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The conversation gained traction following recent protests in Hyderabad targeting Karachi Bakery, a beloved city institution.
Social media users are now asking how many of Indian restaurants are actually run by Pakistanis posing as Indians. (AI-generated)
As diplomatic tensions simmer between India and Pakistan, a parallel controversy is heating up online — this time over the true identity of “Indian” restaurants abroad. Social media users are now asking: how many of them are actually run by Pakistanis posing as Indians?
The conversation gained traction following recent protests in Hyderabad targeting Karachi Bakery, a beloved city institution. Despite its name referencing Pakistan’s financial capital, the bakery is Indian in origin. Owner Rajesh Ramnani clarified that it was founded in 1953 by his grandfather Khanchand Ramnani, a Sindhi Hindu migrant who fled Karachi during the 1947 Partition, according to a PTI report.
VIDEO | Protests erupt in Hyderabad against a bakery named after Karachi. The owner clarifies and says, “Karachi Bakery was founded here in Hyderabad in 1953 by Khanchand Ramnani, who migrated to India during the Partition. It has been 73 years. Our grandfather named it after… pic.twitter.com/i6dAkwxDIR— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 8, 2025
The bakery controversy triggered a wider online discussion, with one user questioning, “How many ‘Indian’ restaurants in the UK are actually run by Pakistanis pretending to be Indian. Now why might that be?” he asked.
How many “Indian” restaurants in the UK are actually run by Pakistanis pretending to be Indian. Now why might that be?— David Vance (@DVATW) May 8, 2025
The Internet jumped into the debate. Some were concerned about the lack of transparency in ethnic restaurant ownership abroad.
A user commented, “Wait, what? That makes sense. How does one find out which ones are genuine Indian restaurants?”
Wait what. That makes sense. How does one find out which ones are genuine Indian restaurants?— Joulespersecond (@jsambowen) May 8, 2025
Another said, “Every Indian restaurant should compulsorily display its owner’s NRI / OCI certificate from their Indian Embassy as a Certificate of Authenticity. “
Every Indian restaurant should compulsorily display its owner’s NRI / OCI certificate from their Indian Embassy as a Certificate of Authenticity. Someone demanded official intervention. “The Indian Embassy should give certification,” he said.
Indian Embassy should give certification.
— Raj
Some framed it as a reputational issue. “No one will be interested to go and dine at a Pakistani restaurant. Not only in the UK, but they also do business in Germany the same way,” a user said.
No one will be interested to go and dine at a pakistani restaurant. Not only in the UK they do business in Germany too in the same way.
— Balaji Balram Singh (@balaji_bal59667) May 9, 2025
A podcast clip being widely shared featured a speaker alleging, “Pakistanis in London pretend to be Indians to escape humiliation.” Another Indian in the same clip claimed that every Pakistani restaurant that opens abroad writes “we are an Indian restaurant”.
This sentiment resonated with many diaspora Indians and travellers, who began sharing their experiences.
An Indian user in the US said, “We found a few ‘Indian’ restaurants here in the US run by Pakistanis.”
We found few “Indian “ restaurants here in US run by Pakistanis.— Pooja (@Poojas_art) May 9, 2025
Another in Japan shared, “I went to an Indian restaurant in Tokyo, Japan. It had an Indian map and showed Kashmir without PoK. I instantly recognised that it was being run by a Pakistani. I did not eat there. I had nothing against this owner, but I do not like people who are defrauding other people.”
I went to an Indian restaurant in Tokyo, Japan. It had Indian map and showed Kashmir without PoK. I instantly recognised that it was being run by a Pakistani. I did not eat there.I had nothing personally against this owner but I do not like people who are defrauding other…
— Saurabh Jain (@skjsaurabh) May 9, 2025
“Same in France, most Indian restaurants are run by Pakistanis”, another user shared.
same in France, most Indian restaurants are run by Pakistanis— François Gautier (@fgautier26) May 9, 2025
There is no official global registry differentiating Indian versus Pakistani ownership of restaurants abroad.
In her essay for Bittman, Maryam Jillani says that restaurant owners in the US and other countries often label their eateries as “Indian” to attract customers, leading to menus filled with Indian staples like butter chicken and chana masala, while authentic Pakistani dishes such as haleem, Lahori fried fish, or kabuli pulao remain underrepresented.
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Delhi, India, India
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