In pictures: Nizam’s at New Market — where the Kolkata Kathi Roll was invented

Nizam’s Restaurant is the birthplace of Kolkata’s iconic roll, where spiced meats meet flaky, golden-brown parathas since 1932. Nizam’s was named after Sheikh Nizamuddin, the only son of founder Sheikh Raza Hassan

How was the Kolkata roll invented? It was born from the hustle of Dalhousie’s ‘office para’ lunch-time crowds during colonial rule. Nizam’s wrapped kebabs, onions, and a dash of lime in a crispy paratha — it cut the queues, made the dish convenient for those on the go, and was perfect for the British clientele who were reluctant to soil their fingers!

It became a ‘kathi’ roll only in 1964, when heavy iron skewers were discarded to make way for inexpensive bamboo sticks or ‘kathis’ to skewer the meat with. In the same year, chicken rolls were added to mutton, beef and khiri (cow udder) rolls

Nizam’s Restaurant claims it still prepares its mutton rezalas and parathas on the very same 185kg tawa that was used on the day of its inception. Now it is 80kg from years of use

In May 2008, Nizam’s Restaurant opened the Mughal Gardens wing, down the pavement from the original spot in the New Market area. It reintroduced its famous beef counter with a dedicated kitchen, serving everything from beef kebabs, bhunas, chaaps, biryanis and the unique khiri

Like the framed posters on the wall suggest, Nizam’s rolls have charmed celebrities and locals alike, from Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan to Raj Kapoor and Sharmila Tagore. Did you know that there is a roll called Bachchan Special Aloo Roll on the menu, dedicated to the actor?