The East End — Restaurant in Karachi Division

The East End in Karachi is a hidden gem that offers a truly unique and immersive fine dining experience. This restaurant takes you on a journey through Pakistan’s rich culinary heritage, blending traditional flavors with a touch of modern sophistication. Located in an upscale area, The East End is the perfect destination for food enthusiasts who appreciate high-quality ingredients, carefully curated dishes, and a cozy yet elegant ambiance. Whether you're planning a romantic dinner, a family gathering, or a special celebration, this place promises an unforgettable experience.

From the moment you walk in, you are transported into an atmosphere of understated luxury. The interior design is a blend of contemporary and traditional aesthetics, with dim lighting, tasteful décor, and a soothing ambiance that creates a warm and inviting environment. The seating is comfortable and well-arranged, ensuring a relaxed dining experience. The attention to detail in the restaurant’s setup, from the beautifully set tables to the soft background music, adds to the charm and exclusivity of the place.

What truly sets The East End apart is its carefully crafted menu, which pays homage to classic Pakistani dishes while presenting them in a refined and modern way. The restaurant follows a set menu concept, offering a multi-course meal that takes you on a delightful culinary adventure. Each dish is presented beautifully, making the experience not only flavorful but also visually appealing.

One of the standout dishes is the Tamatar Ka Kut, a delicious tomato-based curry that bursts with rich and tangy flavors. The Chapli Kabab is another must-try, offering a perfect balance of spices and tenderness that melt in your mouth with every bite. The seafood options, including the Masala Crusted Fish, are equally impressive, prepared with precision to bring out the best of local flavors. The Murgh Handi and other slow-cooked meat dishes highlight the restaurant’s commitment to preserving traditional cooking methods while elevating the presentation.

One of the best parts of the dining experience at The East End is how each course is served with a story, giving guests an insight into the cultural and historical significance of the dishes. This storytelling element adds depth to the meal, making it more than just a dinner—it’s an experience that connects you with Pakistan’s culinary traditions in an intimate way.

The desserts at The East End are the perfect way to conclude the meal. The Shahi Tukray is an absolute delight, offering the right balance of sweetness and texture, while the Kulfi Falooda is a nostalgic treat that brings back the essence of classic Pakistani street desserts but with a gourmet twist.

Apart from the exquisite food, the service at The East End is exceptional. The staff is well-trained, professional, and highly knowledgeable about the menu. They take the time to explain each dish and ensure that guests feel comfortable and well taken care of. The hospitality here is warm and genuine, adding to the overall charm of the restaurant.

The East End is truly a standout dining destination in Karachi. It successfully combines the authenticity of Pakistani flavors with a high-end dining experience, making it a must-visit for anyone looking to explore local cuisine in a sophisticated and immersive setting. Whether you are a Karachi local or visiting the city, this restaurant should be on your list for a remarkable and flavorful journey through Pakistan’s culinary history. Highly recommended for those who appreciate fine dining with a...

One word Fantastic :) Basic, homely, comfort food ingredients used to elevate a five-course meal with a fine dining experience. You won’t get anything like this in Karachi, and that much I promise you.

Overall Rating: 9/10 Average hit: PKR 2500/-

Located literally at the East End of the city, off Khalique uz Zaman road (Punjab chowrangi), nestled in a bushy corner – this place welcomes you with serious home feels. Coveted with a nice parking space right outside the place, upon stepping out of your car you’ll notice a giant crow with a wooden background awaiting your welcome.

It’s a small, cozy place, with a very comfortable ambiance, well lit and a plush interior. The first look is welcoming, and you see waiters in crisp whites bringing you two menus – signatures and specials.

The way it goes is something like this – in a five-course meal you only order your main course and you get 03 appetizers with it, 04 seasonal fruit drinks (shot glasses with slushy texture) and then at the end a dessert of your choice. You start off with a chilled detox water consisting of beetroot, lemon and mint and then your appetizers start coming in along with your drinks.

The appetizers are crafted according to your entrée’s styling. We were a bunch of 4 people so we ended up trying all their appetizers: chilies stuffed with mixed spicy pickle with flour based crackers to just soothe the spice, sweet boiled potato with crispy paapar and a chilly based dressing, boiled potato dressed in mint yogurt with fried egg plant and assortment of dressings, cannoli type sweet potatoes with herbs and tamarind sauce, three different types of bite sized parathas (sweet, savory and spicy), BBQ fried prawns, flour based twisted rolls stuffed with minced beef and tamarind sauce.

Yes, I just finished the list of the appetizers. Each one of them had a superb unique taste and it would be unfair to differentiate them on basis of taste. Just to make things clear, one person gets three appetizers, so you might just get 03 of those appetizers depending on what you ordered.

Finally, here’s a list of my breakdown ratings:

Taste: 9/10 Quality: 9/10 Quantity: 9.5/10 Presentation: 9/10 Ambiance: 8/10 Location: 7/10 (difficult to locate, unless you’re using google maps) Value for money: 7.5/10

My main course was a classic Burn’s Road Khatakat – served with garlic parathas. I am not much of a heavy eater and because of the whole list of appetizers being presented, I had to give up on my main course midway. Which made me realize that five course meals aren’t my thing, lol. But the dish in itself was sublime. Perfectly spiced khatakat, well balanced flavors, less oil, generously served and just went very well with the whole meal.

The drinks they served were an imli and gur slush, kiwi slush, mint lemonade slush, orange juice slush, and a pomegranate and black pepper slush – all shot sizes.

At the end, you have a choice of gajar ka halwa, khajoor ka halwa, malpuris, and kulfi. For me the khajoor ka halwa was superb. I would get that on top of any other dessert, any given day.

Long story short, this place is an experience of an own. If you have the budget, and someone you want to impress, then well – this place won’t...

I don’t usually share bad reviews but my stomach is so bad after dinner there tonight, that I simply felt I had to share this.

The food tasted ok. It seems to have dropped in standard. The worst of it is, I came home to an awful loose stomach. Sad. I used to enjoy the experience of East End. The waiters seemed impatient while guiding us through the process. (I’m coming after some time and got a bit confused) and when we asked for some help with understanding how to use the crab shell cutting thingy, they pretty much told us to sort it out ourselves. We were clumsily smashing the crabs at the end of the evening. The crabs ironically, were the best thing on the menu. Everything else was mediocre at best. And my stomach has not been so bad in years!

Not coming here again for a while, if ever.

Disappointed and literally sick with a loose stomach :( I don’t know if it’s the drinks or the food that caused it.

A pretty hefty bill for a bad stomach, mediocre food and...