Pakistani cuisine is far bigger than the “curry” most Britons know. Pakistan has six major food regions, from the rich, buttery kitchens of Punjab to the slow-roasted meat of Balochistan. Each one has its own dishes, spices and traditions. As a result, two Pakistani restaurants in the same UK city can serve completely different food.
This guide takes you region by region through Pakistan’s food. It explains the halal questions UK diners often ask, and it shows where to find each style in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Quick answer: Pakistani cuisine is the food of Pakistan’s regions: Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir. Famous dishes include karahi, nihari, biryani, haleem, chapli kebab, sajji and Kashmiri pink tea. In the UK, you’ll find the strongest Pakistani food scenes in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Bradford and Glasgow, and most restaurants serve halal meat.
What Makes Pakistani Cuisine Unique?
Pakistani food sits at a crossroads. Over centuries, it absorbed influences from Persia, Central Asia, Afghanistan and the Mughal courts. That’s why you’ll find Persian-style rice next to fiery curries, and Afghan-style kebabs next to buttery Punjabi breads.
A few things tie it all together:
- Meat comes first. Lamb, mutton, goat, beef and chicken star in most meals.
- Bread matters as much as rice. Roti, naan and paratha come with almost every dish.
- Slow cooking is an art. Dishes like nihari and haleem cook for hours.
- Halal is the norm. Pakistan is a Muslim-majority country, so traditional meat dishes use halal meat.
- Sharing is everything. Families eat from shared plates, often seated around a dastarkhwan (a cloth spread for meals).
Pakistani Cuisine by Region
Punjabi Cuisine
Punjab is Pakistan’s most populous province, and its food is the style most UK diners know. It’s rich, hearty and generous with ghee and butter. In addition, Lahore is often called Pakistan’s food capital.
Must-Try Punjabi Dishes
- Karahi: chicken or lamb cooked fast in an iron wok with tomatoes, ginger and green chillies. Here’s our full chicken karahi recipe.
- Nihari: slow-cooked beef or lamb shank in a silky, spicy gravy, traditionally eaten for breakfast.
- Saag with makki di roti: mustard greens with cornflour flatbread, a winter favourite.
- Halwa puri: a weekend breakfast of fried bread, chickpeas and semolina halwa.
- Lahori fried fish: spicy battered fish, popular in winter.
- Lassi: a thick yoghurt drink, sweet or salted.
Sindhi Cuisine
Sindh, in the south, includes Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city. Sindhi food is tangy and spicy, often with tamarind, tomatoes and plenty of chilli.
Must-Try Sindhi Dishes
- Sindhi biryani: spicy, aromatic rice layered with meat, potatoes and dried plums.
- Sai bhaji: spinach cooked with lentils and vegetables.
- Sindhi kadhi: a sour gram-flour curry with vegetables.
- Palla fish: river fish from the Indus, often fried or curried.
- Karachi street food: bun kebabs, seekh kebabs and late-night BBQ.
Pashtun Cuisine (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa)
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, home to Peshawar, has some of Pakistan’s most distinctive food. It’s simpler and less spicy than Punjabi cooking, and it puts the quality of the meat first. As a result, it shares a lot with Afghan cooking.
Must-Try Pashtun Dishes
- Chapli kebab: flat, crispy minced-meat patties from Peshawar. Try our chapli kabab recipe.
- Namkeen gosht and dumpukht: salted, slow-cooked mutton with almost no spice. Read about namkeen gosht and dumpukht.
- Kabuli pulao: mild rice with lamb, carrots and raisins. Here’s our Kabuli pulao recipe.
- Peshawari karahi: tomatoes, salt and black pepper, with far less spice than the Lahori version. Compare them in Peshawari karahi vs Lahori karahi.
- Qehwa: green tea with cardamom, served after meals.
For more on how this cooking relates to its neighbour, see Afghan vs Pakistani food.
Balochi Cuisine
Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest province by area, and its food reflects a rugged, open landscape. Cooks roast meat slowly over open fire with very little spice, so the meat’s own flavour shines.
Must-Try Balochi Dishes
- Sajji: whole lamb or chicken roasted on skewers around an open fire, seasoned mainly with salt.
- Kaak: a hard bread baked around a hot stone.
- Landi: dried, preserved meat, traditionally eaten in winter.
Gilgit-Baltistan Cuisine
In the mountains of the far north, food has to keep people warm. So expect hearty breads, dumplings and apricots, which grow throughout the region.
Must-Try Northern Dishes
- Chapshoro: a meat-filled bread, often compared to a pie or pasty.
- Mamtu: steamed meat dumplings.
- Apricot dishes: dried apricots in soups, desserts and drinks.
- Salted tea: a warming tea made with milk and salt.
Azad Kashmir and Kashmiri Influence
Azad Kashmir matters a great deal to Pakistani food in Britain. Many British Pakistani families trace their roots to Mirpur, in Azad Kashmir. So their home cooking shaped a large part of the UK’s “curry house” culture.
Must-Try Kashmiri Flavours
- Kashmiri chai (pink tea): a creamy pink tea with pistachios and almonds. It’s often served at weddings and in winter.
- Home-style curries: onion-and-tomato-based curries close to Punjabi cooking.
- Rice dishes: pulao and biryani for family gatherings.
