HYDERABADI ZAIQA
Indian restaurant · Midtown West
366 W 52nd St, New York, NY 10019
Highlights
Authentic Hyderabadi biryani & Indian specialties
Authentic Hyderabadi biryani & Indian specialties
"There isn’t a lot of room in this casual, basement-level Hell’s Kitchen spot, but don’t let that prevent you from trying to fit as many of their fantastic biryanis on the table as you can. Hyderabadi Zaiqa makes over a dozen different varieties of the South Asian rice dish, including a fluffy, fragrant gongura chicken version and our favorite, the heavenly goat dum biryani. For a place with roughly 15 seats, the menu is surprisingly extensive and also includes Punjabi, Indo-Chinese, and coastal South Indian options. Everything costs less than $20, so bring a group for an overachieving weeknight meal." - molly fitzpatrick, bryan kim, neha talreja, carina finn koeppicus, sonal shah
"This halal walk-down restaurant is painted bright yellow inside with a map of India indicating the origin of dozens of biryanis — which cue to the menu’s focus. Some feature meat and seafood, but just as many are vegetarian, and they come in two general styles: Hyderabadi and Vijayawada, the latter more highly spiced with things like gongura, a tart fruit, and achari, which is a mango pickle." - Eater Staff
"Previously noted in Eater’s 2024 awards and now seen by inspectors for its “food with a big personality.”" - Melissa McCart
"Haderabadi Zaiqa is an Eater Award-winning modest walk-down space in Hell’s Kitchen (there’s a location in Midtown East as well), decorated with a map spotlighting nearly 30 regional biryanis of India. There are plenty of them to choose from, like gongura chicken biryani with the fragrant leaves sourced a type of the namesake plant, and others that show off shrimp, eggs, lamb, paneer, and various vegetables — even a bright orange one that features the Andhran mango pickles called avakaya. Also consider the soups and appetizers, like tomato-pepper shorba, with a thin and strikingly orange broth laced with chiles, or chicken vepudu in a creamy herbal sauce. There are indoor dine-in services. Must-order dish: The bone-in goat dum biryani." - Emma Orlow
"The Eater Award-winning casual walk-down restaurant specializes in Hyderabadi fare, with biryanis being the principal focus. Try the mango-flavored avakai chicken biryani, or goat-fry biryani. Other southern Indian specialties abound, including a bang-up version of Chettinad chicken and a Malabar shrimp curry with plenty of coconut milk. There’s a new location with a bigger menu offering table service at 184 Lexington Avenue, at 32nd Street." - Nadia Chaudhury
