Mishal Zahoor Jamali at Medium:
Stepping into High Ceiling and dimly lit Irani cafes with vintage furniture, mosaic chipped floors and tablecloths take one back to old Karachi. These desolate Irani cafes were once hubs of social and intellectual exchange and frequented by students, journalists, and intellectuals.
The history of Irani cafes can be traced back to the early 1900s when Parsis migrated to the port cities of the subcontinent to escape the economic crisis in Iran. Most settled in Bombay and the rest in Karachi.
Parsis established Irani cafes, coffee shops and bakeries all over Karachi. By the 70s there were hundreds of Irani cafes and restaurants now a few remain.
More here.