Pakistani restaurant in Najaf draws growing Iraqi clientele

NAJAF — A Pakistani restaurant on Al-Rasool Street in Najaf’s old city is drawing increasing numbers of Iraqi diners, expanding beyond the Asian students and residents it originally served, according to owner Qasim Ali.

Ali said the restaurant opened to cater mainly to students from East Asia studying in Najaf’s religious seminaries, but that Iraqis now account for about one-third of customers.

“Iraqis have become a significant part of our clientele,” Ali told 964media.

Operating from a modest old house, the restaurant serves visitors and residents from India, Pakistan and other East Asian countries, as well as African and Gulf customers. Ali said many are drawn by the similarity between their traditional foods and the heavily spiced dishes offered at the restaurant.

Most of the kitchen staff come from Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city, and prepare dishes from both southern and northern Pakistani cuisine, including biryani, chicken curry, meat stews and sabzi, Ali said.

He added that Iraqi diners are often surprised by how closely Pakistani food resembles local Iraqi cooking. Ali said the restaurant offers an alternative to Western-style food outlets that have become widespread across Iraqi cities.

Ali also pointed to crossover in desserts. He said the sweet dish known locally as “jizriyya” has Pakistani origins, and that staff often explain to diners that several menu items trace back to broader Asian culinary traditions.