I’ll be visiting Lahore soon Inshallah. The only problem is that my last visit was in 1996 and i dont really know what THE places to dine, shop or just hang out are. Id love suggestions!!!
Lahore is considered the dining capital of Pakistan (by Lahoris, ofcourse :-D), so you won't be short for dining varieties.... while the following list may not include the latest and the newest, it will show the variety.
Food Joints
Pakistani Food
1. Salt N' Pepper Village (M.M. Alam Road) .. the ultimate in Pakistani buffets. (Expensive)
2. Food Street (Gawal Mandi) .. whole variety (Moderate)
3. Tabaq (Lakshmi chowk) .. tikkas and other BBQ items (Moderate).
4. Muhammadi Nihari (Muzang) .. Nihari joint (Moderate)
5. Bashir Dar-ul-Mahi (Muzang) Fried Fish (Moderate)
6. Shahi Cholay (Lakshmi) .. Cholay naan (Cheap)
7. Bundu Khan (Several) .. Tikkas and others (Moderate)
8. Bhayya ke kabab (Model Town) .. BBQ kababs (Cheap)
Chinese Food
1. Dynasti (Avari) .. my favorite Schezuan cuisine (Expensive)
2. Tai Pan (PC) .. Mandarin and Cantonese (Expensive)
3. Hsin Kuang (Gulberg) .. Cantonese (Expensive)
4. Tai Wah (Gulberg) Buffet (Expensive)
Italian
1. Pizza Hut (Chain stores) .. (Expensive)
2. Pasta (Jail Road) .. (Moderate)
Miscellaneous
1. Cafe Zouk (MM Alam road) .. International / Thai (Expensive)
2. Freddie's Cafe (MM Alam road) .. Pizzas and sandwiches (Expensive)
3. Salt N' Pepper (Liberty and other) .. Burgers and Tikkas (Moderate)
4. Copper Kettle (Empire) .. Burgers and Others (Moderate)
5. McDonalds & KFC (Several) .. Burgers and Fried Chicken (Moderate).
Places to Visit
Really depends on you and what interests you. If you are a history buff, then Lahore Museum is good. Also Lahore Fort, Tomb of Jahangir and Noor Jahan and Badhshahi Mosque are good places to visit.
Lahore is really famous for its parks. Shalimar Gardens, Race Course Park, Jinnah gardens, Model Town park and several in Defence area are quite good.
If shopping is more your preference, then check out Liberty market and Fortress Stadium market for upscale shops. Anarkali, Mozang and Shadmaan are price-friendly places with a fair bit of haggling. Defence markets (esp. Z-block) has a number of name-brand outlets. If you want to shop electronics, check out Hafeez Center for some unbelievable deals.
Interested in amusement parks? There is Joy Land in Fortress stadium and Suzo water park near Jallo park.
Theater and Dramas? Alhamra Art centre has three halls and something interesting is always happening. In addition there is the open air theater in Jinnah gardens and a few other smaller theaters. There are a number of movie theaters in and around Lakshmir and Mall road.
Thankx sooooooooo very much. Uve been a gr8 help!!!!!
:)
Wow Faisal Bhai,
I’ll print out that post and will keep your list as a reference for my trip to Lahore in October. :k:
I’ve been to most of those places already though. 
Does anyone have pics of Gawal mandi?
^jee main ne phajjay ki actual dukaan ki tasveer post ki bhi thi yahan :halo:
Khanzada, phajja ki asal dukaan is in Shahi mohalla… not in Gawalmandi 
Anyway, here is an article on the Foodstreet, with some pics.
http://www.thehotspotonline.com/thewurld/articles/FoodStreet.htm
Maybe some Guppie who is in Lahore, can take some more pics and post them here. Food street is actually quite a fun place to be.
Is Lahore’s offical site
Gawalmandi di yaad dilaa kai, dil khush kar ditta! Faisal Bhai and Saba Baji Zindabad
Gawal mandi , is it something like food street ?
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by MehRos: *
Gawal mandi , is it something like food street ?
[/QUOTE]
No, the place is an old historic place, which is known as Gawal-Mandi. I think in olden times, the place was the main selling spot for people who keep buffallos and cows and sell their milk to other people. These people are called gawalay.
The food street is a relatively new idea. A former Deputy Commissionar of Lahore, Kamran Lashari, decided to show-case the historical and traditional Lahori architecture and package it in such a way that people will come there from all across Lahore. Now, as any Lahori will tell you, Lahoris will go anywhere to have a great meal. So, the Deputy Commissioner selected this one block street in the gawal-mandi area, and asked the students of National College of Arts (NCA) to re-vamp the whole place to bring out the elegant architecture. The area was a not-so-narrow street full of run-down buildings and some food joints here and there. The NCA students took up the project and did a completed face-lifting of the buildings, put up lights in strategic places to show-case the historic architecture and cordoned off the area for vehicular traffic from sun set to sun-rise. This way there is only padestrian traffic in that street. Then the government invited well-known food vendors from all over Lahore to open their branches in this one place, now known as "Food Street".
So, now the place is home to a huge variety of eating joints, where you can just get a spot to sit with your family and friends and ask the waiter to bring you dishes of your choices from any vendor in the whole street. You don't have to go all over town to have the best nihari or the best payas or the best halwa-puri or the best haleem and tikkas. Its all here. Its really a fun place to be. When it started it became so hugely popular and was keeping so crowded that the government announced Tuesdays to be a families-only day, where only those people were allowed in who had women and kids in their groups. There is police presence on both sides of the street to maintain discipline and having families-only allowed a lot of people to enjoy great meals with their families without having to worry about guys whistling and pinching the women.
All in all, when I last went there (a couple of years ago) the place was really great. I don't know if its still the same now. I suspect it is.
ahaN
are you from lahore ?
uff Faisal baau - kee yaad kara dita ee... :(
browneyes,
I personally also haven't been back to Lahore in 8 years - i.e. since 1996 - I'd be interested in reading your post-trip report on Lahore :) - do share...
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by MehRos: *
ahaN
are you from lahore ?
[/QUOTE]
Yes. From Lahore.
But not in Lahore, right now.
Khanzada bhai how 'bout a similar thread on Karachi... I've never been to that city. But plan to go there in about 6 months time.
Aadaab
Mr.browneyes_f, Try to go to the Sardaar machhili in Gawal Mandi.
The restaurant's fried fish is one of the best dish in the world!
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Mughal-e-Azam: *
Khanzada bhai how 'bout a similar thread on Karachi... I've never been to that city. But plan to go there in about 6 months time.
[/QUOTE]
I'll open one :D:D:D since I'm so veli rite now :D:D:D
There are two more Food Streets now at Purani Anarkali and the Shahi Mahalla. Food at Gawal mandi is the best though.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Mughal-e-Azam: *
Khanzada bhai how 'bout a similar thread on Karachi... I've never been to that city. But plan to go there in about 6 months time.
[/QUOTE]
me too! just been twice to airport only :(