Khyber And The Art Of Dining

In a city that’s always racing toward the new, Khyber in Fort is a reminder of what made Mumbai magical in the first place. A 65-year-old icon that has witnessed the city’s many faces, this North West Frontier restaurant is steeped in legacy. Run by a father-son duo, the space carries with it stories of art and flavour. 

Khyber once burned down, leaving behind only one surviving wall. Today, it stands strong, not only as a dining institution but as a keeper of old Bombay charm, the kind you’d expect to find in sepia photographs and film reels. On a recent tasting, I got the complete story straight from the owners of the place, and here’s everything they shared.

A Tale of Fire, Family, and Fortitude

What began as a humble 40-seater grew into a 300-seater landmark that once drew queues around the block, until a fire razed it to its foundations.

“Khyber originally was started by my father. It started as a small 40-seat restaurant in 1958 by my father, who came down to Bombay to make his livelihood. It slowly expanded over the years, and from a 40-50 seat restaurant, it became a 300 seat restaurant,” says Sudheer Bahl, who now owns the space along with his son and is a second-generation restaurant owner.

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He continues, “In 1985, it burned down in a very big fire. We hired the services of Parmeshwar Godrej, and she was a superb designer. This is her vision, and she wanted it to be a stylish, iconic, unique space for dining out. In complete contrast to what it was earlier, which was a very low-priced restaurant, high volume –that scenario.”

Making my way through the space, it was quite hard to believe that this wasn’t how the restaurant had always looked. Only the burnt wall had remained as a symbol of what had happened in ‘85.

“In 1988, the restaurant reopened with a lot of fanfare and publicity, which was because the fans missed the space. And for the next 10 years, we enjoyed a kind of popularity which a restaurant can only dream of, ” he concludes.

Walls That Speak

The design draws you in. The restaurant is dimly lit, but that creates a beautiful space that feels completely alien to the outside. It is as if you have entered an entirely new sanctuary. Hours later, when we stepped out of the restaurant, it felt like coming back to a new world entirely. 

Ishaan Bahl explains, “Before the fire in 85, it was about the food. When we reopened in ‘88, it became about the experience. It transitioned into a beautiful cave-like restaurant with high-profile art on the walls.”

The walls are dramatically textured, with arched walkways, earthy tones, and windows that whisper stories and hold paintings. He adds, “Even if you look at the wall over here, there was a wall that we had, which is from the fire. And this wall was maintained as is. And we had insanely talented artists like Anjolie Ela Menon and M.F. Hussain come in and paint over these burnt walls.”

Art is everywhere and is the soul of the restaurant. The Hussain Room holds original works by M.F. Husain, while other corners carry quiet tributes to resilience. The air is scented with petrichor and tandoori smoke, and every wall has stories of grit.

“I think that is some of the charm that comes into Khyber, a big element of it is art. If I had to talk about it today and had to talk about how we could take the journey forward, even if we expanded the brand, it would be to collaborate with local artists. Because I feel like Khyber and art are synonymous,” Ishaan says.

On the Table

Khyber’s signature dishes, Paneer Korma, Nihari, and Shahi Tukda, aren’t just classics; they’re culinary landmarks. They hold the same warmth and richness that regulars have come to expect.

“The second thing is that it's unique. The food is Northwest Frontier food. And I think that the recipes and the kind of food that you get out here are very unique. We have a lot of regular clientele that come in. That's Khyber for you, you know, so people come here, including myself, and order the same thing every single time, no matter what,” Ishaan says.

For our meal, we began with Reshmi Broccoli, Mushroom Tawa, Paneer Butte ki Seekh, Tandoori Lamb Chops, and Prawns, followed by Lehsuni Palak, Dal Makhani, Rumali Roti, and Mutton Biryani. The drinks lineup included a fiery Picante, a smooth Espresso Martini, and a tangy Jamun cocktail, before a decadent serving of Shahi Tukda closed the meal with sweetness and nostalgia.

He added, “I think the more we change, the more opposition we receive from our customer base, because they're very happy about the product that we have. Of course, we feel that there's always room to improve. And our objective daily is to try and maintain that consistency, quality, and innovate ourselves.”

65-Year-Old Legacy

Through decades of shifting culinary trends, the legacy of this restaurant remains grounded in consistency and relationships, with both art and people.

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“Over the years, we've been fortunate enough to have a string of celebrities come here to our restaurant. And if I may boast, some of the names we've had are the king of Luxembourg and amongst the various celebrities we've had Richard Gere, Sir Paul McCartney, Goldie Hawn, Sally Fields, Brad Pitt, all the cricketers. So we've had a lot of celebrities out here and our staff is quite accustomed to handling them,” Sudheer Bahl states proudly.

Ishaan adds with a laugh, “Of course, about the celebrity and fanfare, I think that we've had some very unique stories with Brad Pitt coming in and enjoying the baingan ka bharta, or if it was Sir Paul McCartney, enjoying my favorite dish, which is the paneer korma, and actually meeting my father personally and requesting for the recipe and also offering to pay for it, which we had to politely decline.” 

“But I think that's Khyber summed up in a nutshell. And that is why this restaurant has been around for the last 65 years,” he concludes.

ELLE Gourmet’s Verdict

The old Mumbai charm comes to life at Khyber, and we loved every bit of it. From its earthy interiors to its soulful dishes, this restaurant is a complete one-stop destination for any mood or moment. Whether you're planning an indulgent meal with friends, an atmospheric dinner for two, or simply want to soak in a piece of the city’s culinary history, this restaurant makes it count. A must-visit for lovers of classic North Indian food, and anyone who appreciates a side of storytelling with their supper.