Delhi NCR Delights
Delhi NCR welcomes several exciting additions, including 'Together,' a speakeasy bar in Vasant Vihar focusing on music and Japanese-inspired cocktails
alongside small plates like edamame hummus and chicken karaage. Nearby, 'Rumour' offers a reservation-only speakeasy experience with a New York loft aesthetic, emphasizing wine-centric cocktails and complementary small plates. In GK III, 'Top Banana' presents a 56-seater cocktail bar that blends neighbourhood charm with expertly crafted drinks, featuring creative twists on classics and small plates incorporating fine-dining techniques, such as banh mi made with duck pâté. Additionally, 'Nadoo' in GK II redefines South Indian cuisine beyond typical idli and dosa, offering regional specialties like curry leaf lobster and Chettinad-style raan, alongside innovative takes on street food like sundal hummus and idli churros.
Mumbai's Culinary Scene
Mumbai's vibrant food landscape is enhanced by 'Staqx,' a 14-seater diner in Bandra embracing the maximalist aesthetic of 1980s American diners, serving indulgent sandwiches, burgers, and decadent desserts. The Rameshwaram Café makes its Mumbai debut at Churchgate, maintaining its focus on consistent, high-quality South Indian comfort food like idlis and dosas, with a two-level space catering to both quick service and relaxed dining. Thane also sees a new addition with 'BLR.Room,' a café inspired by Bengaluru's tiffin culture, offering a casual sit-down experience with South Indian favourites and unique twists like idli shakshouka and pistachio filter coffee.
Bengaluru and Beyond
Bengaluru's dining scene gains 'Tomo Kei,' a Nikkei restaurant at the Sheraton Grand Bengaluru Whitefield, helmed by Chef Bobby T. Recto, offering a fusion of Japanese techniques and Peruvian flavors through shared plates and innovative cocktails. Meanwhile, 'The Cloak Society' at The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore, provides a reservation-only speakeasy experience with a theatrical ambiance and spirit-forward cocktails framed as 'poisons,' complemented by thoughtfully prepared small plates. 'Kimikai' in Gurgaon positions itself as a pan-Asian restaurant, drawing inspiration from across Asia with a focus on fermentation and broths, featuring a contemporary trading house design and creative Asian-inspired cocktails.
Goa's Coastal Flavors
Goa introduces 'Sublime Courtside' in Assagao, an all-day dining space nestled beside padel and pickleball courts, offering a light and ingredient-led menu with dishes like poached eggs on sourdough and sea bass chilli with passionfruit. 'Kesar Bagh,' also in Assagao and led by Chef Azaan Qureshi, honors its culinary heritage with a focus on dum cooking and Awadhi techniques, presenting classic dishes like kakori kebabs and dum biryani in a beautifully restored Portuguese home, accompanied by cocktails incorporating Indian flavors. Both establishments offer unique dining environments reflective of Goa's relaxed yet sophisticated charm.
Ahmedabad's Culinary Evolution
Ahmedabad's Vyanj, led by Chef Saurabh Udinia, challenges the city's culinary norms with a menu that reinterprets familiar flavors rather than strictly adhering to tradition. Dishes like corn bisque with a corn puff and chilli oil, and burrata with Maharashtrian-spiced chutneys and papadums, showcase this innovative approach. The restaurant also features avocado bhel with puffed black rice and beetroot gel, and tandoor-charred bhatti broccoli with almond korma espuma. Vyanj's beverage program uses Indian nostalgia, creating cocktails like the Vyanj Brew, a masala chai transformation with Parle-G foam, and a Kaapi Martini inspired by filter coffee. The entirely vegetarian menu and polished ambiance reflect Ahmedabad's evolving dining landscape.
Jaipur's Silken Sips
Jaipur's 'Dupion,' named after the textured silk, is a cocktail bar centered around its bar, offering drinks inspired by the Silk Route. The menu features a wide array of ingredients such as teas, spices, and ferments, with cocktails like 'Truffle Trouble,' a negroni variation with truffle-infused gin, and 'Midnight Glory,' a blend of pisco, cardamom espresso, and jaggery. 'Saffron Silk' and 'Umami Cut' also highlight the bar's inventive use of flavors. Alongside these innovative creations, classic cocktails are available for those seeking familiarity. The food menu, while secondary, complements the drinks with small plates such as mushroom empanadas and kimchi-apple slaw sandos.
Innovative Concepts
'IKAI' in Bandra reimagines the traditional mithai shop as a curated retail experience, focusing on structured presentation and refined ingredient choices, utilizing A2 ghee and olive oil for its sweets and savories. A live dessert studio adds an interactive element, allowing guests to customize laddoos and witness Bengali sweets being made. Packaging is also a key focus, with reusable boxes designed for longevity. This establishment's approach shifts the emphasis from mere production to the overall presentation and customer experience of traditional Indian sweets.
