Charminar Desi Adda Menu

Barfi & Milk Sweets

Mithai made from reduced milk, sold by the piece or boxed for festivals.

• Coconut BarfiVegetarianSoft, moist squares of shredded coconut cooked down with milk and sugar, scented with cardamom and sometimes layered pink and white.
• PedaVegetarianSmall round sweets of khoa, sugar and cardamom, soft and fudgy, pressed with a decorative pattern.
• RasmalaiVegetarian · Contains nutsSpongy patties of fresh chenna cheese soaked in chilled, thickened milk scented with saffron and cardamom, topped with sliced pistachios.
• Gulab JamunVegetarianFried balls of milk-solid dough steeped in warm rose and cardamom syrup, dark brown outside and soft, spongy and syrupy throughout.
• Kaju KatliVegetarian · Contains nutsThin diamond-shaped cashew fudge made from ground cashews and sugar syrup, smooth and dense, often finished with edible silver leaf.
• Pista BarfiVegetarian · Contains nutsFudge-like squares of slowly reduced milk and ground pistachios, pale green, subtly nutty and set firm enough to slice cleanly.
• Milk Cake (Kalakand)VegetarianGrainy, moist milk sweet made by slowly reducing milk with sugar, caramelized at the center.

Ladoo & Fried Sweets

Round sweets and syrup-dipped treats central to Diwali and celebrations.

• Mysore PakVegetarianSouth Indian sweet from Mysore of gram flour cooked with plenty of ghee and sugar, porous, rich and slightly crumbly in texture.
• Motichoor LadooVegetarian · SeasonalTiny fried gram-flour pearls bound in syrup and shaped into soft orange balls, fragrant with cardamom.
• Besan LadooVegetarianRoasted chickpea flour, ghee and sugar shaped into rich, nutty-tasting balls with a fine, fudgy texture.
• Coconut LadooVegetarianBalls of desiccated coconut and condensed milk, chewy and lightly sweet, rolled in more coconut.
• JalebiVegetarianSpirals of fermented batter fried crisp and soaked in saffron syrup, crunchy outside and juicy within.
• Soan PapdiVegetarian · Contains nutsFlaky, fibrous cubes of gram flour and sugar, shredding into strands, flavored with cardamom and pistachio.

Bakery Cookies & Rusks

Indian bakery staples served alongside chai.

• NankhataiVegetarian · Popular pickShortbread-style cookies made with ghee, flour and gram flour, spiced with cardamom and nutmeg, crumbling softly.
• Cake RuskVegetarianTwice-baked slices of vanilla sponge cake, dry and crunchy all the way through, made for dunking into a hot cup of tea.
• Toast RuskVegetarianCrisp twice-baked bread slices, lightly sweet with a hint of cardamom, a pantry staple with chai.
• Jeera BiscuitsVegetarianSavory-sweet butter cookies dotted with toasted cumin seeds, giving an earthy aroma and a crisp, short snap that pairs with chai.
• Osmania BiscuitsVegetarianHyderabadi tea biscuits balancing salt and sweet, with a tender, melting crumb and milky flavor.
• Coconut CookiesVegetarianGolden bakery cookies packed with toasted desiccated coconut, crisp at the edges and pleasantly chewy at the center.
• KhariVegetarian · SavoryPuff pastry sticks baked until brittle and flaky, lightly salted, sometimes with ajwain or cumin.

Puffs & Savory Snacks

Hot savory items from the bakery case and snack counter.

• Chicken PuffSavoryCrisp, many-layered pastry filled with shredded chicken cooked in a peppery onion-tomato masala with curry leaves.
• Paneer PuffVegetarian · SavoryLayered puff pastry filled with cubes of soft paneer tossed in a tangy, tikka-style spiced gravy with peppers and onion.
• SamosaVegetarian · SavoryTriangular fried pastry with a crunchy shell filled with spiced potatoes, peas and green chili.
• KachoriVegetarian · SavoryRound, puffed fried pastry filled with a spicy lentil or onion mixture, flaky and robust.
• Dabeli BunVegetarian · SavoryGujarati street snack of a soft bun stuffed with sweet-spicy potato filling, tamarind chutney, pomegranate seeds and roasted masala peanuts.
• Veg PuffVegetarian · SavoryFlaky puff pastry wrapped around a spiced potato, pea and carrot filling with turmeric and garam masala.
• Egg PuffSavoryRectangular puff pastry pocket enclosing half a boiled egg nestled in a spiced, slow-cooked onion masala, a classic Kerala bakery snack.

Cakes & Breads

Eggless and egg-based cakes and soft breads popular in Indian bakeries.

• Bun MaskaVegetarianSoft, sweet bun split and slathered with butter, often dipped into a cup of masala chai.
• Eggless Fruit CakeVegetarian · Egg-freePlum-style loaf cake with tutti frutti and raisins, moist and lightly spiced, made without eggs.
• PavVegetarianSoft, pull-apart square dinner rolls baked together in batches, a Mumbai staple used for vada pav, misal and pav bhaji.
• Mawa CakeVegetarian · Contains nutsParsi-style cupcake made with reduced milk solids, dense and buttery with cardamom and a cashew on top.
• DilkhushVegetarian · Contains nutsBengaluru bakery-style sweet bun with a soft, bread-like shell enclosing a filling of grated coconut, sugar, tutti frutti and chopped cashews.
• Eggless Black Forest CakeVegetarian · Egg-freeChocolate sponge layered with whipped cream and cherries, a fixture of Indian birthday cakes, made without eggs.

Drinks

• Caffè latteVegetarianEspresso with plenty of steamed milk and a thin microfoam layer; mellow and creamy, often finished with latte art and offered with oat or almond milk.
• Flat whiteVegetarianA smaller, stronger cousin of the latte: a double ristretto under silky, barely-foamed milk for a dense texture and pronounced coffee flavor.
• MochaVegetarianEspresso, chocolate sauce, and steamed milk, sometimes crowned with whipped cream; a dessert-leaning drink balancing cocoa richness with coffee bite.
• EspressoVeganA concentrated one- or two-ounce shot pulled under pressure, topped with tawny crema and carrying bittersweet, roasty notes with a short, syrupy finish.
• AmericanoVeganEspresso stretched with hot water into a full-size cup; lighter in body than drip yet keeps the toasty edge of the shot.
• CappuccinoVegetarianEqual-ish parts espresso, steamed milk, and airy foam cap, giving a drier, stronger-tasting drink than a latte with a velvety top layer.