Where to eat this July… in Bengaluru

Bengaluru’s newest restaurants have landed all over the city, from Indiranagar and Sadashivnagar to MG Road and Kalyan Nagar. So, you can skip the rain-soaked cross-town trek, unless, of course, the reservation is too good to pass up. Then you do what you must do.

There’s a ‘speakeasy-ish’ intimate dining experience with an undisclosed menu. A Mangalore-based restobar brings much-loved coastal delicacies to the city, while an iconic favourite returns to Jayanagar with interiors inspired by Bengaluru airport’s Terminal 2. One of Goa’s top chefs has come to the city to take you on a whirlwind culinary tour. Also, north Bengaluru now has a cocktails place that impresses with its menu as much as it does with its sprawling Mediterranean-inspired interiors.

There are also plenty of indulgent Asian plates on offer this month, not to mention monsoon-special menus that are reason enough to leave the house on a rainy day.

NEW LAUNCHES

NoBa, HRBR Layout, Kalyan Nagar

Short for north Bangalore, the neighbourhood it now calls home, NoBa is spacious. The 120-seater with a Mediterranean aesthetic—think floor-to-ceiling windows, a neutral palette, and natural wood—has a breezy alfresco section for leisurely lunches and evening tipples. The cocktails are the biggest draw here. There are signatures like a smoky tequila and mezcal-based Between The Lines, and Honeydew Society, a Cuban rum-based cocktail with a melon and salted feta cordial. The $5 Milkshake may seem innocuous, but it comes spiked with Ballantine’s whisky and Aperol. The food menu features a well-balanced mix of bar snacks, flatbreads, dim sums, as well as global and Indian favourites. Take for instance the pandhi fry tostada with juicy Coorg-style pork belly in a jackfruit tostada, and the mala cream dumplings, which are succulent paneer or prawn bites wrapped in crispy noodles on a rich mala cream base. Go for the cocktails and stay for the food. 

Janôt by Avinash Martins, 1 MG-Lido Mall, MG Road

After Goa, chef Avinash Martins brings Janôt to namma Bengaluru in an expansive space with sweeping city views. The menu is shaped by ingredients, memories, and techniques from Martins’s travels. You must try the xec xec samudri ghaas furikake, a hearty seafood broth with seaweed and chenna golle, cottage cheese spheres with stracciatella and nuts on a smoked tomato gravy. The chef’s Goan influences shine through in dishes like the black rice pancakes stuffed with Goan chorizo and dark chocolate. For its Bengaluru debut, chef Martins has taken the city’s beloved egg puff, or motte puff, and reimagined it with Manchego cheese in a delicate filo pastry, while the Mysore pak sablé is a unique take on the traditional dessert with a lime curd that balances the sweetness. Signature cocktails, like the Kokum & Curry Leaf G&T and Feni Colada, make an appearance too.

Betta Restobar, Sadashivanagar

After launching in Mangalore just a few months ago, Betta—named after the vibrant, resilient fish—has now opened in the Garden City. Expect specialties from Mangalore and the Karnataka coast, alongside a selection of continental, Thai, north Indian, and fusion dishes. Seafood highlights include the calamari coconut thecha roast, and the wok-tossed garlic and pepper shrimp, while the spicy chicken urval and pomfret fry spotlight the region’s cuisine. The ghee roast pizza here is topped with authentic Mangalorean ghee roast and is available in chicken and paneer. The vodka-based Bunt’s Breeze and white rum-infused Kudla Sunset pay tribute to Mangalore. The inventive non-alcoholic Pop-A-Kaun is where fresh banana and vanilla ice cream come together with a popcorn syrup and burnt cinnamon powder; it tastes better than it sounds.

Heyou, Trinity Circle, MG Road

Heyou sets the tone as it greets you with a signature welcome bite—a refreshing vodka-infused cube of watermelon. Spread across two levels, the new drinking and dining destination tries to please all. The Heyou Bar on the first level is a vibey social space, while Heyou Dining on level two caters to families and larger groups. The menu spans an exhaustive range of dishes from bar snacks to grills, and Asian favourites to Indian comfort dishes. Leading the menu line-up are dishes such as the firecracker garlic edamame, burrata papdi chaat, truffle butter paneer khurchan toast, and tiger prawn pad thai. The beverage menu moves from bright first-round serves to playful nostalgic cocktails, deeper layered drinks, hybrid classics, small social serves and flavour-forward no-alcohol options. Try the fruit-forward Red Room that combines vodka, watermelon and passionfruit, or Jam Session, which comes with whisky-roasted peanut and raspberry, or one with savoury notes, like the Umami Club with tequila, tomato miso, and vermouth.

Nandhini Deluxe, Jayanagar

This Bengaluru favourite for Andhra cuisine returns to Jayanagar after an eight-year hiatus. The revamped flagship will seat up to 200 guests and features modern interiors inspired by the architecture of Bengaluru’s T2 International Airport, complete with rattan lamps and cascading ceiling vines. While preserving its traditional flavours, the menu has now been adapted with more balanced spice levels to suit contemporary palates. On the menu are its signature Andhra meals, Nellore biryani, Hyderabadi-style boneless biryani, Nandhini chilli chicken, sholay kebab, mutton roast, as well as a range of vegetarian dishes. Regulars can also look forward to new exclusive dishes, like the Amaravathy chicken and the gunpowder popcorn. Wash everything down with a refreshing fruity mocktail like Nandhini’s Effect, which blends fresh cream, apple, and kiwi with apple juice.

