Rather than recreating a place, Sneha brings its spirit and emotion to life with handmade pastas, slow-fermented doughs, and warm hospitality. Lygon St Versova shows how Mumbai’s dining scene is moving toward authenticity and simplicity instead of showiness.

Her philosophy is simple: global inspiration should feel grounded, not copied.

Lygon St., Versova, Inspired by Melbourne’s Little Italy
Lygon St takes inspiration from Melbourne’s famous Lygon Street, but Sneha chose not to rely on nostalgia or direct references.

She believes copying loses meaning: “Replication can feel hollow,” she says, because it keeps the form but not the essence.

She avoids copying signs or visuals. Instead, she focuses on what lasts—how meals unfold, the flow of conversation, and the quiet confidence of simplicity.

“What stays with you is not always what you see,” she reflects. “It’s how it feels to sit there, to slow down, to settle into a meal.”

That sense of restraint anchors Lygon St Versova. Instead of transporting guests to Melbourne, the restaurant creates a feeling of comfort and connection.

The result is a calm, welcoming space that meets what Mumbai diners are looking for: a sense of meaning.

Blending Melbourne Inspiration with Versova’s Dining Culture
When a city inspires a restaurant, balance matters. Sneha didn’t try to bring Melbourne to Versova, but let both influences exist together. It's never geographical,” she says. “It’s emotional.”

She brought an unhurried atmosphere, a sense of intimacy, and a quiet energy from Melbourne, allowing conversations to flow naturally.

Versova already offers warmth. Sneha allows both influences to blend naturally, without forcing a story.

“The food respects Italian discipline,” she explains, “but the hospitality is instinctively ours.”

This mix created something new—not just Melbourne or Versova, but a shared language. Other modern Italian restaurants in Mumbai also adapt global ideas instead of copying them.

At Lygon St Versova, balance guides the food, service, atmosphere, and pace.

Italian Techniques Meet Local Produce at Lygon St.
While Melbourne is an inspiration, the kitchen relies on classic Italian techniques. Slow-fermented doughs and handmade pastas show Sneha’s focus on process and precision.

“Technique, to me, is non-negotiable,” she says. “It’s the foundation.”

She understands that ingredients need to adapt. Mumbai’s climate, local produce, and diners all influence the food.

“Adaptation is subtle,” she says. Times shift, hydration changes, acidity and fat rebalanced.

Her goal is to honour Italian discipline while allowing the food to belong to its surroundings.

“When done right,” she adds, “it doesn’t feel like adaptation. It just feels natural.”

This approach matches Mumbai’s move toward seasonal ingredients and technique-focused cooking. At Lygon St Versova, authenticity stays strong even as the menu changes with the seasons.

Why Lygon St. Focuses on Simplicity and Restraint
In a dining scene often focused on spectacle, Lygon St values subtlety. Sneha believes that restraint leads to a more lasting experience.

“Restraint asks for attention,” she says. “It doesn’t announce itself.”

She believes diners notice the details. Balanced flavors and careful cooking bring lasting satisfaction, not just a show.

“At Lygon St, we don’t try to impress immediately,” she explains. “We try to linger.”

This philosophy guides interiors and menus. The aim: comfort without excess, letting guests settle in.

Guests who don’t know Melbourne should still find more than just a place—they’ll experience a slower meal, good conversation, and a sense of comfort.

“I want them to feel that ease,” she says. “Without needing to know where it comes from.”

She lets guests interpret the experience for themselves. If it’s defined too much, it stops feeling personal.

Lygon St Versova stands for thoughtful global dining. By mixing Melbourne’s influence, Italian tradition, and local style, Sneha Upadhya has created a restaurant that feels personal, grounded, and memorable.

Founded in 2013 by Deepa and Rohit Desai, Vanilla Beans has quietly become a destination for cakes that do more than mark occasions. Each dessert is conceived as what the founders call an “anchor for memory” — a moment captured in flavour, texture, and design. For the 2026 mango collection, that philosophy has found its perfect muse.

