100% Pure Vegetarian Open 6 AM – 12 midnight Beside Sardar Mahal · Near Charminar +91 98489 50000

Kaapi & Karam · Questions & Answers

100% Pure Vegetarian

Ground floor · Walk in · No booking

Questions,
answered

Everything about the food, the prices, the timings and finding us. The ground floor takes no bookings at all — walk in any time between 6 AM and midnight, and take a table.

The short answers

Open
6:00 AM – 12:00 midnight, daily
Vegetarian
100% pure veg · No egg, no meat
Thali
₹99 fixed · ₹129 unlimited · Lunch & dinner
Where
Beside Sardar Mahal, opposite BSNL · Plus Code 9F6G+GG
From Charminar
About 2 minutes on foot — roughly 100 steps
01

Finding us & getting here

8 questions
Where exactly is Kaapi & Karam?

Kaapi & Karam is beside Sardar Mahal, opposite the BSNL building, near Charminar in Hyderabad's Old City — Telangana 500002. The Plus Code is 9F6G+GG, which works offline if you type it into Google Maps.

How far is Kaapi & Karam from Charminar?

About two minutes on foot from Charminar — roughly a hundred steps. Walk from the monument along Laad Bazaar Road onto Sardar Mahal Road; we are on the right, just before Sardar Mahal and just before Bhagya Lakshmi Mandir Road.

What should I tell an auto or cab driver?

Say: “Sardar Mahal ke baju, BSNL ke saamne — Kaapi & Karam.” Every auto and cab driver in the Old City knows both landmarks, which is more reliable here than a street address.

How do I reach Kaapi & Karam by car?

From Gulzar Houz, follow Laad Bazaar Road past Charminar onto Sardar Mahal Road — we are on the right, just before Bhagya Lakshmi Mandir Road. Old City streets are narrow and busy, particularly at weekends and through Ramzan, so allow more time than the map suggests.

Is there a Plus Code or exact location pin?

Yes — the Plus Code is 9F6G+GG Hyderabad, Telangana. A Plus Code resolves to a 14-metre square and can be typed into Google Maps without a data connection, which makes it more reliable than an address in a lane without street numbers.

Is Kaapi & Karam near Laad Bazaar and the pearl markets?

Yes. Kaapi & Karam is a two-minute walk from Charminar and sits directly beside Sardar Mahal, which puts it within a few minutes of Laad Bazaar, the pearl shops, Mecca Masjid and Chowmahalla Palace.

Is it a good stop after shopping at Laad Bazaar?

Yes — it is one of the main reasons people come. The ground floor is air-conditioned with clean washrooms, sit-down seating and somewhere to put the shopping down, which is hard to find together in this part of the city.

Is parking available?

Parking is arranged for confirmed group bookings — tell us the number of vehicles when you book and the spaces are held. For a walk-in visit to the ground floor, street parking around Charminar is limited and an auto or cab is usually easier than driving in.

02

Timings

6 questions
What are Kaapi & Karam's opening hours?

Kaapi & Karam is open 6:00 AM to 12:00 midnight, every day. The ground floor is walk-in throughout; no booking is needed at any hour.

What time is breakfast served?

Breakfast and tiffin are served from 6:00 AM, which makes this one of the earliest options near Charminar. Dosa, idli, vada, uttapam and upma stay available through the day as well, not only in the morning.

What are the lunch timings?

The lunch thali is served 12:00 PM to 3:30 PM, every day, on the walk-in ground floor. No booking is needed.

What are the dinner timings?

The dinner thali is served DINNER_HOURS, every day. Chaat, dosas, filter kaapi and the bakery counter run right through until midnight, so there is food available whether or not you want a full thali.

Is there late-night food near Charminar?

Yes — Kaapi & Karam serves until 12:00 midnight every day. Chaat, filter kaapi and tiffin items are generally available late; specific dishes depend on the kitchen at that hour.

Are you open on public holidays and festivals?

Yes, Kaapi & Karam is open every day, 6 AM to midnight. The Old City is busiest during Ramzan and around festivals, so allow extra travel time and expect the ground floor to be full at peak hours.

03

Pure vegetarian, Jain & dietary

8 questions
Is Kaapi & Karam completely vegetarian?

Yes. Kaapi & Karam is a 100% pure vegetarian kitchen. No meat and no eggs are used anywhere on the premises, on any floor, at any time. There is no non-vegetarian section, so there is nothing to keep separate from your food — no shared oil, no shared tawa.

Do you use eggs in any dish, including the bakery?

No. No eggs are used anywhere, including in the bakery. The doughnuts, pastries, muffins, cookies, puffs and brownies are all egg-free.

Is Jain food available?

Jain-friendly food is available on advance notice, prepared without onion and garlic. Tell us when you order, or call +91 98489 50000 ahead if you are coming as a group. We will tell you plainly which dishes we can and cannot make Jain rather than guessing.

Can I get food without onion and garlic?

