Why Tourists Stop for Qalandarabad Kebabs

Shazia Mehboob

Mansehra: For travellers heading towards Pakistan’s scenic northern areas, the journey is often as much about food as it is about mountains. In Qalandarabad, a small town along the Karakoram Highway, a cluster of modest eateries has quietly turned itself into a popular stop for one particular local speciality: chapal kebabs.

Located in Baldheri Union Council of Abbottabad, the Al-Marjan market is home to around 20 restaurants, most of them simple roadside establishments. Yet every day, the aroma of freshly fried kebabs draws motorists and tourists towards the market.

The chapal kebabs have become popular not only among local residents but also among visitors travelling from different parts of Pakistan. Tourists from Punjab, Sindh, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and other regions regularly stop at the market before continuing their journey towards the Karakoram Mountains.

Foreign visitors travelling through the area have also developed a taste for the local speciality, according to restaurant owners.

Summer is particularly busy for the market as thousands of tourists head towards the northern areas. Restaurant owners say kebab sales increase sharply during the peak travel season, with visitors often treating the market as a convenient lunch stop.

The growing popularity is notable because the market itself lacks many of the facilities associated with established tourist destinations. Most restaurants are relatively small and simply furnished, but customers appear willing to overlook the limited infrastructure in favour of the food.

Majid Ali, who runs a restaurant at Al-Marjan market, said demand for the kebabs had been increasing rapidly.

“Tourists from across Punjab, Sindh, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and even foreign countries stop here while travelling north,” he said, adding that the market could eventually develop into a recognised lunch destination for tourists.

The popularity of Qalandarabad’s kebabs has also travelled beyond the town. Restaurant owners say overseas Pakistanis sometimes ask relatives visiting the area to bring the kebabs for them, highlighting how the local dish has developed a following among people who have moved abroad.

A 45-year-old kebab tradition

Among the eateries in Al-Marjan market, Bedu Café has the longest association with the area’s kebab tradition.

The restaurant has been serving chapal kebabs for more than 45 years and was established by Haji Muhammad Pervez, popularly known as Bedu. Although he has passed away, his name remains closely associated with the dish, with many locals still referring to the kebabs as “Bedu kebabs”.

After his death, Majid Ali and Dilwara Awan took over the family business and continued the tradition. Majid, who is relatively more educated than many people in the area, is affectionately known among locals as “Professor”.

The scale of the business reflects the growing appetite for the local speciality. Awan said the restaurant typically sells between 150 and 200 kilograms of kebabs a day, with around 100 kilograms sold between 11am and 4pm.

He attributed the heavy daytime sales mainly to people from surrounding areas who visit the market during lunchtime.

From a small town to a food stop

Qalandarabad is around a three-hour drive from Islamabad along the Karakoram Highway. The town is named after Qalandar Baba, who is remembered as the first person to establish a pakora shop in the area.

Today, the town has a population of only a few hundred people. Hindko is widely spoken, while Pashto and Urdu are also commonly used.

Despite its small size, Qalandarabad is increasingly gaining recognition for something that requires neither grand infrastructure nor a major tourist attraction: its food.

The story of its chapal kebabs reflects how local roadside cuisine can become part of the travel experience. What began as a modest food tradition has gradually developed into a culinary landmark for travellers heading north.

For motorists making the long journey towards the mountains, a stop at Al-Marjan market offers more than a quick meal. It has become a familiar part of the route — a place where the smell of sizzling kebabs signals a welcome break before the road climbs further into the north.