1935 to 2026
Every opening, from Grand Hotel in 1935 to 19 restaurants in 2026.
It began with one hotel in 1935 and grew to 19 restaurants by 2026, with some long, quiet stretches along the way.
The group has two starting dates, 71 years apart.
The historic Grand Hotel in Abids came first, in 1935, and Mehfil followed in 2006 with a single restaurant in Narayanguda. Below is the whole record from those two dates to today, taken from the group’s own list of restaurants and nothing else.
- 1935
- Grand Hotel founded
- 2006
- First Mehfil, Narayanguda
- 19
- Restaurants by 2026
- 91
- Years, end to end
1935
Grand Hotel opens in Abids, Hyderabad, at a time when biryani belongs mostly to palaces, nawabs and weddings, and it makes biryani something anyone can walk in and order. It is the parent company of the group, and it is 71 years old by the time the first Mehfil opens its door.
2006
- NarayangudaNarayanguda · Mehfil
The first Mehfil opens. In its first year it introduces the Single Biryani, around 700 grams of biryani for 50 rupees, and becomes the first to sell a whole biryani handi to anyone who wants one.
1in the group
Nothing opened between 2006 and 2011
2011
- AttapurAttapur · Mehfil
The second Mehfil opens, five years after the first. No two openings have been that far apart since.
2in the group
2013
- UdamgaddaMailardevpally · Mehfil
3in the group
2015
- ShaikpetRaidurg · Mehfil
4in the group
2017
- Hitech CityMadhapur · Mehfil
5in the group
2018
- Nizampet X RoadNizampet · Mehfil
6in the group
2019
- GachibowliKothaguda · Mehfil · counter
- DilsukhnagarMoosarambagh · Mehfil
For the first time, two restaurants open in the same year. Until now the group had never added more than one in a year.
8in the group
Nothing opened between 2019 and 2022
2022
- Banjara HillsBanjara Hills · Mehfil · counter
9in the group
2023
- SR NagarSR Nagar · Mehfil
10in the group
2024
- Box O’ MehfilKothaguda · Box O’ Mehfil · counter
- Mehfil ExclusiveMailardevpally · Mehfil Exclusive
- Grand Mehfil, Al QusaisAl Qusais · Grand Mehfil
- UppalUppal · Mehfil
Four restaurants open this year, and no two of them are the same kind of Mehfil. One of them, in Al Qusais, is the first restaurant outside India.
14in the group
2025
- KPHBKPHB Colony · Mehfil
- BHELBHEL Township · Mehfil
- ECILECIL · Mehfil
17in the group
2026
- SuncityBandlaguda Jagir · Mehfil
- Grand Mehfil, Hor Al AnzHor Al Anz · Grand Mehfil
A new restaurant in Hyderabad and a second one in Dubai bring the group to 19.
19in the group
Beyond the years
The story behind the record.
A list of years cannot explain why the first plate was priced the way it was. That is told in the story of 2006 and the two people who started Mehfil, and every restaurant, with where it is and what it serves, is on the branch pages.