bakeries
Karachi has always been a meeting point for people from different regions and cultures. This diversity is reflected not only in the city’s language and architecture but also in its food. Among the many culinary traditions that Karachi has nurtured, bakeries hold a special place. For decades, these bakeries have served as neighbourhood landmarks, supplying bread, biscuits, cakes and savouries to generations.
Even as modern cafés and international food chains have taken root in the city, the charm of these old bakeries continues to endure. Their recipes, often unchanged for decades, offer a taste of nostalgia and a link to Karachi’s evolving social history. One of the most enduring names is ‘Anjarwala’s Confectioners’, founded in 1948. Located in Saddar, Anjarwala’s began as a small family-run shop serving hard loaves of bread and traditional sweets. Its founder, Saleh Bhai Anjarwala, who belonged to the Bohri community, introduced many delicacies associated with Bohri culinary traditions. Over time, the bakery expanded into biscuits, pastries and the famous malai khaaja, which remains a signature treat. What makes Anjarwala’s memorable is its consistency. Despite the passage of decades, customers often remark that the flavour of its biscuits and sweets remains unchanged, carrying the same buttery richness and freshness that older generations enjoyed.
Another name synonymous with Karachi’s bakery scene is ‘United King’. Though officially rebranded in the late 1990s, its roots go back to ‘United Sweets Bakers & Nimco’ in Karimabad. United King was one of the first local bakeries to combine traditional sweets with savouries, fast-food snacks and cakes under one roof. By the early 2000s, it had expanded across the city with branches in Bahadurabad, Rashid Minhas Road, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Defence Housing Authority, and other neighbourhoods. The items at United King include Hyderabadi cakes, Arabic parathas, samosas, nimco mixes, pastries and biscuits.
It has also been forward-looking in adopting modern marketing, innovative packaging and online delivery services, and now even exports its products to Pakistani communities abroad. For many Karachiites, visiting United King remains an essential part of Eid preparations, birthdays and casual family outings.
Known for its affordable yet high-quality products, ‘Blue Ribbon’ is another bakery woven into Karachi’s culinary memory. Established in 1969, it quickly gained popularity for its rusks, coffee cake and freshly baked bread. Its branches in Gurumandir, Nursery and Gulshan-e-Iqbal soon became bustling neighbourhood landmarks. For children growing up in the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s, Blue Ribbon is fondly remembered for its colourful pastries, biscuits and cream rolls.
‘Master Cakes’, popularly known as ‘Master Bakers’, is another iconic Karachi bakery that earned its reputation in celebration cakes and cheesecakes. Established in the 1980s, it rose to fame with its fresh cream cakes, especially the Oreo cheesecake, chocolate fudge cake and fruit gateau. Even today, its branches in areas like Gurumandir continue to serve a loyal customer base, holding their ground despite growing competition.
One bakery that holds a unique place in Karachi’s multicultural history is ‘J. C. Misquita Bakery’. Though technically a sweet shop, it has been producing baked goods for more than 50 years and is especially renowned for its hot cross buns at Easter and plum cakes at Christmas. Misquita’s story is remarkable. Founded by a Christian family, it is now run by a Muslim family that has carefully preserved its recipes and traditions. Every Good Friday, the bakery turns out hundreds of dozens of hot cross buns that sell out within hours, keeping alive a tradition that continues to bring Karachi’s diverse communities together through food.
Karachi’s bakery history also intertwines with that of neighbouring Sindh. Although not based in Karachi, the legendary ‘Bombay Bakery’ in Hyderabad is often mentioned in the same breath because of its iconic coffee and chocolate cakes. Established in 1911, it has supplied generations of Karachi residents with its signature offerings, with families either making special trips to Hyderabad or relying on relatives to bring back the much-loved cakes.
Other sweet shops and bakeries, such as ‘S. Abdul Khaliq Sweets’, also have deep roots. With origins linked to Persian halwa makers of the Mughal era, Abdul Khaliq established itself in Karachi in 1947 and continues to serve traditional mithayi. Though better known for its sweets than for bread or pastries, it remains an integral part of the city’s wider confectionery heritage.
The significance of these bakeries goes beyond the products they sell. For many Karachiites, they are part of personal and family histories - a birthday cake from Blue Ribbon in the 1980s, cream rolls from Laurence Bakery after school, or freshly baked bread from United Bakery on a Sunday morning. These bakeries were also social spaces, places where neighbours met, children eyed the colourful pastries on display and the smell of fresh bread filled the air.
Over the decades, Karachi’s bakery landscape has changed. The rise of international café chains, patisseries and fast-food outlets has challenged traditional bakeries. Many old establishments have closed, relocated, or changed hands. The bustling Saddar area, once the centre of the city’s bakery scene, has seen many of its iconic shops vanish amid urban redevelopment and shifting consumer habits. Yet, some have survived by adapting - offering online ordering, diversifying their menus, or opening branches in newer residential areas.
Despite the challenges, the legacy of Karachi’s old bakeries endures. They represent a time when food was less about trends and more about consistency and craft. Recipes were closely guarded family secrets, perfected over decades and passed down through generations. The ingredients were simple - flour, butter, sugar, eggs - but combined with care to produce unforgettable flavours.
Today, as Karachi continues to expand and modernise, there is a growing appreciation for heritage foods. Nostalgia plays a powerful role: people seek out the taste of the past, whether it is the buttery crunch of Anjarwala’s biscuits or the coffee cake of Blue Ribbon. Social media has also revived interest in these bakeries, with younger generations rediscovering them through family stories and online food forums.
Karachi’s old bakeries are more than places to buy bread or cake. They are cultural landmarks that mirror the city’s journey from a colonial port to a modern metropolis. Their survival is a testament to the enduring appeal of honest craftsmanship and simple pleasures. As newer names emerge and trends shift, these bakeries continue to remind Karachiites of a sweeter, simpler time and offer a comforting taste of continuity in a city that is constantly changing.
The writer is a seasoned journalist and a communications professional. He can be reached at tariqkikgmail.com