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Ramzan 2025: Lucknow's outdoor sehri tales
From the Ramzan festivity felt across the city during iftar to the sehri outings — the celebration is endless
It’s that time of the year when Lucknow becomes a city that never sleeps. From the Ramzan festivity felt across the city during iftar to the sehri outings — the celebration is endless. The youngsters and families in the city are making most of the sehri platters at the new Chota Imambara food court or the age-old traditional Akbari Gate restaurants or Aminabad’s food joints.
The fact that the city has seen dedicated food hubs come up for sehri lately is the reason behind the popularity of the sehri-out-of-home culture. Restaurateur Sheeraz Manzar, who runs Wamesh Café at Chota Imambara, says, “Iss saal toh lag raha hai ki log ghar par kha hi nahin rahe. There’s a lot of rush for sehri every day. Be it grilled delicacies or biryani -- everything is being picked. Our family dining area is full almost every day during sehri.”
Mohd Shavez, a hotel management professional, says, “We were used to simple sehri at our home, but of late, the way city’s food hubs have evolved, it’s given a reason to friends and families to step out for sehri. For me, eating out and getting to meet my friends just before Fajr (early-morning prayer) has become ritual of sorts.”
Women, too, look forward to stepping out and spending time with their families rather than being in the kitchen to cook food for sehri. Homemaker Saba Husain adds, “We anyway prepare a lot of food for iftar. So, getting a chance to step out for the morning meal with family is a boon.
