There used to be a cafe inside Koel Gallery in Karachi’s Clifton area. A cafe that had somehow sustained itself over whispers about their shikanjbeen [lemonade] being good and, maybe, a creamy spinach and asparagus dip served with pita bread. It had a whole lot of other things, too, but recommendations from diners rarely ever moved beyond the aforementioned items.

You’d think if a cafe in Karachi just focused on having maybe one or two worthy food items, it surely had to be struggling. Maybe it was — but not as much as you think. You see, the ambience was so tastefully done and it was located inside one of the most happening art galleries. Sunlight poured through from every direction, illuminating every corner. You couldn’t hide there even if you tried. It was bright and green, surrounded by plants, and vibes — as people now say on the internet.

On December 31, 2025, a post quietly went up on their Instagram, stating they were closing their doors for good. The post said that it was “making way for a new space.”

The “new space”, it turns out, was Mizu. A restaurant brought to life by Sikandar Rizvi (owner of Xander’s, one of the city’s most popular restaurants) and Mustafa Sardar (who owns Izakaya — a private dining concept that lets diners choose a pre-set menu of 10 courses).

Some dishes soar, some fall short and the ambience does a lot of the heavy lifting — but Mizu........

© Dawn (Magazines)