Our Story
The Daata Story
From One Takeaway to a Family Legacy
It began with a phone call.
In 1990, Mohammed Saleem stood in Faisalabad, Pakistan, holding a letter that would change everything — his visa for Ireland had been approved. With little English but a deep love for cooking, he set off to start a new chapter, bringing with him a suitcase full of dreams, his mother’s recipes, and the belief that food could connect cultures.
Soon after arriving, Mohammed became head chef at Shalimar — the very first Pakistani restaurant in Ireland. It was here that he laid the foundation for what would one day become Daata.
In 1994, he married Shamim Akhtar, whose home cooking and strength of spirit would shape the soul of the Daata kitchen. Together, they opened their first takeaway in Bray in 1999
A True Family Run Restaurant.
As Daata began to find its feet in Bray, the family behind it began to grow too.
In 2000, Rahat, Shamim’s sister, arrived in Ireland and joined the kitchen, bringing with her the flavours, recipes and instinctive style of Pakistani cooking she had grown up with. She became an important part of the food at Daata and remains at the heart of our kitchens today.
Then, in 2004, Saleem’s nephew Waseem joined the family business, becoming part of the day-to-day life of Daata as it grew from its humble beginnings.
It was always a family affair everyone cooking, cleaning, serving and welcoming guests. And as the years passed, the next generation grew up amongst it all
Bray and Beyond.
What began as a small family restaurant in Bray slowly became something much bigger.
As the family grew, so did Daata first to Greystones, and later to Glasthule, Blackrock, Sandymount and South Great George’s Street.
But with every new door that opened, the idea remained the same: the food of Pakistan, the warmth of family and the feeling of being welcomed into our home.
Today, Daata has six restaurants, but its story still begins where it always has — with one family in Bray and a love of sharing good food.
Family photos
