9 new restaurants and menus to dig into across India

A new year means a new string of restaurants to try. If you’re looking to experiment this season and try out something you’ve never before, or just want to dine at your favourite eatery and be surprised with a seasonal menu, then this list of new openings across Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad, and Pune is for you. 

Bengaluru
Brassa X Copper + Cloves—pop-up menu 

Copper + Cloves, the Bengaluru-based restaurant that puts the focus on healthy, wholesome eating, has collaborated with Brassa for a pop-up menu that is as nourishing as it is delicious. The dishes are paired with beverages from Local Ferment Co. and Pursue’s hard seltzer. 

Shiro—new vegan menu

Craving for some pan-Asian fare? Then pay a visit to Shiro to try their new vegan menu in honour of Veganuary. Curated by chef Priyank Singh Chouhan, the menu features dishes like hot pots, a myriad variety of maki rolls like spicy California, shiitake tempura, and miso beetroot. If you’re a dumplings fan, then they have a wide range of that too—choose from vegetables wonton with chilli oil, Vietnamese-style vegetable dumplings, and more. 

Hyderabad
Simply South—new breakfast menu

There’s nothing a hot wholesome plate of breakfast can’t fix, and more so if it involves fluffy idlis, fresh-off-the-griddle crisp dosas, and warming pongal. Simply South by Chef Chalapathi Rao has come up with a new breakfast menu that is a nod to exactly that feeling. Though rooted in tradition, the dishes are as versatile as they come—gorge on all your South Indian favourites, served with freshly-ground chutneys and an array of in-house sides at the restaurant from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., all days of the week. 

Mumbai
Ekaa—new tasting menu

The popular ingredient-driven restaurant has come out with a tasting menu to celebrate its one-year milestone. The new 11-course menu, curated and crafted by chef Niyati Rao, takes inspiration from ingredients and dishes from across India. Dig into dishes that have historical icons and milestones at their core—the dish titled Indus Valley is introduced in the form of a treasure hunt, where you have to find the Harappan coin made from dark Pondicherry chocolate with a filling of mulberry and passion fruit that is hidden inside ‘soil’ made from dried cacao shells. For another, diners will be whisked off to the kitchen to see the making of the Bombay ice cream, which is an ode to the iconic K Rustom and Company's ice cream sandwiches. 

Nara Thai—new brunch menu

The new weekend brunch menu at Nara Thai has a variety of authentic Thai dishes from soups and salads to hearty rice and noodles mains. The set Taste By Nara menu offers their signature dishes, perfect to newcomers to the restaurant or those who are not as familiar with Thai cuisine. 

Delhi
Fig at Malcha

After a successful (and continuing run) in Gurgaon, Fig has opened a new outlet in Malcha, and it is just the place to be for breakfast. There is nothing better than a healthy dose of their Avocado Earth Bowl with a side of their curated coffees (we recommend you try their dark roast), but you must also try their shakshukas, pork belly, or all things sea food. And don't forget their selection of desserts to end your morning on a sweet note.

Mensho Tokyo—new menu

Mensho Tokyo that started out as a ramen-only restaurant in Japan, and has now expanded both in terms of its menu and territory, has a brand-new menu at its Delhi outpost. You’ll find dishes like the Japanese-style potato salad made with kewpie mayonnaise on the menu, as well as pork ribs, tuna tataki, miso dashi ramen, and chicken ramen. If you’re a fan of everything fried, then don’t miss the crispy fried chicken karaage as well. 

Pune
Ukiyo, The Ritz Carlton—new menu 

Pune’s culinary scene is quickly evolving and catching up with its neighbour Mumbai, as is evident with Ukiyo, The Ritz Carlton’s modern Japanese restaurant. The new menu that has been curated by Chef Mayur gives classic Japanese recipes a unique twist. Sample a wide range of dishes—from toro aburi that is tuna belly seared and then rolled with pickled vegetables, or the hosomaki, which is a maki roll that spotlights one single ingredient. For the mains, try the nabe udon, a delicious mix of noodles, seafood and vegetables in a slow-simmered broth. The new menu also has never-seen-before cocktails that complement the dishes well. 

Goa
Roboto 

If you’re looking for fun Japanese fare in Goa, then Roboto is the place to be. Based on the concept of kawaii, which translates to cute, it serves Japanese street food dishes with a vibrant twist. Think plenty of options for bento boxes, karaage (fried chicken), kushiyaki (grilled meat on skewers), and sozai (side dishes). The space is just as eccentric—there’s a karaoke room and a community table where you can meet strangers over a bowl of steaming hot ramen or dumplings. 

Lead image: Shiro/Instagram