This one's got actual flavor cred. The cafe is part of the iconic Ideas family, which means style is in its DNA, but the food? The food deserves a fan page. From mouthwatering burgers to gourmet salads and desserts that deserve their own soft-focus reels, Ideas Cafe isn’t playing around. Think of it as the crossover episode between your favorite fashion label and your foodie alter ego. It’s the kind of place where your feed gets fed and your cravings do too. Whether you're a casual diner or a seasoned Karachi restaurant explorer, this one makes the favorites list.

And the best part? This is just the beginning. Plans are already in place to bring this vibe to every Ideas outlet across the country. So yes, your neighborhood might just get the aesthetic cafe of your dreams.

First, Let’s Talk Vibes at the Best Café in Karachi

The place is like a Pinterest board IRL: warm lights, greenery for days, minimalist tables, and a layout that gives introverts their space and extroverts their squad goals. It’s equally perfect for: - Work-from-cafe peeps (plenty of charging sockets!) - Shoppers who need a mid-spree carb load - Friends who "just want to catch up over coffee" and then accidentally order pasta, pizza, dessert, and another round of drinks

Honestly, when it comes to aesthetic cafes in Karachi, this one might just steal the spotlight thanks to its mouth-watering menu.

What to Order When You Can’t Decide (Because It’s All That Good)

SALADS (a.k.a. guilt-free entries into food heaven)

Signature Ideas Salad: Grilled chicken, romaine, apple slices, raisins, grated cheddar, and carrots with honey mustard dressing.

• Italian Chicken Salad: Iceberg and romaine, rocket, radish, roasted tomatoes, cucumbers, croutons, all tossed in creamy Italian dressing.

PIZZAS (aka the real reason you came) - Shrimp Pesto Pizza: Basil pesto, grilled shrimp, roasted tomatoes, olives, and buffalo mozzarella—topped with rocket leaves and parmesan.

• Signature Truffle Pizza: Beef tenderloin, mashed potato, caramelized onion, parmesan cream, and white truffle oil. You read that right: truffle.

PASTAS (warning: you might fall in love)

• Lemon Chicken Penne: Grilled chicken, green peas, mushrooms in a tangy lemon-parmesan cream sauce.

• Spaghetti Bolognese: Rich beef and tomato ragu with that iconic parmesan sprinkle.

SANDWICHES & BURGERS (hands will get messy and it’s worth it)

• Roast Beef Baguette: Sliced beef, roasted garlic aioli, mustard, rocket, tomato, cheddar on a toasted baguette. Served with fries and pasta salad.

• Club Sandwich: Chicken, roast beef, egg, tomato, lettuce, mayo and mustard on toasted bread. Comfort stacked high.

• Classic Smashburger: Double patties, cheddar, sauteed onions, pickles, and special sauce. Classic never tasted this cool.

• Jalapeno and Pepper Jack Burger: Spicy and cheesy, with jalapenos and pepper jack melting over juicy patties. Total win.

DESSERTS (yes, you have room)

• Vanilla Panna Cotta: Silky vanilla pudding with a berry compote.

• Caramelized Banana Bread: Served warm with vanilla ice cream and butterscotch drizzle. Heaven.

DRINKS (because hydration, but make it cute)

• Hot: Hazelnut Cappuccino and Espresso Macchiato—aromatic and addictive.

• Cold: Mocha Frappe and Pina Colada—iced, blended, and made to sip slow.

Why You’re About to See This Place All Over Your Feed

Karachi restaurants are having a moment, but Ideas Cafe is setting a new bar for cafes in Karachi. It’s where you get flavor that delivers and lighting that makes your stories pop.

More reasons to stan:

• Backed by Ideas (aka reliable excellence)
• Located at Dolmen Mall Clifton (aka shopping trip MVP)
• Soon opening across Pakistan (aka your city’s next foodie flex)

It’s not just a stop. It’s a vibe. And it's ranking high among the best cafes in Karachi, especially if you judge a place by both its Caesar salad and cheese pull.

The Bottom Line? This Karachi Cafe’s Not Just Cute, It’s Crave-Worthy.

No more choosing between ambiance and actual taste; Ideas Cafe is serving both. Whether you’re looking for the best restaurants in Karachi, exploring best cafes in Karachi, or just vibing out with your people, this spot gets a 10/10.