Yes, on advance notice — this is the same preparation as our Jain option. Because it needs a separate pan and separate tempering, a little notice makes a real difference to what we can offer.

How spicy is the food?

Spice levels are moderate and comfortable for most guests, including children and visitors from abroad. Ask for less spice when you order and the kitchen will adjust.

Can I get South Indian food without coconut?

Coconut appears mainly in the chutneys rather than the main dishes, so sambar-based options such as idli with sambar or mini medu vada with sambar are usually workable. Tell us about the allergy when you order so the plate is made up without it.

What is the lightest thing on the menu?

Idli with sambar at ₹50 is the lightest full item — steamed, not fried, and no oil beyond the sambar. Upma at ₹40 and a plain ghee dosa at ₹60 are also on the lighter side. The fried chaat and the puffs are the heavier end.

Can the food work with a diabetic or weight-conscious diet?

Steamed items such as idli and upma with sambar, and a plain dosa without extra ghee, are the simplest choices. We are not able to give nutritional or medical advice — for a managed medical diet, please follow your doctor's guidance and tell us at the counter what you need to avoid.

04

South Indian food & prices

8 questions
What South Indian breakfast do you serve, and what does it cost?

Ghee dosas, uttapams, idli, medu vada and upma, from ₹40. Prices on the ground floor:

  • Ghee Masala Dosa ₹80 — the most ordered plate
  • Ghee Plain Dosa ₹60 · Masala Upma Dosa ₹50
  • Idli, 3 pieces ₹50 · Ghee Idli ₹60 · Ghee Podi Idli ₹60
  • Medu Vada, 2 pieces ₹50 · Idli & Vada combination ₹60
  • Upma ₹40 · Ghee Uttapam ₹80

The full South Indian menu has all twenty items.

How much is a masala dosa?

Ghee Masala Dosa is ₹80 at Kaapi & Karam. A ghee plain dosa is ₹60, masala upma dosa ₹50, and cheese dosa or benne masala dosa ₹80 each. All are made to order on the tawa.

Where can I get fresh idli and sambar near Charminar?

Idli is ₹50 for three pieces at Kaapi & Karam, beside Sardar Mahal, two minutes from Charminar. Button idli with sambar is ₹80 and mini medu vada with sambar is ₹60. Served from 6 AM.

Do you have medu vada?

Yes — Medu Vada, two pieces, ₹50. There is also a combination of two idli with one medu vada at ₹60, mini medu vada with sambar at ₹60, and mini medu vada with rasam at ₹60.

Do you have uttapam?

Yes — four uttapams, all ₹80: ghee uttapam, ghee tomato uttapam, ghee onion uttapam and ghee masala uttapam.

Do you serve North Indian food?

Chole Bhature at ₹60 is on the ground-floor menu, and veg biryani is ₹99. Pav bhaji at ₹80 and a range of North Indian chaat are on the chaat board. The kitchen is primarily South Indian.

Do you have veg biryani?

Yes — Hyderabadi veg biryani at ₹99, served with raita and onion. It is part of the meal combo section and is available through the day.

How much does a meal cost in total?

A filling meal comes to roughly ₹100 to ₹150 per person. A ₹99 thali with a ₹30 filter kaapi is ₹129; a ₹80 masala dosa with a ₹20 masala chai is ₹100. Nothing on the ground floor menu costs more than ₹129. Prices are for the neighbourhood rather than the tourist.

05

The thali — lunch & dinner

8 questions
Do you serve a thali?

Yes — a pure vegetarian thali at both lunch and dinner, on the walk-in ground floor. Lunch is 12:00 PM to 3:30 PM. Dinner is DINNER_HOURS. Both are self-service and need no booking.

How much is the thali?

Two options at both services: a fixed thali at ₹99 and an unlimited thali at ₹129. Veg biryani is also ₹99.

What is in the thali?

The thali includes rice, sambar, two poories, a vegetable preparation, dessert and salad. It is a complete plate rather than a set of side orders, and it is the sensible thing to order if you have been walking since morning.

What is the difference between the ₹99 and ₹129 thali?

The ₹99 fixed thali is a single complete serving. The ₹129 unlimited thali is the same plate with unlimited refills on rice, sambar and the vegetable preparation.

Do you serve a dinner thali?

Yes. The dinner thali is served DINNER_HOURS, every day, at the same prices as lunch — ₹99 fixed and ₹129 unlimited. It is walk-in on the ground floor, with no booking.

Do I need to book a table for lunch or dinner?

No. Both services are on the ground floor, which is self-service and walk-in only — there is no reservation and no waiting list. Just come and take a table.

Where can I find a cheap vegetarian meal near Charminar?

The ₹99 South Indian thali at Kaapi & Karam, beside Sardar Mahal, is a full plate with rice, sambar, poori, vegetable, dessert and salad. The unlimited version is ₹129 and veg biryani is ₹99. Available at both lunch and dinner, walk-in, air-conditioned.

Is there a vegetarian dinner option near Charminar?

