Hamburg 1987 → Antalya 2026
A houseboat that sailed from Hamburg to the Mediterranean
CHAIIBUCKS is the street-food side of Shikara, a family of Indian restaurants that has been cooking in Hamburg since 1987.
What does Shikara mean?
A shikara is the slender wooden boat of Kashmir that carries people, flowers and tea across Dal Lake. In Hamburg the word became a promise: a quiet, warm place to drift away from the day, with a cup of chai in your hand.
Our journey
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1987
The first Shikara opens in Hamburg-Eppendorf
Restaurateur Mukesh Sharma opens his first restaurant and brings North Indian cooking to Hamburg, with fresh spices, herbs and plenty of patience.
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The heart
An Indian and Turkish love story
The family story behind Shikara is one of two cultures: a proud Indian and a spirited Turkish woman who shared a dream of a place where food and hospitality meet.
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The years
A home for Indian food lovers
Shikara grows across the city, with restaurants in Eppendorf, Winterhude and Ottensen and quick Shikara counters for a fast curry at lunchtime.
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Big tables
The Shikara crew goes on tour
Weddings, company parties, garden festivals: the Shikara catering team cooks buffets for up to 500 guests.
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Today
The next generation
Shikara is still family-run. The second generation carries on the same recipes and the same warm welcome.
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2026
CHAIIBUCKS opens in Konyaaltı, Antalya
The houseboat reaches the Mediterranean. Shikara recipes meet Turkish hospitality in Liman, as a chai and street-food spot for the whole neighbourhood.
1987 Hamburg
2026 Antalya
What we bring with us
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01
Spices, freshly ground
Whole spices, toasted and ground in our kitchen. It is the difference you taste in every curry.
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02
Chai the long way
Black tea simmered with milk and whole spices, never from a powder or a syrup.
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03
Spice to your taste
Our curries are balanced for every palate, and we happily make them milder or hotter.
Shikara's history is told here from the family's own descriptions and public restaurant listings in Hamburg.