Tundey Kababi: The Melt-in-Mouth Legacy of Lucknow

In the labyrinthine lanes of Chowk, where the air hums with the aroma of coal-fired grills and nostalgia, one name reigns supreme — Tundey Kababi. More than a restaurant, it is a monument of taste, a living legend that has kept Lucknow’s Nawabi culinary spirit alive for over a century. Founded in 1905, this family-run empire is the custodian of a secret 160-spice recipe that continues to define the city’s gastronomic identity.

A Royal Challenge and a One-Armed Genius

The story of Tundey Kababi begins not with a menu, but with a myth. In the fading grandeur of 19th-century Awadh, a toothless Nawab — often believed to be Wajid Ali Shah — issued an extraordinary culinary challenge: “Make me a kebab so soft, it needs no teeth.”
Among the many khansamas who tried, only one succeeded — Haji Murad Ali, a one-armed chef whose moniker “Tunda” (meaning armless) became culinary legend. His innovation — a delicately minced buffalo meat kebab infused with raw papaya and an orchestra of 160 spices — created what is now known as the Galouti Kebab. Its texture? So tender that it melts before the tongue can even decide to chew.

The First Flame (1905)

In 1905, Haji Murad Ali set up a small stall at Gol Darwaza, Chowk, with little more than a coal tawa and his culinary magic. For decades, he personally flipped every kebab, his one arm moving with rhythmic grace. The aroma of sizzling meat turned the narrow lane into Lucknow’s epicenter of food devotion. Poets, traders, and even visiting royals queued for Tunday ke Kabab, served simply with rumali roti and onion rings — a tradition that survives unchanged.

A Family Flame Passed Through Generations

Murad Ali’s son, Haji Rais Ahmad, took over after Independence, keeping the legacy alive through India’s changing tides. His grandson, Haji Mohammad Usman, expanded the brand with the opening of the now-iconic Aminabad outlet in 1995, bringing Tundey to a new generation and partnering with food connoisseur Jiggs Kalra to showcase Awadhi cuisine at global festivals.

Now in its fourth generation, the business remains tightly knit within the family. The spice blend — still mixed behind locked doors — is known only to a select few blood relatives.

From Chowk to the World

Tundey Kababi’s journey from Lucknow’s bylanes to global maps mirrors India’s own rise as a culinary powerhouse. After branching out across Lucknow — Aliganj, Lulu Mall, Dubaggha — the brand spread to Delhi, Hyderabad, and most recently, Dubai, where its Karama outlet opened in 2023. The Dubai branch, rated 4.8/5 by food lovers, proudly declares: “Exact Chowk Taste, New Skyline.”

The restaurant also secured a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for its Galouti Kebab in 2025, officially protecting the name and authenticity of this Lucknawi marvel.

The Secret That Defines Perfection

Behind the magic lies meticulous craft.
The meat — always buffalo — is hand-minced daily, blended with raw papaya for tenderization. The spice mix, a guarded family secret, is prepared in a sealed chamber, unseen by outsiders. Kebabs are cooked on cast-iron tawas fueled by coal, imparting that distinct smoky flavour — something no gas flame can replicate. There are no preservatives, no shortcuts, just time-honoured patience.

The Stars Who Savoured It

From Dilip Kumar and Rekha to Shah Rukh Khan, Imtiaz Ali, and Anupam Kher, generations of celebrities have made their pilgrimage to Tundey. The brand has appeared on every major Indian food show and global Netflix lists, and in 2023, TasteAtlas ranked it among the Top 10 Most Legendary Restaurants in the World — ahead of centuries-old European icons.

Trials by Fire — and Spice

The journey hasn’t been without hurdles. The 2000s saw family disputes and fake “Tundey” outlets mushrooming across India, prompting the original Chowk branch to put up a firm sign: “No Branches.”
During the 2012–13 buffalo meat restrictions, the eatery temporarily shut its doors but emerged stronger, now armed with GI protection. Even the COVID-19 lockdown couldn’t dull its fire — the brand pivoted swiftly to cloud kitchens and later used Dubai’s success to relaunch global ambitions.

A Legacy That Melts, Not Ages

Today, Tundey Kababi welcomes over 3,000 visitors daily in Lucknow alone, across more than 10 outlets in India and the UAE. Its next stop? Mumbai and London.

But beyond numbers and expansion, Tundey remains what it always was — a story of resilience and devotion. A one-armed chef turned a royal whim into a timeless recipe. His descendants turned it into an empire.

Every bite of a Tundey Galouti carries that legacy — the warmth of tradition, the fire of innovation, and the aroma of 160 secret spices.

So, when in Lucknow, skip the fine dining and head to Aminabad. Watch the chefs roll and slap kebabs onto the sizzling tawa, inhale that smoky aroma, and in one melting bite, understand why locals call it “Jannat ka Swaad” — the taste of heaven.

As Lucknow says — Noor-e-Kebab, Tundey hi asal Nawabi zindagi hai.