our Story

From Food Stall to Restaurant

Zahida began in 2017 as a small 20 m² food stand in Copenhagen. What started as two brothers cooking the food they grew up with has evolved into a modern Indian–Pakistani restaurant rooted in family tradition and shaped by life in the Nordics.

The early days were simple. Family recipes, bold spices, and a desire to share the flavours of home with Copenhagen.

Inspired by Our Mother

Our cooking is inspired by our mother, Zahida. Her kitchen was always full of flavour, guests, and warmth. Naming the restaurant after her was more than a tribute. It was a promise to carry that spirit forward.

Hospitality, generosity, and balance remain at the centre of everything we serve.

Refining Tradition Through a Nordic Lens

From the beginning, we chose not to replicate tradition exactly as we knew it. Instead, we began refining the everyday dishes we grew up with—pakoras, daals, grilled meats—and viewing them through a Nordic perspective.

Clean presentation. Seasonal ingredients. Fermentation and pickling. A lighter, more composed approach. The spices remained bold, but the expression became more contemporary.

Indian and Pakistani heritage stayed at the core, while the execution evolved in Copenhagen.

Culinary Evolution with Chef Sherwin Mariano

In 2020, Chef Sherwin Mariano joined the kitchen, bringing technical precision and international experience. He has worked in five-star hotels across the Middle East, including W Hotel Doha, St. Regis Abu Dhabi, and Six Senses Kanuhura in the Maldives, as well as at a one Michelin star restaurant in Copenhagen.

Together, we continued shaping a style that feels both nostalgic and forward-thinking—South Asian at heart, refined by Nordic influence.

Growth Through Challenge

The journey hasn’t been without obstacles. From operating in a food court to navigating the uncertainty of the pandemic, Zahida has grown through persistence, creativity, and belief in our craft.

Each challenge has influenced who we are today.

A Restaurant Shaped by Copenhagen

Today, Zahida reflects the city we live in—diverse, layered, and evolving. Our food is grounded in Indian and Pakistani heritage but open to influence. It is generous yet refined. Traditional, yet never static.

Zahida is not simply a restaurant. It is a continuation of a family story, where heritage meets innovation and bold spices find new expression in the heart of Copenhagen.