Most restaurants are remembered for their food, ambience or history. In Ahmedabad, however, one eatery has built a reputation for something entirely unexpected. At New Lucky Restaurant, customers sip hot chai and tuck into buttery bun maska while seated beside 26 centuries-old graves. What may seem eerie to first-time visitors has become an enduring part of one of the city’s most iconic dining spots.Located near Lal Darwaja, New Lucky Restaurant has been serving customers for more than 75 years. According to reports, the establishment began as a modest tea stall before gradually expanding into a full-fledged restaurant. During its construction, the owner discovered that the site contained graves believed to belong to 16th-century Sufi saints and their relatives.Instead of removing or relocating them, he chose to preserve every grave. The restaurant was designed around the burial site, with iron railings protecting each tomb and dining tables carefully arranged in the spaces between them. Today, visitors walk past green-painted tombs before settling down for tea, snacks or a meal, making it one of India’s most unusual dining experiences.
A place where faith and everyday life coexist
Despite attracting curious travellers from around the world, the graves are never treated as a novelty. Staff members reportedly clean the tombs every day, decorate them with fresh flowers and recite Al-Fatiha as a mark of respect. A dargah located beside the restaurant further underscores the spiritual significance of the site.
The unusual setting has done little to deter diners. Instead, the restaurant remains a favourite among families, students, office-goers and tourists, many of whom stop by for its signature chai and bun maska, dishes that have become synonymous with New Lucky over the decades.
The belief that tea here brings good fortune
Beyond its distinctive setting, New Lucky Restaurant has become associated with a local belief that continues to draw visitors. According to reports, many residents believe that having a cup of tea here before an important examination, business meeting or major life event brings good luck and prosperity.The owner is also said to have believed that preserving the graves brought blessings to the business rather than misfortune, a sentiment that has become part of the restaurant’s enduring folklore.
A favourite of M.F. Husain
The restaurant’s appeal extends well beyond its unusual location. Renowned artist M.F. Husain was a frequent visitor whenever he was in Ahmedabad and is said to have been particularly fond of the restaurant’s tea and bun maska. According to reports, he gifted one of his paintings to the restaurant in 2004. The artwork continues to hang on its walls and is carefully preserved, adding another layer of cultural significance to the space.
International attention for an extraordinary eatery
Over the years, New Lucky Restaurant has earned recognition far beyond Ahmedabad. Its rare blend of history, faith and hospitality has seen it featured among the world’s most unusual places to eat, while its appearance in the popular television sitcom Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah has further cemented its status as a local landmark. Reports also suggest that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi stopped by the restaurant for tea during a visit to the city.
More than seven decades after opening its doors, New Lucky Restaurant continues to challenge conventional ideas of what a dining experience should look like. For some, it is simply the perfect place to enjoy a cup of chai and bun maska. For others, it is a reminder that history, heritage and everyday life can peacefully exist side by side, even in the company of 26 centuries-old graves.
