Eid at 2am: Inside Chennai’s midnight biryani economy

At 1.30am, Puliyanthope is wide awake. On nights like Eid — and increasingly, well beyond it — ladles clang against aluminium pots, bikes crowd narrow lanes, and the air is scented with firewood and spices.

From Triplicane to Adambakkam, the city’s midnight kitchens feed a steady stream of diners. Although a few cooks operate round the clock, many others begin service at midnight and continue until the early hours of the morning.

The LPG shortage, caused by the war in West Asia, has had minimal impact here. While Midnight Bros and Basheer Bai Biryani have traditionally cooked all their biriyani on firewood, KGN Aarifa has shifted to firewood. Hotel Bilal Biryani cooks their biryani in a central kitchen away from the city using firewood while their kebabs and tandoori are now being done on coal.

I follow this trail from Adambakkam to Puliyanthope, and from Pudupet to Triplicane, to meet the masters, and understand what keeps the fires burning while the rest of the city sleeps.

KGN Aarifa

My first stop is Puliyanthope, a bustling neighbourhood awash with bright lights, dense traffic and a constant flow of people. Does this city ever sleep, I wonder as I join the line at KGN Aarifa, where there is a frenzy of activity around a massive cauldron of biryani. Customers cluster around the counters to collect parcels, while waiters move briskly in and out, serving loaded plates to those seated inside.

Steam rising, and every grain telling a story — a plate of biryani at its irresistible best.
| Photo Credit:
Johan Satyadas

Dhanasekar, who is a regular here, says, “I come here several times a week because I can’t resist the delicious biryani prepared by Syed Shamsuddin and his son, Syed Moinudeen.” Shamsuddin explains that one of their key advantages is the supply of fresh meat from nearby every day. The restaurant was launched by their great-grandmother 20 years ago and functions round the clock, with peak business between 1.30am and 4.30am.

“On weekdays we sell about 500 kilograms of biryani, while on weekends the figure goes up to nearly 1,200 kilograms,” says Moinudeen. Most customers come from within a four-to-five-kilometre radius, though some travel from as far as Madurai and Bengaluru. They receive periodic orders from the Gulf countries and send deep-frozen biryani parcels by air.

“We specialise in dum biryani similar to the Hyderabadi style. Our paya biryani is in great demand, and the vadi biriyani is another favourite — the rice is partially cooked separately and then layered with a spicy chicken or mutton gravy before being finished on dum,” says Shamsuddin, a mutton wholesaler. “While the beef biryani is very popular, our mutton biryani stands out because of the quality of the meat.”

I sample a mouthful of fragrant rice with a tender piece of mutton and am impressed by the depth of flavour — clearly the result of years of careful refinement. As I step out, customers continue to pour in, and the staff slip into an even faster rhythm to keep up with the rush.

KGN Aarifa Biryani is at Dr Ambedkar College Road, near Plantop, VOC Nagar, Pulianthope, Chennai. Chicken Biryani ₹110, Mutton Biryani ₹300. For more details, call 8072298895.

Hotel Bilal Biryani

Triplicane has traditionally been home to communities for whom biryani forms an essential part of the daily diet, and it is therefore dotted with numerous outlets. My destination is Hotel Bilal Biriyani, located at the beginning of Triplicane High Road. The restaurant opens at 6.30pm and continues serving a steady stream of customers until the early hours of the next morning. The frontage is alive with activity — large vessels line the entrance, kebabs sizzle on skewers, and parottas are briskly kneaded and cooked.

Md. Irfanullah arrives, accompanied by his energetic father, Md. Amanullah. “We started this outlet six years ago during Ramzan,” says Irfanullah. “During the Ramzan season we remain open until 5am, while on regular days we usually close around 3am.”

The outlet draws customers from far beyond Triplicane. “We get a lot of patrons from the IT corridor along OMR and from the industrial areas in Sriperumbudur,” he explains. “They usually inform us in advance about their requirements, and we keep their orders ready, since the outlet itself does not have much seating space.”

Hotel Bilal Biryani is popular for its beef paya and beef shawarma. 
| Photo Credit:
Johan Satyadas

“Our speciality is biryani cooked over firewood. The cooking is done in a large kitchen at another location, and vessels of freshly prepared food are brought here at regular intervals,” says Irfanullah. He takes particular pride in the eatery’s paya and shawarma. A recent milestone for the family has been the launch of their first overseas venture, Sri Lanka Bilal, in Colombo.

