Hyderabad, Sept. 30 -- As October sets in and the last three months of the year roll around, a subtle shift takes over Hyderabad. The heavy monsoon rains begin to recede, the muggy heat starts to give way to pleasant late October evenings, and the entire city begins to sense it, the air is starting to smell of Numaish.

For generations, the annual All India Industrial Exhibition at Nampally has been a seasonal ritual woven into the fabric of the city. But in recent years, the legendary 46-day extravaganza has witnessed a massive shift in its food landscape. Gone are the days when customers settled purely for generic street-food stalls or temporary pop-ups. The game changed completely when Cafe Niloufer made its grand debut on the Numaish ...