For Shakeel, opening a restaurant was never just about food. It was about recreating a feeling of familiarity and belonging that he had been missing for years. As the founder of Namak, a fine-dining Pakistani restaurant, he set out to build a space that feels like Pakistan the moment you walk in, through atmosphere, service, and taste.
Shakeel immigrated from Karachi, Pakistan, to the United States in 1995. After working various jobs, he opened his first business in 2000. Over time, he began to notice a gap in Atlanta’s food scene. While cities like Houston and parts of Canada had restaurants that reflected authentic Pakistani cuisine, Atlanta lacked a place that truly felt like home. Shakeel wanted to create the kind of restaurant he remembered from Pakistan, especially those centered around karahi and barbecue.
Much of the motivation behind Namak came from food he deeply missed. Dishes like karahi, puri paratha, and Pakistani-style barbecue were hard to find locally. For Shakeel, taste is inseparable from culture. “You taste it, and you feel like you’re in Pakistan,” he explains. His goal was for customers to feel that same connection, not only through the food, but through the décor, hospitality, and overall experience.
Staying true to tradition is central to how Namak operates. Shakeel believes authenticity comes from firsthand knowledge, which is why he keeps his kitchen staff Pakistani, ensuring that flavors and techniques are preserved as he remembers them. Consistency is essential. Dishes such as mishri karahi, lamb chops, nihari, and mutton biryani remain customer favorites, prepared in a way that reflects the food of his upbringing.
After years of planning, Namak officially opened in January 2024. Shakeel began seriously developing the idea in 2018, searching for a chef who could bring the exact flavors he was missing. The process, he explains, was challenging but rewarding. Despite the obstacles of opening a restaurant, he takes pride in producing food and service that reflect care, discipline, and cultural integrity.
When reflecting on what makes a restaurant successful, Shakeel emphasizes dedication, full commitment, and consistency in both taste and service. Looking ahead, he hopes to expand Namak into a franchise, with a second location opening soon in Athens, Georgia. For him, Namak is more than a restaurant. It is a way to share Pakistani culture with the local community and introduce it to those experiencing it for the first time.
Shakeel’s story reflects the heart of Restaurant Voices, showing how immigrant-owned restaurants become spaces where culture, memory, and hospitality are carefully preserved and shared.
