Ayub National Park
There, I enjoyed a street food breakfast of champions. The dishes included one of my new favorites, nihari. This dish is a rich, flavorful beef stew that can also contain bone marrow and brains. It may be a bit exotic for some, but I fell in love with it when I tried it in Karachi.
You’ll also find a butcher shop, where you’ll see the gory image of skinned lamb and goat carcasses hanging from the ceiling. It’s a great reminder of the reality of where our meat comes from. You can also buy animal innards, ribs, and even goat legs and slabs of mutton fat! Other vendors offer live chickens that you can take home to butcher yourself.
Pakistan
62/48 Bank Rd
Check out the Top 10 Things to See and Do in Islamabad, Pakistan
Enjoy a Pindi Breakfast
Today, Rawalpindi is a prominent commercial, industrial, and administrative center. Prominent local industries include textile mills, an iron foundry, gasworks, locomotive works, a brewery, and an oil refinery. It’s also home to Ayub National Park, several schools for higher education, and the Pakistani army headquarters.
The Food
Bonanza Satrangi was sort of like a multi-level American department store. Their branch in Karachi had a much larger selection, but there were still plenty of things for men on their second floor. I saw lots of vests, shirts, and even items like cologne and bedding. The lower level is where you’ll find the bedding and women’s clothing.
It’s soft, tender, and unbelievably flavorful. There’s a kick of spice from the chilies in it, and the oily meat is smooth and velvety. It practically disintegrates in your mouth and pairs nicely with roghni naan, a chewy flatbread similar to a pizza crust. Trying it is among the best things to do in Rawalpindi, Pakistan!
Bonanza Satrangi
Rawalpindi is also home to a large bazaar and commercial market. On the Friday morning I visited Rawalpindi, the bazaar, wasn’t busy at all as I was there just as the shops were starting to open. It was one of the first times I’d visited a commercial center in South Asia that wasn’t bustling with shoppers and vendors shoulder-to-shoulder. I almost missed the noise and the bustle, as it adds charm and character.
I also enjoyed some delicious halwa puri. This dish is made up of a sugary semolina dish called halwa and a flaky, fried, puffed-up flatbread called puri. It’s extremely common throughout Pakistan and usually comes with chana, a tomato-based chickpea curry.
Modern-day Rawalpindi was built atop an ancient city known as Gajipur, which was destroyed by the Mongols in the 14th century CE. After its destruction during the Mongol invasion, the city was rebuilt and renamed by Gakhar chief Jhanda Khan. From there, Rawalpindi blossomed after a Sikh explorer named Milka Singh invited people from the Shahpur and Jhelum areas to settle in the area in 1765.
After breakfast, the first thing I did was visit a vendor in the market selling doodh patti. This is a type of chai made by boiling milk and sugar with tea, along with ginger, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, peppercorns, fennel, and other spices. It’s rich and decadent, and has a nice, creamy texture! Try the chai with some malupa, a type of sweet and crispy biscuit you can get from a nearby vendor.
If you’ve followed me for a while, you’ll know that one of my favorite ways to get a feel for a new city or country is to try the cuisine. In Rawalpindi, that means trying some Pindi street food! For that, I suggest heading over to The Refreshment Center.
Throughout Punjab, you’ll likely see locals wearing a long, loose-fitting shirt and matching, loose pants. These outfits are called a shalwar kameez, and come in varieties for men and women. They’re popular throughout South and Central Asia. I had bought a green one in Karachi, but I wanted a white one, too. I finally got the chance to buy one at Bonanza Satrangi in Rawalpindi.
After buying my white shalwar kameez for 5,680 rupees (roughly USD), an employee let me sample some of their colognes. They smelled really nice and would make for great souvenirs to take home to friends and family! If you’re a man visiting the city, buying a shalwar kameez and some local cologne is one of the top things to do in Rawalpindi, Pakistan!
Check out my VIDEO: Pindi Street Food Breakfast of Champions!! Nihari + Halwa Puri in Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Explore the Local Market
After buying my white shalwar kameez for 5,680 rupees (roughly USD), an employee let me sample some of their colognes. They smelled really nice and would make for great souvenirs to take home to friends and family! If you’re a man visiting the city, buying a shalwar kameez and some local cologne is one of the top things to do in Rawalpindi, Pakistan!
Check out my VIDEO: Pakistani Street Food in Lahore!! Legendary Tawa Chicken in Taxali Gate Bazaar | Lahore, Pakistan
Conclusion
Located on the Pothohar Plateau, roughly 9 miles south of Islamabad in the Punjab province in northern Pakistan, is the city of Rawalpindi. Known locally as Pindi, Rawalpindi served as Pakistan’s capital from 1959 to 1969. Because of their proximity and strong ties to one another, Rawalpindi and Islamabad are often referred to as “the twin cities.” As the nation’s fourth-largest city, there are a number of great things to do in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
