Bharawan Da Dhaba: A connoisseur of traditional Punjabi food

Subhash Vij joined his father in running the more-than-century-old Bharawan Da Dhaba in 1975 after completing his graduation. The dhaba, a 10-minute walk from the Golden Temple in Amritsar, was started by Subhash’s grandfather in 1912 in a tent after he came from Sialkot, Pakistan, to settle in the border town.

Today, Bharawan Da Dhaba, which specialises in traditional Punjabi food, is considered to be a must-visit on every tourist’s itinerary who visits Amritsar. The restaurant provides a wide range of Punjabi dishes, like stuffed kulchas with chole to makke di roti with sarson da saag, to name a few. Currently, Subhash’s son has joined him in the business, and together, they are running three branches in the city.

Subhash (63) says the dhaba went through many upheavals due to wars with Pakistan and militancy, but they kept their focus on championing taste and service. Today, the chain of restaurants in the city is clocking a turnover of over Rs 4 crore.

In a video interview with SMBStory, Subhash shares the restaurant’s 106-year-old journey, their unique cooking methodology as well as the ingredients for success.

(Video: Mohit Sabharwal)