Pakistani Desserts and Drinks
No Pakistani meal ends without something sweet. Popular choices include:
- Gulab jamun: fried milk dumplings in syrup
- Jalebi: crisp, syrupy spirals
- Kheer: creamy rice pudding
- Gajar ka halwa: a carrot pudding, made in winter
- Ras malai: soft cheese patties in sweet milk
- Falooda and kulfi: a rose-flavoured dessert drink and a dense ice cream
To drink, you’ll find doodh patti (strong milky tea), lassi, Rooh Afza (a rose drink popular in Ramadan) and fresh sugarcane juice.
Halal and Pakistani Cuisine in the UK: What to Know
Halal is central to Pakistani cooking. However, UK diners should still check a few things, because practices vary from restaurant to restaurant.
- Most Pakistani restaurants serve halal meat. Still, not every one is formally certified.
- UK certification varies. The Halal Monitoring Committee (HMC) certifies only non-stunned meat. The Halal Food Authority (HFA), on the other hand, allows some forms of stunning. Diners often choose based on the standard they personally follow.
- Ask about all the meat. Sometimes the lamb is certified but the chicken comes from another supplier.
- Check desserts and sweets. Some ready-made sweets and ice creams contain gelatine, so ask if you’re unsure.
- Alcohol is rarely served. Most Pakistani restaurants are alcohol-free, but a few mixed South Asian restaurants do serve it.
- Use halal directories. Sites like Zabihah list halal restaurants with user reports.
When in doubt, ask the staff directly. A good restaurant will happily tell you where its meat comes from.
Where to Find Pakistani Cuisine Across the UK
England
England has the largest Pakistani communities in the UK, so it has the widest choice of Pakistani food.
- London:
- Whitechapel and Green Street in the East;
- Tooting in the South;
- Southall in the West;
- Ilford on the eastern edge.
- Birmingham: the Balti Triangle around Ladypool Road and Stoney Lane, plus Alum Rock.
- Manchester: the Curry Mile on Wilmslow Road in Rusholme.
- Bradford: often called the UK’s curry capital, with deep Kashmiri and Punjabi roots.
- Other cities: Leeds, Luton, Slough, Nottingham, Leicester, Sheffield and Blackburn all have strong Pakistani food scenes.
Scotland
Glasgow has one of Scotland’s largest Pakistani communities and a long history of Pakistani-run restaurants. The city famously claims the invention of chicken tikka masala, a story linked to a Pakistani-born restaurateur. Edinburgh also has a growing choice of Pakistani grills and cafés.
Wales
Cardiff and Newport have established South Asian communities, with Pakistani restaurants, sweet shops and grocery stores.
Northern Ireland
Belfast has a smaller Pakistani community, but you’ll still find halal South Asian restaurants and grocers across the city.
Restaurants change often, so check recent reviews before you visit. For tips on spotting an authentic kitchen, read our guide to finding a Pakistani restaurant near me in the UK.
How Pakistani Cuisine Differs from Indian Food
UK diners often ask about this. The two cuisines overlap, especially in Punjab, which spans both countries. However, there are some clear differences:
| Pakistani cuisine | Indian cuisine (in general) |
|---|---|
| Meat-heavy, especially lamb, goat and beef | Large vegetarian tradition |
| Halal meat is the norm | Varies by region and community |
| Strong Persian and Afghan influence in the north-west | Strong southern and coastal traditions |
| Signature dishes: karahi, nihari, sajji, chapli kebab | Signature dishes: dosa, thali, vindaloo, butter chicken |
Of course, both countries have huge regional variety. So these are general patterns, not strict rules.
Bring Pakistani Cuisine Home, or Send It to Family
Love Pakistani food but can’t find your favourite dish locally? Cook it yourself with our recipes for chicken karahi, chapli kebab and Kabuli pulao.
Do you have family in Peshawar? Then you can send them a hot halal meal from a famous local restaurant without leaving the UK. Read how to send gifts to Peshawar from the UK, or explore food delivery in Peshawar. Download the Zarrasha app on Google Play, or WhatsApp us on +92 334 0724724.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Pakistani cuisine?
Pakistani cuisine is the food of Pakistan’s regions: Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir. It’s known for meat dishes, breads, slow-cooked curries and rice dishes like biryani.
What is the national dish of Pakistan?
Nihari is often called Pakistan’s national dish, although biryani is equally loved. Both are widely available at Pakistani restaurants in the UK.
Is Pakistani food always halal?
Traditional Pakistani dishes use halal meat. However, not every UK restaurant is formally certified, so it’s best to ask the staff or check a halal directory.
What’s the difference between HMC and HFA halal?
HMC certifies only non-stunned meat, while HFA standards allow some forms of stunning. Many Muslim diners choose based on the standard they personally follow.
Where is the best Pakistani food in the UK?
Many food lovers recommend Bradford, Birmingham’s Balti Triangle, Manchester’s Curry Mile, East London and Glasgow. Each has long-running family restaurants.
Is Pakistani food very spicy?
It depends on the region. Punjabi and Sindhi food can be hot. Pashtun, Balochi and northern dishes, by contrast, are usually mild and meat-focused.
What Pakistani dish should I try first?
Start with a chicken or lamb karahi with fresh naan. Then try nihari or halwa puri at a weekend breakfast.
Discover the Full Flavour of Pakistan
Pakistani cuisine offers far more than a single curry. From Peshawar’s chapli kebabs to Balochistan’s sajji and Kashmir’s pink tea, every region has a story to tell. So next time you eat out in Britain, look beyond the usual menu, and taste the real variety of Pakistan.
