Pakistani cuisine is indeed a confluence of cuisines. Fundamentally akin to North Indian cuisine but with influences from Afghanistan, Persia, Turkey and the Middle East, it offers a rich fare to a visitor to Islamabad.

Food bazaars offer an economical variety of traditional and continental dishes at one place!

When you have gone Shopping in Islamabad until your feet and legs hurt, our Islamabad Restaurants guide below will tell you all you need to know to find the best places to dine or eat at. Relax and experience our exotic Pakistani food. For more general information about cuisine, take a look at our Pakistan Restaurants Guide.

Islamabad Restaurant Guide

You can take your pick from a wide array of breads - baked (roti or chapatti and nan) or deep-fried (puri). Curry can be meat or lentils, and the vegetables include cabbage, spinach and peas. Rice is available in various forms and for those with a sweet tooth there is halwa and the Hunza pie made famous by the Flower Children.

Street snacks have spawned a subculture in the food habits of the people of Islamabad who can be seen chatting with each other at their favourite road-side eatery. Popular snacks are samosas and spicy barbecued meat tikkas, available in beef, mutton and chicken. Also available are a variety of desserts, both hot and cold. Barfi, a solid sweetmeat delicacy, is available in many flavours.

Import of alcohol is not allowed in Pakistan which is officially alcohol-free. However, locally brewed whisky, beer and even imported alcoholic brewages can be consumed in bars and hotels what have special permission to serve alcohol.