LAHORE: With sleeves rolled up, thick gold chains draped around his neck and a large black turban on his head, Jeera Pehlwan carefully goes about pouring a steady stream of creamy lassi into the main attraction at a roadside stall in Lahore: gold-colored glasses.
Pehalwan sells lassi, a creamy and frothy fermented milk drink blended with water and served always chilled, in the busy Saddar neighborhood in Lahore. The beverage is popularly consumed with large amounts of sugar but some also prefer a salty version of it.
Lassi is arguably Pakistan’s most popular desi beverage. It acquires special significance during the summer as everyone’s favorite heat antidote, or in the holy month of Ramadan, when Muslims abstain from food and drink from dawn till sunset.
Customers await to get golden lassi in Lahore, Pakistan, on February 28, 2026. (AN photo)
However, the 40-year-old doesn’t just offer an ordinary glass of lassi at your everyday roadside stall in Lahore. Customers here drink lassi with an edible gold leaf, layered with khoya (reduced milk solids) in bright gold-colored glasses.
The gold-colored glasses have earned him the monicker “Gold Lassi Wala” among residents of the area. The thick golden chains, black turban and traditional kurta shalwar are for added panache.
“This is our special lassi, the Gold Lassi,” Pehalwan told Arab News as he carefully placed a delicate sheet of edible gold paper over the frothy drink. “We use edible gold paper. This is khoya, and we decorate it like a bride.”
Lassi in golden glass are placed on table in Lahore, Pakistan, on February 28, 2026. (AN photo)
The “gold lassi” glasses are strictly a Ramadan feature, with Pehalwan setting up shop only for 30 days during the holy month, when customers increasingly seek to quench their thirst with lassi. He serves customers fresh glasses of lassi from 10 p.m. till the suhoor meal, which is taken by Muslims early morning before fasting commences. One chilled glass of the lassi, which is presented with 12 different types of dry fruits to customers, costs Rs200 [$0.72].
But why lassi in gold glasses? According to Pehalwan, the inspiration to sell the beverage in a unique manner came to him from viral trends in India.
“I used to see similar things happening in India,” he explained. “Now, such concepts are available in Pakistan as well. We started it here, and people have appreciated it. They support us and come especially to taste this lassi.”
Customers await to get golden lassi in Lahore, Pakistan, on February 28, 2026. (AN photo)
‘EVERYTHING HERE IS GOLD’
Pehalwan’s videos on social media have done the trick. Muhammad Abdullah, a 19-year-old customer at the lassi staff, said he first spotted the lassi in gold glasses on TikTok.
“I saw this lassi on TikTok with a friend, so we came all the way from Bilal Ganj [market] to try it,” Abdullah told Arab News. “We’ve tasted it and it’s really very good. I would recommend everyone to come and try it for themselves.”
Jeera Pehalwan is preparing golden lassi at his shop in Lahore, Pakistan, on February 28, 2026. (AN photo)
Sohaib Habib, a 21-year-old student who lives in Saddar, said the experience is new for the neighborhood.
“Something like this has happened here for the first time,” Habib said. “The taste is excellent. Whoever is watching, you should definitely come and try it.”
Local TikToker Sidhu 39 Wala said he didn’t even like lassi but the one offered by Pehalwan was “really yummy.”
“Everything here is gold,” he said. “Gold glasses, gold elephants like kings and our brother himself is like gold.”