To appeal to a younger clientele from the IT sector, Irfanullah has actively embraced social media. I sample a spoonful of the firewood-cooked biryani. The subtle smoky flavour enriches the rice and meat, creating a taste that feels distinct from the more standardised, mass-produced version offered by many well-known brands in the city.

Hotel Bilal Biryani is at Police Station, 1, Triplicane High Road, opposite D1, Police Quarters, Triplicane, Chennai. Chicken biryani ₹120. For more details, call 9962387288.

Basheeer Bai Biriyani

It is midnight when I reach Pudupet. The usually busy road lined with automobile spare-parts and repair shops is shuttered for the night, leaving plenty of space for parking. In the midst of the quiet surroundings brightly lit Basheer Bai Biriyani stands out. The frontage is modest and not particularly striking, but once inside, I am greeted by a burst of activity.

Customers pull up on bikes and cycles and head straight to the counter. Inside, a loyal patron, Johnny Bhai, sits waiting patiently for the large vessel to arrive from the kitchen in time for service to begin at midnight. “On most nights I can’t pass this place without stopping for their delicious biryani,” says Johnny, who runs a business in the neighbourhood.

Shahul Haneefa, who personally supervises the cooking and daily operations, explains, “Midnight to early morning are our busiest hours. On weeknights, most of our customers are bachelors living nearby. When we open for lunch, we get many families, and to accommodate them we recently added an air-conditioned dining area on the first floor.”

Basheeer Bai Biriyani functions through the night and also opens for lunch.
| Photo Credit:
Johan Satyadas

The restaurant was founded in 1990 by Shahul’s father, Alikhan Basheer, after whom it is named. “During my father’s time we served only during the day and evening, not after midnight,” says Shahul. “I introduced the late-night service when I realised there was a demand for good-quality biryani at those hours.”

In the evenings, the menu also includes parotta, chapati and idli, which are popular with a range of non-vegetarian gravies. Mutton biryani is available only on Sundays.

Basheer Bai Biryani is at 41/2, Adithanar Road, Pudupet, Komaleeswaranpet, Egmore, Chennai. Cost: Chicken biryani ₹140, Mutton biryani ₹260. For more details, call 9840598787.

Midnight Bros Biriyani

It is close to midnight as I drive down a still-bustling Mount Road, weaving through endless diversions and barricades as Metro Rail work gathers pace. The city clearly refuses to sleep. And if Chennai stays awake, why should biryani call it a night? My destination is Adambakkam, where Midnight Bros Biriyani opens at 10pm and serves customers until 4am, remaining closed only on Sundays.

Tucked away from the busy main road in a quiet residential neighbourhood, Midnight Bros Biriyani offers a surprisingly peaceful setting to enjoy a late-night meal. But as the clock moves past midnight, the steady flow of customers suggests that the aroma of freshly cooked biryani is drawing them in.

Midnight Bros Biryani functions from 10 pm to 4 am
| Photo Credit:
Johan Satyadas

Akash, brother of proprietor Vijay Arumugam, is at the restaurant, which is set up in a large semi-open space with well-spaced seating. At one end is the kitchen, where the biryani is slow-cooked over firewood. “We first ran an industrial kitchen and later opened the Red Onion restaurant in Ramapuram, which had to be shut down during the Covid period,” says Akash. “After the pandemic, when we decided to start a biryani outlet catering to late-night and early-morning diners, we chose this spacious property and set up Midnight Bros.”

Midnight Bros draws both families and younger diners. “The tawa prawns are a particular favourite,” says Akash. The outlet sells around 40 kilos of chicken biriyani and about 10 kilos of mutton biryani each day. Their customers come from considerable distances, including Sholinganallur, Ambur, Mamallapuram, Poonamallee and Porur.

Midnight Bros Biryani is known for firewood-cooked briyani.
| Photo Credit:
Johan Satyadas

The enticing aroma is impossible to ignore, and I decide on a quick bite. The mutton pieces are generous and tender, and the rice is fragrant, with a mild smokiness from the firewood, all combining to create a hearty and satisfying meal in the early hours of the morning.

Midnight Bros Biryani is at 4, Dhamodharan Street, Kesari Nagar, Vanuvampet, Adambakkam, Chennai. Cost: Chicken Biryani ₹150, Mutton Biriyani ₹250. For more details, call 9840045309.