Yes. Kaapi & Karam serves a 100% pure vegetarian dinner thali DINNER_HOURS, plus dosas, chaat and filter kaapi until midnight. Two minutes from Charminar, air-conditioned, with clean washrooms — and no booking needed.

06

Chaat, kaapi & bakery

6 questions
Do you serve chaat, and what does it cost?

Yes — seventeen chaats, from ₹25, made to order at the counter. All vegetarian.

  • Pani Puri ₹25 · Bhel Puri ₹30
  • Samosa Chaat ₹40 — the local favourite
  • Aloo Chaat, Ragda Samosa, Papdi Chaat, Dahi Sev Puri, Vada Pav, Palak Patta Chaat — ₹40 each
  • Raj Kachori ₹50 · Dahi Bhalla ₹60 · Pav Bhaji ₹80
How much is pani puri?

Pani Puri is ₹25 — the least expensive item on the chaat board, and made to order at the counter.

How much is filter coffee?

Filter kaapi is ₹30 for 120 ml, served in a steel tumbler and davara. Masala chai is ₹20, kullad masala chai ₹40 for 150 ml, buttermilk ₹25, and katta metha nimbu paani ₹25. Available 6 AM to midnight.

Do you have a bakery?

Yes — a bakery counter on the ground floor, baked daily and entirely egg-free, from ₹15.

  • Cookies ₹15 — jam, coconut, chocolate, chocochip
  • Muffins ₹20–25 · Pastries ₹25–30 · Doughnuts ₹30
  • Veg Puff ₹25 · Ajwain Puff, 2 pieces ₹30 · Brownie ₹60
What is the cheapest thing on the menu?

Cookies at ₹15 are the least expensive item, followed by masala chai and a litre of water at ₹20 each. Pani puri at ₹25 is the cheapest chaat, and upma at ₹40 the cheapest hot plate.

Is the chaat very oily?

Some of it is fried and some is not. Pani puri, bhel puri and dahi sev puri are the lighter choices; ragda tikki, samosa chaat and vada pav are the heavier ones. Tell the counter if you want it made lighter on the sev and the chutney.

07

Facilities & payment

7 questions
Is the restaurant air-conditioned?

Yes — the ground floor is fully air-conditioned. Near Charminar this is a genuine differentiator, and it is a large part of why families and visiting groups choose us over the street options.

Are there clean washrooms?

Yes. Clean, maintained, Western-style washrooms are available. For many guests — families with children, elderly visitors and travellers — this alone decides where they stop in the Old City.

Is there a lift?

No. There is no lift in the building. The ground floor is at street level and is where we seat guests who cannot manage stairs. The first floor is reached by staircase only.

Is it suitable for wheelchair users or guests who cannot manage stairs?

The ground floor is at street level, and there is no lift to the first floor. If someone in your party uses a wheelchair or cannot manage stairs, please tell us when you arrive and we will seat the whole group downstairs. Please note that the streets immediately around Charminar are narrow, uneven and busy.

Is there Wi-Fi?

No — there is no Wi-Fi on the ground floor. Wi-Fi is available only on the first floor, for booked groups. The ground floor is built around quick service rather than sitting and working.

What payment methods do you accept?

Cash, UPI and cards are accepted. GST invoices are issued for corporate and group bookings.

Can I get takeaway or delivery?

Yes to both. Takeaway is available from the ground-floor counter through all opening hours, 6 AM to midnight, and Kaapi & Karam is on Swiggy, Zomato and District. For bulk orders such as office lunches, call +91 98489 50000 ahead so the kitchen can prepare.

08

Who it's for

5 questions
Is it suitable for families with children and elderly guests?

Yes. The ground floor is sit-down seating at street level, air-conditioned, with clean washrooms — not a standing counter. That matters with children, grandparents and bags after a morning at the market. There is no lift, so elderly guests are seated downstairs.

Is it suitable for foreign tourists?

Yes. The kitchen is entirely vegetarian, service is in English, spice levels come down on request, and the dining area and washrooms are clean and air-conditioned. There is a dedicated guide for foreign visitors with more detail.

Is it a good stop for tourists visiting Charminar?

Yes — it is two minutes from the monument, which makes it workable before a visit, as a break in the middle, or after. Opening at 6 AM means you can eat before Charminar itself opens at 9 and be at the monument in its only quiet hour.

Is it comfortable for solo diners and for women?

Yes. The ground floor is a sit-down, air-conditioned, alcohol-free room with a well-lit entrance and staff in uniform. Solo diners, women's groups and families all use it regularly.

Can a group of friends just walk in?

Yes — the ground floor takes walk-in groups without any booking. Above roughly eight people, it is worth calling +91 98489 50000 first so the counter knows you are coming and can seat the group together.

No question matches that search. Try a shorter word — “dosa”, “thali”, “parking”, “Jain”.

Still need
to ask something?

Walk in any time, 6 AM to midnight — the ground floor takes no bookings, ever. If you would rather check something first, the counter will pick up.