The story
The kati roll is said to have been born at Nizam's, a Mughlai restaurant in Kolkata's New Market area founded in 1932 by Raza Hassan Saheb. Stories differ on why: some say hurried office workers wanted a kebab they could carry, others that fastidious British-era babus did not want to touch the meat. Either way, someone wrapped the skewered kebab in a flaky paratha, and Nizam's had the idea almost to itself for decades. In 1964 it swapped heavy iron skewers for light bamboo ones, called kati in Bengali, which gave the roll its name. Kolkata now has roll shops on every corner, and the roll travelled worldwide.
Also known as kathi roll, Kolkata roll, Calcutta roll, kati kabab roll.
On the Meridish menu
Kati roll was the street food course on menu No. 19 on October 19, 2026. Its clue in the game, which hints at the place without naming it:
Skewer-grilled kebab rolled up in a flaky, egg-coated paratha with onion and chutney. A Mughlai restaurant here, founded in 1932, is credited with it.
In Meridish, every dish is pinned to the town or city most widely credited with creating it. A guess within 25 km scores all 100 points. How scoring works.
Sources
Food history is often disputed. Think we've pinned it in the wrong place? Tell us at hello@meridish.com, ideally with a source.
