In the heart of Gandhinagar’s Sector 17, a young man once wiped tables with quiet determination, unaware that those humble beginnings would one day lead him to build one of the city’s most beloved restaurants.
It was 1992 when Rafiq Bhai began his first job at a local hotel restaurant. His duties were simple — mopping tables, serving guests, and washing dishes — and his pay was a modest ₹300 a month. Yet, he carried out every task with a rare honesty and humility that made him stand out.
Over the years, his unwavering work ethic paid off. By 2001, he was earning ₹12,000 a month — a remarkable journey of persistence and growth. But life, as it often does, threw a curveball. The hotel owner, now elderly, could no longer run the business, and the establishment shut down.
Many would have stopped there.
Rafiq Bhai didn’t.
Determined to build a better life, he found his way to the United Kingdom, where he continued working in the restaurant business. There, he joined a Pakistani restaurant aptly named Dawat, which not only became his workplace but also his school of experience. The lessons he learned about service, taste, and customer warmth became his foundation.
In 2006, armed with savings of ₹1,80,000 and a dream that had been simmering for years, Rafiq Bhai returned to India. He invested his savings into starting a restaurant of his own in Infocity, Gandhinagar, Gujarat — and gave it the same name that had shaped his destiny abroad: Dawat.
From the very first day, Dawat wasn’t just about food. It was about stories — of struggle, of second chances, of faith. Each plate carried not just flavor but fragments of Rafiq Bhai’s journey.
I still remember my first visit to Dawat back in 2010. The aroma, the warmth, the humility in service — everything spoke of a man who had seen both struggle and success, and wore both with grace.
Today, Dawat has evolved — beautifully. Recently renovated with upgraded upholstery and a refreshing new ambience, it now operates seven days a week, earning a handsome operational profit. The brand has grown beyond its walls, securing catering orders from IIT Gandhinagar and GIFT City, where Dawat proudly runs its eatery outlets and canteens.
And yet, despite the growth, one thing remains unchanged — the heart behind it all. Dawat continues to be Gandhinagar’s most loved destination for non-vegetarian food lovers, a symbol of how perseverance, integrity, and humility can turn the simplest beginnings into enduring success.
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