Nirala Sweets & Café is an official branch of the famous confectionery chain (of the same name) based in Lahore. In the UAE there are two outlets, one in Sharjah and this one on the ground floor of the Grand Square Stay Hotel Apartments in Barsha, Dubai. Similar to the Indian franchise Bikanervala, Nirala is famous for its traditional mithai and its own branded snacks. In Dubai they also serve traditional Pakistani breakfast, including puris, paya, suji halva, chaney, lassi and masala chai, which is what I was there to try. This was before Ramadan, of course.
The interior of Nirala is modern, clean and…um, very yellow.
The breakfast at Nirala is simply fantastic. Think of it as a spruced-up version of Muhammad Iqbal not far away in Barsha. I particularly liked the paya and the highly explosive chaney, also known as channa masala, which literally means ‘mix-spiced small-chickpeas’. I loved the halva and the crispy puris. And the masala chai must be one of the best in the business. And if channa is too potent for you in the morning, you can always order a masala omelette.
Channa 
Halva 
Paya 
My breakfast spread
I found the staff friendly, polite and accommodating. If you are looking to try a Pakistani breakfast but are too foofoo for the more mainstream franchises such as Pak Darbar, Ravi’s, Karachi Darbar or Muhammad Iqbal, then this is definitely the place for you. I enjoyed my breakfast immensely and will return for sure.
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