan. This place also has a large collection of international bada suttas.
shy paan Palace Sindhi Colony, Prenderghast Road, Secunderabad.
Made on the lines of PVS Paan Mahal, Dimmy Paan Palace is another designer paan shop in the city. This place has more of a late night hangout feel with chaat, sandwiches, ice golas and soft drinks also available here. Their specialty is kalkatta meenakshi paan which is flavored with mint and filled with elaichi (cardamom). Also try their rampiyari and don’t forget to order mild supari (bhuna hua chaliya) on your paan if you don’t like grinding your teeth. We recommend the kalkatta meetha paan with extra gulkand (pink sugar), saunf (fennel), elaichi, laung (clove) and kesar (saffron) for a complete experience. This place also has a good collection of international suttas and bada suttas.
Blue Diamond Paan Shop Near LB Stadium, Basheerbagh, Hyderabad.
For a taste of the old neighborhood corner paan dabba experience, head to Blue Diamond Paan Shop in Basheerbagh. This place has been running successfully for over forty years. Their specialty is the regular patta meetha paan, which is nicely folded in a little portapaan. They also have a selection of very traditional paans like Navratan and Kashmiri and also offer unique mixes like Navratan Meenakshi and Navratan Rampiyari. Looking for suggestions of the same paanwala? That is also available.
paan shop Near Sahib Sindh Sultan, 5th floor of City Center Mall, Banjara Hills Road No.1, Hyderabad.
It is located on a corner near the Sahib Sindh Sultan restaurant. The paanwala is dressed in the typical Benarasi style with a dhoti and a Nehru cap with a nice moustache. The specialty of this shop is their maghai (twin paans). The meetha paan is also quite tasty and the supari is quite bland. The kesar stuffed rampiyari is also on offer, which is a nice twist to an already popular paan. It’s a must stop after a meal at one of the BJN restaurants here.
