Romanticizing Saddar Eateries. Cafe Mubarak appears dim lit, uninviting and ordinary from the intersection of busy Garden road in front of IBA city campus but this is not the case once you enter. You instantly connect with the place. This is sort of place you have heard your parents talking about. Those chai khanas and eateries from good old days. Tiny chairs, white topped tables, polite uniformed waiters, small teapots and a nostalgic display of cutlery.
They have kept the pace with modern traditions too. There was a group of IBA students having breakfast with lemon malt! There was a traditional and continental list of breakfast items. The service was prompt and waiters had a welcoming grin all the times. The roof is high which is a welcome change for a zamzama frequent connoisseur. The servings are generous and the bill is not heavy on the pocket. Highly recommended for a Sunday morning when traffic is low and parking is ample. There is a separate family hall upstairs which is apparently much more cleaner and well kept. Go there by one, if you want to have lunch which by the way is awesome. The fried fish and prawn curry is highly recommended and Chullo kabab is not bad either.
IBA city campus is undergoing renovation. Some generous alumni is returning the favor to his Alma mater. Wonder how important role Cafe Mubarak and surrounding struggling bookstores would have played in the development of IBA alumni. Do they qualify for similar generosity for their service?
Note: Took few photos from ‘Karachi Eating Out‘ due to technical problems with my camera. Credits mentioned on those photos.
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- Anda Variety
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- Morning sunshine
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- Proud Display of Cutlery
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- The interior has not changed for a while
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- To the Kitchen
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- The counter and the manager
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- Exit towards Garden road
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- Entrance from IBA side
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- Photo Credits: ‘Karachi Eating Out’
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- Photo Credits: ‘Karachi Eating Out’
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- Photo Credits: ‘Karachi Eating Out’
The Karachi Walla 
Lots of memories with this place. cafe mubarik, does it still got the second floor for the families?
ah the family section… reminds me of my time at IBA 🙂
Oh the time at iba and the time spent in mubarak. I left islamabad to study in karaxhi ans reading of this place makes me nostalgic. I yearn to return. Thanks for the post.
………….and time goes on
Iba and Cafe Mubarak !! what a combination it was 😦 i miss the time … what abt OMI canteen its still accessible ?