It’s a rare find in a sea of spots that look good but fall flat when it comes to flavor. This one balances both; the kind of place where your cravings and your content calendar can hang out in harmony. From breakfast meetings to dessert dates, Ideas Cafe hits that sweet spot between lifestyle and indulgence.

So next time you're at Dolmen Mall Clifton, don’t just walk past. Walk in. Order that pizza. Take that selfie. Live your best café-core life.

For full menu deets and mouthwatering visuals, visit https://ideascafe.com/popular-dishes/.

While there is nothing more invigorating than trying out a new silhouette or pattern, there’s certainly a case to be made for trusting the ultimate wardrobe essential - LAWN. Being the silhouette of the season, it is bound to make it to every Pakistani wardrobe. With over 500+ great summer styles that will see you through the season in flair, here are the trends we are most excited about this season.

The Crowd Favorite - CHUNRI

No one does lawn better than GulAhmed. Their latest Chunri Lawn collection celebrates the age-old art so beautifully that you will want to add a design or maybe even two in your wardrobe for the season. Truth be told, trends have come and gone but Chunri has always stood its ground. Its vibrant colors and eye-catching prints are exactly what you need to get summer ready. Easy, breezy and non-fussy, these chunri designs from GulAhmed have been a crowd favorite for decades. Pair them with the traditional khussa or a kola puri and slay the season in sheer style.

Revival of the Banarsi Brocade

We’ve been spotting this trend everywhere and it's safe to say that banarsi brocade has made a striking comeback. Gold printed patterns on 100% cotton fabric will make for great outfits for all your fancy dinner parties and intimate wedding affairs. The richness and intricacy of the motifs coupled with the striking color combos, these banarsi brocade designs are the trend-right ensembles you NEED this summer.

Summer Whites

Nothing parallels the beauty of a white lawn suit in the scorching summer heat. This is one look that everyone can pull-off and that too pretty effortlessly. GulAhmed's Midnight-Blue collection has 3-piece unstitched suits with white as the canvas, contrasting dupattas and pops of colorful embroideries that we are absolutely loving.

Sunshine Yellows

Illuminating is Pantone's color of the year so naturally we will see a lot of this shade around us. It is a bright and cheery yellow sparkling with the essence of renewed hope. Making it from the runway to the local streets is this chic shade of yellow this summer. GulAhmed has a number of 2-piece and 3-piece unstitched suits with this color as the hero. If we were you, we'd definitely add them to our wish list this week.

Pastel Perfection

One thing is for sure and that is summer this year is going to be HOT! The weather will warrant prints and colors that are soothing to the eyes and easy on the skin. Shades like pastel pinks and blues will be a sight for sore eyes. GulAhmed’s Bloom Time Pastel is a must-have collection for the season. Whether you’re looking to step out or stay in, these light summer shades make the perfect style statement.

Chic Chiffons

For all the formal affairs this season, Chiffon is the quintessential fabric. The embroidered and printed Chiffon Collection from GulAhmed is ideal to create head-turning summer looks. The collection features an array of beautiful colors and prints designed to keep you on trend all year long.

Ethnic Prints

What's better than being always on trend? Being trendy without breaking the bank. Like the sound of that? If you are looking for easy going, casual prints then we have something in store for you. Well, actually GulAhmed does. Their latest drops Vintage Garden and Bagh-e-Gul feature ethnic prints that exude simplicity of designs and the playfulness of the new season. A combo worth having in your wardrobe, for sure!

This is just a snippet from all that we loved from the GulAhmed Summer Lawn 2021 Collection. To discover more head to your nearest Ideas store or shop online at www.gulahmedshop.com

Analysts have warned that Pakistan could face a serious economic crisis resulting in massive layoffs throughout the economy. According to a report of Dun & Bradstreet Pakistan, Coronavirus is expected to take a heavy toll on the workforce, part of which was already struggling to make ends meet prior to the spread of the pandemic, as the proportion of people living below the poverty line is projected to double. “Wholesale and retail trade is expected to witness the highest layoffs of 4.55 million people, thus, the poverty rate in Pakistan can increase from 23.4% to 44.2%.