Pan-Asian Ventures
'Kimikai,' located in Gurgaon, establishes itself as a pan-Asian destination, drawing inspiration from the culinary traditions of Japan, China, Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam. Spearheaded by a multi-chef team, the restaurant emphasizes techniques like fermentation and the use of broths. Its interior design mirrors this contemporary approach, featuring wood-heavy elements and a layout that progresses from open to more intimate spaces. The bar program takes a broad view of Asian ingredients, blending familiar spirits with elements like pandan, yuzu, and banana to create cocktails that are both fruity and savory.
Pune's Street Food Hub
Pune's Kalyani Nagar welcomes 'Izipizi Street,' a vibrant food street concept by Together Hospitality that captures the essence of Southeast Asian street cultures from Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Korea, and Japan. This informal, high-energy space features a central culinary hub surrounded by hawker-style counters specializing in sushi, robata, dim sum, and noodles. The experience extends beyond dining with a boba counter, café, and retail sections. The menu offers familiar street food favorites, characterized by high-heat cooking and bold sauces, while the bar serves sake and soju highballs, alongside a robust non-alcoholic selection. A separate karaoke room adds to the entertainment.
Speakeasy Experiences
Delhi NCR offers a rich speakeasy scene with 'Together,' a hidden bar in Vasant Vihar that blends music and cocktails, drawing inspiration from Tokyo's jazz kissas. Its intimate, dimly lit space is enhanced by a dedicated listening setup and Japanese-influenced drinks. Meanwhile, 'Rumour' in GK III provides a more sophisticated, reservation-only speakeasy experience with a New York loft ambiance, focusing on wine-based cocktails and curated small plates. Both establishments offer unique, immersive environments for a night out, emphasizing atmosphere and carefully crafted beverages and food pairings.
Gastronomic Explorations
Bengaluru's 'Tomo Kei' presents a refined Nikkei dining experience, merging Japanese precision with Peruvian zest. Chef Bobby T. Recto leads a menu centered on interactive shared plates, where dishes are often finished tableside, such as custom-mixed leche de tigre or theatrically plated desserts. The offerings range from citrus-forward ceviches and passionfruit-dressed salmon tiradito to robust robata-grilled lamb chops and miso-glazed cod. The bar's cross-cultural approach extends to cocktails, featuring pisco highballs with yuzu and agave-based drinks with Japanese citrus, alongside a selection of sake and whisky. The zero-proof menu mirrors this innovation with Asian-inspired concoctions.
Sublime Settings
Goa's 'Sublime Courtside,' located in Assagao, offers a dual-purpose venue functioning as both a stylish café and a clubhouse, conveniently situated adjacent to padel and pickleball courts. Designed for casual drop-ins, its menu by Chef Christopher Saleem Agha Bee is light and ingredient-focused, featuring dishes such as poached eggs on sourdough, beetroot and strawberry salad with whipped ricotta, and a sea bass chilli with passionfruit and jalapeño. The establishment also provides fresh juices and coffee, making it a versatile spot for a relaxed meal or refreshment before or after a game.
Ahmedabad's Reimagining
At The Primo in Ahmedabad, 'Vyanj' marks a significant culinary development, with Chef Saurabh Udinia focusing on reinterpreting well-known flavors rather than solely pursuing authenticity. The restaurant's approach is evident in dishes like a corn bisque inspired by Goan patal bhaji, elevated with a delicate corn puff and chili oil, and a creative burrata paired with Maharashtrian-spiced chutneys and various papadums. Avocado bhel, tossed with puffed black rice and beetroot gel, offers a contemporary take on a street food classic, while tandoor-charred bhatti broccoli with almond korma espuma showcases a fascination with fire. The vegetarian menu is designed to appeal to Ahmedabad's social dining habits, offering familiar tastes with an innovative twist.
Jaipur's Artisan Touch
'Dupion' in Jaipur translates the city's rich craft traditions into a unique cocktail bar concept, named after the textured dupion silk. The intimate space is centered around a bar that serves as the heart of the experience. The menu adopts a 'Silk Route' theme, incorporating a diverse pantry of ingredients like teas, spices, and ferments, expertly crafted into beverages. Standout cocktails include 'Truffle Trouble,' a twist on the Negroni featuring truffle-infused gin, and 'Midnight Glory,' a complex blend of pisco, cardamom espresso, and jaggery. The bar also offers a concise selection of classic cocktails for patrons seeking familiar favorites, with a thoughtful, yet secondary, food menu to complement the drinks.
Mumbai's Retro Revival
In Bandra, Mumbai, 'Staqx' is a 14-seater diner that immerses guests in the vibrant, excess-driven aesthetic of 1980s American diners. Chef Beena Noronha has created a fully immersive environment complete with red vinyl booths, checkerboard floors, and pop culture references. The menu mirrors this theme with indulgent, stacked fare, prominently featuring sandwiches like burrata with pistachio pesto and hot honey focaccia, or slow-cooked Mangalorean pork in ciabatta. Burgers and hot dogs push the boundaries of indulgence, with options like truffle mac and cheese stuffed into a bun. Desserts, milkshakes, and cold coffees further enhance the retro, over-the-top dining experience.
