Srinagar, Sept. 1 -- For years, Kashmiris lived with the idea that dining out was an occasional treat. Families saved such outings for weddings, festivals, or visits from relatives. Then came the change.

Cafes sprouted in Srinagar's backlanes. Restaurants filled with chatter. Young people gathered over coffee, parents took their children out for biryani, and professionals ended long days with meals outside their homes.

Eating out became less a novelty and more a way of life.

This shift was more than cultural. The valley's hospitality industry created jobs for chefs, waiters, suppliers, and delivery workers. Entrepreneurs poured their savings into new spaces. A generation of young men and women found dignity and wages in a sector that k...