A Balance of Reverence and Reinvention
“When it comes to mango, we don’t approach it the same way for every product — and that distinction matters to us,” explains Rohit Desai.

Take the Aamras Mango Cheesecake, he says: “Aamras is already perfect. Our job was to honour that simplicity — let the Alphonso be the loudest thing in the room. The cheesecake’s tang sharpens the mango’s sweetness without overshadowing it. The fruit doesn’t disappear — it announces itself.”

Contrast this with the Aamrasmalai Cake, a more experimental creation. “That one is for the person who loves mango but also wants to be surprised. We’re taking the richness of malai, the warmth of saffron, and asking: what does this feel like reimagined as a celebration cake? It’s still familiar, but it’s reaching somewhere new.”

For Vanilla Beans, the creative process begins with intent: “We decide first what the product is trying to say, and then we let that guide everything else.”

Left to right: Aamras mango cheesecake; Aamrasmalai cake

Eggless as an Advantage
Vanilla Beans’ 100% eggless framework has shaped both technique and flavour. “Working eggless is genuinely harder, and I think that constraint has made us better bakers,” Rohit says.

With mango, the challenges multiply. Alphonso’s high water content and natural sugars behave unpredictably in set desserts or baked goods. “Too much and your sponge collapses; your mousse won’t set; your cheesecake weeps. The eggless framework forced us to solve for that very precisely. Our compotes are slow-cooked to a specific consistency, and our cheesecake ratios are calibrated to hold against the fruit’s pull.”

The result is unexpectedly clean flavours: “Without egg, you’re not fighting any richness that might compete with the mango. The fruit comes through purer. That’s part of why the Aamrasmalai Cake works — the saffron and mango are both delicate notes, and the eggless base doesn’t crowd them out.”

Designing Dessert as Memory
For Vanilla Beans, desserts are emotional first, flavours second. “Mango season in Mumbai has a very specific feeling — it’s abundance, it’s communal, it’s generosity. People share mangoes with neighbours, send boxes to family. It’s one of the few moments in the year where even the most reserved household becomes a little extravagant,” Rohit explains.

“From that feeling, we ask: what does it taste like as a dessert?” The Aamrasmalai Cake was born to capture this, marrying the richness of malai with the brightness of Alphonso in a format that sits proudly on a celebration table, neither compromising Indian tradition nor patisserie finesse. “If you know what you’re trying to make someone feel, the ingredients tend to follow. The hard work is in execution — making sure the final product delivers on that promise, every single order.”

Left to right: Mango passionfruit cheesecake; mango mousse jar

The Mango Collection
The seasonal line-up includes:

• Mango Fresh Cream Cake – light sponge layered with fresh Alphonso.
• Mango Cheesecake – a tangy cream cheese counterpoint to ripe mango.
• Aamras Mango Cheesecake – traditional aamras folded into a creamy cheesecake base.
• Aamrasmalai Cake – saffron-infused malai meets Alphonso in an elegant celebration cake.
• Mango Coconut Cake – a tropical pairing of coconut cream and fresh mango.
• Mango Passion Fruit Cheesecake – vibrant and tangy, combining Alphonso and passion fruit.

Each cake is crafted fresh to order and available for a limited time at Vanilla Beans’ Bandra West patisserie, with Pan-Mumbai delivery via Uber and Porter.

Conclusion
At Vanilla Beans, mango season isn’t just a calendar event — it’s a memory in the making. Through careful eggless techniques, thoughtful flavour balancing, and playful experimentation, the Desais invite Mumbaikars to taste the nostalgia, joy, and generosity of Alphonso season — one slice at a time.

Come World Health Day, and the world is suddenly prompted to have a global conversation about well-being. But more often than not, that conversation looks outward, towards the latest research, the newest supplement, the most recent dietary framework. This year, it may be worth looking closer to home. India has had one of the world’s most sophisticated systems of nutritional thinking for over three thousand years. We simply stopped listening to it.