Another report by three renowned economists belonging to the Planning Commission’s think tank: Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) including Dr Nasir, Naseem Faraz and Mahmood Khalid in their research paper “Sectoral Analysis of the Vulnerable Employed COVID-19 and Pakistan’s Labor Market” has predicted “The most hit sectors in Stage II are wholesale and retail trade, agriculture, manufacturing, and transport and communication. The vulnerable employment is high in these sectors and they are also more sensitive to lockdown. Based on the estimates, we assume the proportions of layoffs for Stages I, II and III would be 10% 50% and 60%, respectively”.

In this bleak scenario where every business no matter how big will be short of cash soon to pay salaries - we analyze international and national companies which have come up with alternative methods to try and forestall these mass layoffs by going for an “All in it together approach” – i.e Salary cuts for all to save all jobs. The most important part of this is owners and top managers taking the biggest cut themselves as a show of solidarity.

International companies such as Emaar Properties, Dubai’s largest publicly-traded developer, has cut executive and staff salaries up to 50% amid the corona crisis. The Property giant has taken these safety measures to safeguard jobs and not letting the deadly virus rob people of their livelihood diminishing aggravating anxiety and unemployment. “We have taken strict measures to safeguard the well-being of our employees and to secure the continuity of our businesses.”

The Chairman, Mohamed Ali Alabbar has stated in a letter dispersed to employees and colleagues of the esteemed company. The salary cuts are inclusive of 100% of the Chairman’s full salary, 50% reduction of Senior Management, 40% of Middle Management, 30% reduction of Junior Staff; however, Support Staff and for Support Staff not working full time in this period -Hospitality shall be given, in fact, full accommodation and medical will be provided with 15% of their cash salary.

Internationally other companies are finding their CEOs foregoing salaries for the benefit of their shareholders and employees; according to Forbes, Fast Company reported that Hyatt Hotels CEO, Mark Hoplamazian is cutting his salary through May. Similarly, Marriot, the largest hotel chain’s CEO, Arne Sorenson is foregoing his salary for the year – “the impact to people’s lives will be profound”, along with a 50% cut from his Executives. Top CEOs around the world have agreed not to enact lay-offs as well in the midst of the ongoing crisis and manage the extreme situation through voluntary cuts.

Locally, many Pakistani companies have taken the same initiative to secure as many jobs as possible, such as popular textile industry Artistic Apparels (PVT) Limited. CEO Muhammad Yousuf Ahmed and the Board of Directors have declared that from April 1st for a 3-month period thus far, all staff salaries will be cut from between 10-20% depending on the salary levels.

Similarly, Netsol Technologies, Pakistan’s largest software house has announced to cut off 20-30% of the salaries across the board as it tries to avoid laying off staff to weather the coronavirus crisis. Like Artistic Apparel (PVT) Limited. both export-oriented companies have seen their US/EU based orders completely dry up leading to a looming cash flow crisis.

Similarly, for the local retail sector, most companies seem to have gone for a job-saving approach as their cash inflows have gone to zero with the retail outlets and online sales completely shut down. According to our sources in the Chainstore Association of Pakistan (CAP) – a representative body of retailers in the country, they too are guiding their members on how to conserve jobs by following international practices of salary reductions instead of immediate layoffs. CAP which counts some of the largest employers in retail as its members (such as Stylo shoes, Breakout, Hub Leather, Sapphire, Al Karam, Cambridge, Limelight, Sana Safinaz, Maria B, Alfatah, etc, to name a few, is also working with the government to find a solution so no brand has to come to a position in the coming months where money runs out to pay salaries. Many CEOs and Directors are also giving up 100% of their salaries to mitigate the severe financial burden. We have received similar positive feedback from many trade/business associations such as APTMA/APTPMA that they too are advising their members to hold off layoffs as long as possible.

The lockdown and quarantine measures are necessary for the safety of the community, but the economic downturn is making it increasingly challenging to maintain or cope with daily wage struggles; organisations in the Textile and Media Industry, including Dunya TV, have taken it upon themselves to cut every employees salary accordingly to preserve jobs. Strangely and disappointingly, people are using these initiatives as trolling fodder which for us as a country is something to think about in such a dire situation. While 10 Million additional people applied for unemployment in the USA - our companies seem to be taking on the financial burden for a little longer compared to their more well-established Western counterparts.

Oh, by the way, that is where the world stands today with COVID-19 so we think it's high time we catch up with how the world is coping and support our local industry for trying to save jobs rather than be the typical Seth and say FIRED what do you think?