Buhari Biryani is a popular version of Biryani in Tamil Nadu, originating in 1951 from Chennai's (Madras) popular restaurant named Buhari Hotel which became a popular restaurant chain of Chennai. Even before operational in Chennai, Buhari's restaurant chain and its Biryani existed in Colombo, Srilanka in the 1940s. Biryani being a traditional dish for Muslims, the native Singalese loved it too and used call it as 'Buhari' instead of biryani. Buharis shifted to homeland India post independence and started its first outlet in Mount Road, Madras(Chennai).
Different from the Hyderabadi or the Ambur versions of biryani, Buhari Biryani was formulated to suit the Madrasi taste palate and served in conventional restaurant format as opposed to the traditional biryanis served in banana leaf at Muslim weddings or at eat outs then. Buhari's Biryani also comes with a boiled egg sitting atop with its Mutton or Chicken variant which was used as catch the market and popularize the restaurant in early 1950s and is still in use.
Buhari Biryani was mentioned in many Tamil movies, songs and other articles and still remains the flavor of Madras/Chennai. Many celebrities and people from other parts of the country still value eating a biryani at Buhari as an extraordinary experience.