Like many biryani enthusiasts in Hyderabad, Yamini Vemuri Thummallachetty, a resident of the city, confesses that she was unaware of Tadipatri biryani until she visited Anantapur in Rayalaseema a few years ago. “I only knew about the spicy and mild versions of Hyderabadi dum biryani,” she says. It was during this trip that Yamini tasted Tadipatri biryani for the first time and fell in love with it.
Tadipatri is a town in Andhra Pradesh’s Anantapur district, where the biryani is not prepared in the dum style and is made only with chitti muthyalu rice, a small-grained aromatic variety. It is typically served with a sour side dish made of gongura and chukka kura known as khatta bhaji, and a bowl of raita. Tadipatri biryani shares some similarities with Tamil Nadu’s Ambur biryani.
Yamini, along with her husband Varun Thummallachetty, desired to introduce Tadipatri biryani to the people of Hyderabad. With the help of her mother-in-law, Neeraja Thummallachetty, they finalized the dishes, hired kitchen staff, and launched their first restaurant in a Jubilee Hills lane in December 2022. The eatery’s bright yellow signboard with the name Tadipatri Biryani on it is easily visible to anyone driving from Jubilee Road Number 10 to Jubilee Check Post. They also have another outlet in Madhapur. At the Jubilee Hills outlet, the only issue is finding a parking spot. The inside of the restaurant can be chaotic during lunch hours, with diners crowding the place and refusing to wait outside until a table is free. Food is served on banana leaves, which is an exciting experience for many diners, particularly children.
While there are many dishes to sample at Tadipatri Biryani, the Tadipatri biryani is a must-try. Dum biryani lovers may want to argue about whether it is biryani or pulao, but it is undoubtedly delicious. It has a fantastic flavor and isn’t dry, with the meat cooked to melt in your mouth.
If you’re not in the mood for biryani, the ragi sangati with natu kodi pulusu (country chicken curry) is another classic dish worth trying. The ghee served with some dishes is homemade, enhancing their flavor. There are also several vegetarian starters, such as the restaurant’s signature dish, Alasanda (cow pea or black eye beans) vada, which is a deep-fried finger food that is quite filling. In the non-vegetarian section, the mutton chop masala and chicken fry, particularly the pedamma kodi, a chicken starter, are some of the best picks. Both of these starters come with a little amount of thickened dry gravy, so having them with bread is not a bad idea.
The staff assists diners who cannot decide what to try. On special days, even before handing the menu to diners, they serve them a bowl of sheera, a sweet dish to start the meal. The nannari drink and Palkollu junnu dessert are two recommended items at Tadipatri Biryani.
Table for two: ₹1600 approximately (three course)