Karachi like a local: a guide to Pakistan's biggest city

Business Recorder

3 days ago

People often say Karachi is too big, too crowded, too messy — and they're not wrong. With 20 million people and a...
People often say Karachi is too big, too crowded, too messy — and they're not wrong. With 20 million people and a pace that rarely slows, Pakistan's largest city often feels like it's on the verge of boiling over, especially in summer.
Most visitors will only see Karachi through the lens of elite hospitality (with its air-conditioned cars, rooftop dinners and guarded gates) or via the headlines (which tend to focus on crime, politics and power cuts). But get to know the city, and you'll discover a different Karachi — one where strangers help change your flat tire, where chai is served at midnight, and where allowing women to cut the line is an unspoken rule.
A sign that reads 'I Love KHI', which represents 'I love Karachi,' is displayed on the windshield of an auto rickshaw (tuk tuk). Photo: Reuters
I was born and bred in this chaos and now cover Pakistan and its economy for Reuters from here. While Karachi may no longer be the capital, it remains the country's economic engine, cultural pulse and most unfiltered mirror. It's a microcosm of Pakistan itself: volatile, welcoming and, if you know it well enough, quietly wonderful.
Here's my guide to exploring this gem of a city like a local:
Getting around: Three-wheeled rickshaws are still your best bet for short distances — cheap, breezy and easy to hail off the street.
For something quicker in traffic, hop on a motorcycle using ride-hailing apps like Yango or inDrive.
They are fast, affordable and offer a front-row seat to Karachi's traffic ballet.
While public buses decorated with truck art still rumble through the city's major arteries, the newer Peoples' Bus Service offers a cleaner, more structured way to get across longer distances, albeit with limited routes.
A worker uses a traditional wooden extractor to extract almond oil at the Empress Market, built in the British colonial period. Photo: Reuters
What to eat: Karachi, like much of Pakistan, has been shaped by waves of migration, and nowhere is this more evident than in its food.
Biryani, a spiced rice dish layered with meat and potatoes (a uniquely Karachi touch) is the city's most beloved meal.
Most locals eat it at least once a week on Fridays, as is tradition.
You can find it everywhere, from not-so-fancy sit-down spots like Ghousia and Student to roadside joints where it's scooped fresh from massive metal pots known as deghs.
A hearty meal with raita (herby yoghurt dip) costs around 350 Pakistani rupees ($1.20).
For more Karachi eats, visit Burns Road Food Street, the city's most iconic culinary strip. Dating back to before partition and recently pedestrianized, it's a living museum of local flavours. Try Karachi-style pani puri, made of crispy hollow shells filled with tangy chutney and mashed potatoes or chickpeas, before finishing with gulab jamun (milky dough balls soaked in sweet syrup) and falooda (a fragrant, creamy dessert drink made with ice cream, dried fruits, jelly and vermicelli noodles).
For a different vibe, head to Hussainabad Food Street, a lively, no-frills spot famous for grilled meats, spicy snacks and a buzzing late-night crowd of families and night owls alike.
And always end your meal the Karachi way, with paan, a betel leaf filled with sweet preserves and spices. The city's red-stained sidewalks and walls are proof: Karachi runs on paan.
'But get to know the city, and you'll discover a different Karachi — one where strangers help change your flat tire, where chai is served at midnight, and where allowing women to cut the line is an unspoken rule. '
Late-night chai: Rather than bars, chai dhabas form the city's social hubs, buzzing late into the night. Menus mostly feature doodh patti (milk tea) and stuffed parathas (fried flatbreads), but vibes vary:
While original dhabas are no-frills with plastic chairs and kettles set on coal-fired stoves, newer spots have playlists, fairy lights, and younger crowds. Most are open-air, letting you catch Karachi's salty evening breeze while you talk politics and try to solve the world's problems drinking cup after cup after cup.
What to buy: Lawn cloth, Karachi's go-to summer fabric, makes for a perfect souvenir. Grab an unstitched set sold in rolls of cloth from a local bazaar or mall, get it stitched by a tailor in days, or pick a ready-made outfit from brands like Khaadi or Sapphire. Add an ajrak scarf for a bold, local touch. For something more personal, artists like YouAreFlover can hand-paint designs inspired by truck art on your shoes or suitcase.
An ideal day: Spend a Sunday morning at the Frere Hall book bazaar, browsing second-hand titles and new poetry under sprawling banyan trees. Nearby, admire the surreal ceiling murals by the late Pakistani artist and calligrapher Sadequain, whose sweeping works turn the historic hall into a gallery.
Beachgoers ride horses at Clifton Beach. Photo: Reuters
From there, dive into the chaos of Empress Market, a 19th-century relic selling fresh produce, dried fruit, and herbs that is full of colour and colonial history. Take a peaceful stroll through Mohatta Palace, where larger-than-life portraits tell Pakistan's founding story.
If your Urdu is up to it, catch a theatre play or comedy show at the Arts Council, hosting everything from traditional mushairas (poem recitals) to sharp modern satire. End your day at Clifton Beach — not for swimming, but for camel rides, masala corn on the cob and the cooling sea breeze.
For a dose of Karachi's creative pulse, gallery-hop between Canvas and VM Art Gallery, or drop in on a poetry slam, pop-up gig or film screening at T2F or District 19.
Getting away: For an escape from the city, drive two hours west to Mubarak Village or Charna Island for turquoise water, coral patches and quiet fishing villages. Or stay closer at Turtle Beach, where locals surf and friends gather for overnight barbecues in rented private huts that go for as low as 10,000 Pakistani rupees ($35).
A plate of Biriyani, a rice dish with meat and potatoes. Photo: Reuters
Biggest misconception: As with most global cities, it's important to keep your wits about you. Muggings are not uncommon, so keep your phone tucked away and avoid wearing flashy jewellery. But don't keep your guard up too high, either. You never know when you'll be handed a free meal or a friendly smile from a stranger. This city isn't for the faint-hearted, but it's full of wonderful surprises, too.
Faux pas: Don't expect to tap your card everywhere — cash is king in Karachi. Avoid handing over large notes at stalls; vendors rarely have change and might just give it to you for free if you look like a tourist. And always take your shoes off before entering mosques or shrines — no exceptions.
CITY MEMO DATA POINTS
Population: 20 million
Price of a chai: 100 Pakistani rupees ($0.35) from a roadside dhaba and 200 Pakistani rupees ($0.70) from a place like Chotu Chaiwala.
Price of an ice cream: 200 Pakistani rupees ($0.70) for a generous scoop of crunch (caramel swirls) or Peshawari (a dense, milky vanilla-style flavour enriched with clotted cream) from one of the many Peshawari ice cream outlets across Karachi.
Visitors look at a collection of works by late Pakistani artist and calligrapher Sadequain Naqqash at the Frere Hall building, used as a town hall during the days of the British Colonial period, which now hosts an art gallery and library. Photo: Reuters
Great place to see a sunset: Clifton Beach near Nishan-e-Pakistan promises a sunset with the sea breeze and camel silhouettes. Kidney Hill Park gives a quieter, elevated view of the skyline and a distant view of the port. Or head to Do Darya, where grilled seafood pairs perfectly with the sun sinking into the waves.
Popular influencer: A doctor by training and a storyteller by instinct, Bilal Hassan (known by his Instagram handle @Mystapaki) documents Karachi in all its raw, beautiful chaos — from rain-drenched alleys and traffic standstills to quiet moments of daily life. His posts aren't filtered for perfection; they're grounded, human and often laced with humour. It's Karachi, as lived and felt.
Largest university: Karachi University, 41,000 students om and the App!