Foo, Indiranagar

A striking red-tiled facade and cobalt-blue arch welcome you at Foo’s new outlet in the city on the buzzing 12th Main in Indiranagar. The new space spans 2,660 sq ft and is anchored by a fluted bar that serves as the social focal point of the restaurant. The pan-Asian menu presents a good variety of small plates, including sushi, dim sum, and Nikkei-inspired dishes. The launch of Foo Indiranagar also marks the Bengaluru debut of Foo Brew, a light and refreshing Japanese rice beer. The house cocktails include Foo King, a vodka-based drink layered with plum liqueur, muskmelon, lemon, and French vanilla; the Pickled Picante, which blends tequila, pickled jalapeños, cilantro, and lime; and the Asian-inspired Miso Sour, which combines whisky, miso caramel, yuzu, shiso infusion, and lime. 

Yess Chef, Sampangi Rama Nagar

A cosy 13-seater bistro. An undisclosed menu. Six courses. That’s what you can expect at Yess Chef’s intimate chef-led dining experience. Designed for a slow dining experience and centred around an open kitchen, it is reminiscent of dining in a warm family home. Chef Krishna’s menu is inspired by European cuisine with Indian and Asian flavours. Highlights include Patrice’s Poulet, a 48-hour brined, slow-smoked chicken served with Robuchon-style pomme purée and truffle chicken jus, while the Flétan en Croûte de Coco is where halibut is used to reimagine the classic patrani machhi. Recommended wine pairings accompany the whole experience as old-school R&B numbers play on in the background. The menu offers both vegetarian and non-vegetarian halal options. The non-vegetarian menu is priced at ₹4,750, and the vegetarian at ₹3,450, and the menu is set to change every three months. Yess Chef is only open for dinner from Wednesday to Sunday with two slots each evening, 7 pm and 9 pm. Prior reservation is a must.

SPECIAL MENUS

Monsoon special dim sum and tea menu at Yauatcha, MG Road

Diners can linger over steaming dim sums and fragrant cups of tea this monsoon. The new menu offers a choice between a vegetarian and regular (chicken and prawn) selection, where you can choose three dim sums from the menu, accompanied by either jasmine green tea or chamomile tea. The dim sum selection includes vegetarian options such as chive dumpling, char siu bun, Shanghai dumpling and crystal dumpling as well as the regular selection that includes a spicy chicken dumpling, chicken and prawn shui mai, and the iconic har gau. Both menu options are priced at ₹1,095++ each. The special menu launches will be available throughout the season.

Yàn Yǎn’s first anniversary menu at The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore, Residency Road

To mark its first anniversary in Bengaluru, Yàn Yǎn has a month-long culinary showcase as a tribute to the chefs who have shaped the restaurant’s story. The Six Hands collaboration features specially curated menus by three chefs, chef Kevin, chef Choy and chef Tenzin—and signature dishes like chef Kevin’s crunchy prawn in pumpkin sauce, chef Choy’s jem jade dumpling and chef Tenzin’s bird-eye egg white seafood soup. Guests receive a complimentary Prosperity Bao at the end of their meal and can also participate in a Roll the Dice & Win, with a guaranteed prize on every roll. At the end of the month, one guest will also win a staycation at The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore. The special menu began will be available until July 22.

The Mediterranean Trail menu at Windmills Craftworks, Whitefield

Windmills Craftworks’ new limited-edition menu is a tribute to port cities and coastlines, drawing from the flavours of Lebanon, Morocco, and Greece. Highlights include the baba ganoush prepared with smoked eggplant, tahini and warm pita; chermoula fish, inspired by north African cooking; and kefta bocadillo, a lamb kefta sandwich from the streets of Morocco. End on a sweet note with galaktoboureko, a classic Greek dessert of crisp filo layered with delicate semolina custard. The food is paired with cocktails inspired by the same flavour spectrum, including the Blue Note Martini, a savoury take on the classic with green pepper brine and blue-cheese-stuffed olives, and the Yellow Submarine with gin, pineapple juice, raw mango, arugula, and yellow mustard. The menu is available until the end of this month

New Baiu menu at Katana, Domlur

Katana’s new special menu is named after Japan’s traditional plum rain season and includes dishes such as crispy enoki, teba no yaki, spicy and creamy chicken wings, and salmon tartar served on potato cakes. A must-try is the ‘quick ramen’, a customisable ramen bowl that allows guests to choose their preferred base and protein. For larger groups and heartier appetites, there’s a 20-piece assorted sushi platter, including fresh salmon sashimi, spicy tuna uramaki, salmon nigiri, and tuna nigiri. Speciality sake cocktails include the Tiramisu No Yoru, a blend of sake, fresh cream, and homemade tiramisu syrup and the Katana Counsel, a combination of sake, vermouth, and merlot. The Baiu menu is on until August 20 and is priced at approx ₹3,000+ taxes for two people.