For Hyderabadis, biryani is never just food. It is an emotion, a weekend ritual, a family celebration, and sometimes even the answer to every craving. Every locality has its own favourite biryani spot, and every Hyderabadi has a strong opinion on where the best plate is served. In a city where legendary names have ruled for decades, launching a new biryani is no easy task.
Yet, new players continue to enter the market with the hope of earning a place on Hyderabad’s ever-growing biryani map. The latest to do so is Aazebo, a name that has already built a loyal following for its mandi, Ramzan specials like haleem, suhoor and iftar thalis. After making its mark in the mandi segment, Aazebo has now officially stepped into Hyderabad’s fiercely competitive biryani space.
Curious to see if it could live up to the city’s expectations, we tried Aazebo’s newly launched both Chicken Biryani and Mutton Biryani.
Aazebo currently has three branches across Hyderabad, but its newly launched biryani is, for now, available only at the Malakpet outlet. The restaurant has long been a favourite among mandi lovers, with packed tables. Naturally, expectations from its biryani were high.
Thankfully, the first impression was a good one.
The quality of the rice stood out immediately. Every grain was long, fluffy and perfectly cooked without feeling greasy or overly oily. It had the texture that every good Hyderabadi biryani should have.
Chicken Biryani: Nearly flawless
The Chicken Biryani turned out to be the star of the meal.
The chicken pieces were juicy, tender and cooked beautifully, falling apart effortlessly while still holding their texture. The masala was balanced and flavourful without overpowering the rice, making every bite enjoyable.
It isn’t a biryani that relies on excessive spice to impress. Instead, it lets the flavours speak for themselves. Those who appreciate a balanced, aromatic biryani will find this one extremely satisfying.
Rating: 9.5/10
Mutton Biryani: Great meat, but could use a stronger punch
The Mutton Biryani also impressed in many ways.
The mutton was exceptionally tender and cooked to perfection, something that many restaurants struggle to achieve. The rice quality remained consistently excellent, and the overall balance of the dish was enjoyable.
The only area where it could improve is the masala. Compared to the chicken version, the mutton biryani felt slightly milder. Elevating the spice and flavour profile just a little would make it an even stronger offering, especially considering Hyderabad’s love for bold, robust mutton biryanis.
That said, it is still a very good plate of biryani.
Rating: 9/10
For a brand that has already won over Hyderabad with its mandi, this is a confident and promising entry into the city’s biryani scene. With just a slight enhancement to the mutton biryani’s spice levels, Aazebo could very well become another name Hyderabadis keep coming back to.
Speaking to Siasat.com, Mohammed Ayub, founder of Aazebo, spoke about why the brand waited eight years to introduce biryani, what sets it apart in Hyderabad’s crowded food scene, and the story behind its newest offering.
Hyderabad is already home to some of the biggest biryani brands. What made you believe this was the right time to launch Aazebo’s biryani?
Ayub said, “Honestly, there was never a ‘right time.’ I just realised there was a wrong time, and that wrong time was every day for the past eight years. We opened Aazebo with Arabian food because that was what I knew best. Biryani is Hyderabad’s own. To make biryani in this city, you don’t just need a recipe. You need permission from the city itself. I feel we earned that permission slowly over eight years of getting our craft right. This isn’t really a launch. It’s a long-overdue homecoming.”
With so much competition, what truly makes Aazebo’s biryani stand out?
“I would be lying if I said I had reinvented biryani. Nobody can. What we have done is respected it. Aged basmati, only the freshest mutton, a masala blend we developed specifically for this dish. The difference, I hope, is in the patience. We don’t rush the dum. Most of what makes a biryani great is what happens when nobody is looking at it. Try it once, and you will tell me yourself whether it stands out,” he added.
What was the biggest challenge in creating a biryani that could appeal to Hyderabad’s very particular food lovers?
“The challenge wasn’t technical. It was emotional. In Hyderabad, biryani isn’t compared to other biryanis. It’s compared to a memory. Someone’s mother made it a certain way. Someone’s first date happened at a certain place. Someone’s grandfather had a favourite spot near Charminar that doesn’t exist anymore. You’re not competing with restaurants. You’re competing with feelings. Our biggest challenge was making something that earns its own space in those feelings, without trying to imitate someone else’s.,” Ayub revealed.
We hear there’s an interesting story behind how Aazebo’s biryani recipe was finalised. Can you tell us about it?
“The biryani we are launching wasn’t chosen by me. It was chosen by Hyderabad. Moiz and Asad, founders of MACSTUDIO, the creative agency behind Aazebo’s branding and marketing, told me, ‘You’re not the right person to choose this biryani. Your customers are.’ That single sentence reframed the entire launch for me,” Ayub said.
“We invited 50 guests to a secret dinner without revealing the purpose. They tasted four biryanis. Two chicken and two mutton and voted for their favourite. The biryani that won the most votes is the exact one going on our menu today. In a real sense, the biryani Aazebo is launching is not mine. It is Hyderabad’s choice.”
Do you think Hyderabad still has room for a new biryani brand, or has the market become too crowded?
Ayub said, “This is a fair question and I’ll answer it honestly. Hyderabad doesn’t have a biryani problem. It has a sincerity problem. The market doesn’t reject new brands. It rejects shortcuts. We are simply expanding our menu the way any Hyderabad household expands its dastarkhwan. There is always room for one more plate, as long as the food is honest.”
If someone asks you why they should choose Aazebo over a biryani brand they have been loyal to for years, what would your answer be?
Ayub concluded saying, “I will not ask anyone to leave the biryani brand they love. Loyalty in this city is earned over years, and I respect that completely. What I’ll ask is much smaller. Come and try ours once. We are not asking anyone to switch. We are asking them to visit. Aap bas aajao, baaki Aazebo sambhaal lega.”
This post was last modified on July 2, 2026 10:07 am