Road-side Dhaba in India

Dhaba is the name given to roadside restaurants in India and Pakistan. They are situated on highways and generally serve local cuisine, and also serve as truck stops.
Food at a local Dhaba in Punjab.

They are most commonly found next to petrol stations, and most are open 24 hours a day. Since most Indian and Pakistani truck drivers are of Punjabi descent, and Punjabi food and music is quite popular throughout India and Pakistan, the word dhaba has come to represent any restaurant that serves Punjabi food, especially the heavily spiced and fried Punjabi fare preferred by many truck drivers.

The word has come to represent sub-continental cuisine so much that many Indian restaurants and Pakistani Restaurants in Europe and America have adopted it as a part of the name.

Dhabas were characterized by mud structures and cots to sit upon (called 'chaarpai' in Hindi/Urdu - See Charpoy) while eating. A wooden plank would be placed across the width of the cot on which to place the dishes. With time, the cots were replaced by tables. The food is typically inexpensive and has a 'homemade' feel to it.

Source: Wikipedia

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