Long before nutrition charts and wellness apps could rule the roost, traditional food systems across India followed the rhythm of nature. Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of health, has always emphasised seasonal and local eating as the foundation of well-being. The idea is simple: nature provides exactly what our bodies need, when we need it.

When temperatures rise, nature offers foods that cool the body. When the air turns dry or cold, they become warm and nourishing. This natural balance is at the heart of Ayurveda’s concept of Ritucharya, the ancient practice of eating in step with the season.

For me, this philosophy is even more relevant today. I have tested, practised, and ultimately built my kitchen around it. And the more I cook with the seasons, the more I find that the body rarely needs to be told what it wants. It already knows.

Back to the Source

Seasonal eating once occurred effortlessly. Markets reflected the weather, farms produced in accordance with the climate, and kitchens adapted accordingly.

Modern agriculture and global supply chains have changed that. Today, mangoes, watermelon, and even sweet potatoes are available year-round. While this offers convenience, it also disconnects food from its natural cycle.

From an Ayurvedic perspective, food that grows locally and in its correct season is easier for the body to absorb and utilise. Our microbiome is deeply influenced by what we eat, and seasonal produce naturally aligns with what our bodies require at that time of year.

Take mangoes as an example. As summer approaches and temperatures rise, mangoes make their appearance across India’s markets. Raw mango, particularly, has cooling properties. It can be enjoyed fresh, turned into chutneys, or preserved as pickles to extend its benefits.

Similarly, foods that appear after the monsoon or during autumn often help restore balance after months of humidity and heat.

Green Gram Soup with 5 Seeds Crackers and Quick Greens Salad (By Ankit;a Kaur Rana)

Ancient Wisdom, Modern Kitchen
Despite centuries of food wisdom, many people today feel intimidated by the idea of following Ayurveda.

Much of this hesitation comes from misunderstanding. Ayurveda is often perceived as restrictive, involving bland food, rigid diets, and complicated rules. In reality, the philosophy is surprisingly flexible.

We live in a time where there is both a lot of information and a lot of misinformation around health. Many people feel overwhelmed trying to figure out what is right for them. Ayurveda simplifies this by encouraging us to first understand our own bodies.

It teaches us that everyone is different. One person may feel hungry very quickly, another may need more rest, while someone else naturally gravitates towards certain flavours. Once we begin noticing these patterns, food becomes a powerful tool in creating balance.

One of the most beautiful aspects of Ayurvedic cooking is the concept of the six tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent. Ideally, a meal includes all six tastes in some form.

For me, this principle presents itself as a platform for creativity. It allows different ingredients to come together in a single dish, balancing flavours, colours, and textures. When you cook this way, you naturally start looking at what is locally available and in season. It becomes an exploration rather than a strict rulebook.

Left to right:nachnibhakri tacos with pumpkin; chilledcucumber gazpacho (ByAnkit;a Kaur Rana)

Food for Thought
Beyond ingredients and recipes, Ayurveda places enormous importance on how we eat.

Modern food culture often involves rushing through meals while scrolling through phones, answering emails, or watching screens. One of the simplest habits we can build is to slow down while eating.

Even giving one meal a day your full attention can make a difference. Keep your phone away. Step back from digital screens. Sit with your food and truly enjoy it.

This simple practice has a powerful physiological effect. Chewing food thoroughly stimulates saliva production, which begins the digestive process even before food reaches the stomach. When we chew properly, digestive enzymes are released more efficiently, digestion becomes smoother, and nutrient absorption improves.

Over time, this mindful way of eating strengthens gut health, which modern science increasingly connects to immunity, energy levels, and even mental well-being.

The wellness industry will always have a new answer for us — a new supplement, protocol, or superfood. Ayurveda’s answer is consistent: eat what grows near you, eat it in its season, and eat it slowly enough to notice what it does for you. Because we begin eating that way, our bodies find balance on their own.

Sampling the Beauty of Bohag Bihu

Also known as Rongali Bihu, Bohag Bihu is the biggest and most important of the three prominent Bihu festivals celebrated in Assam. “It’s a month-long festival,” shares Gitika Saikia, founder of Gitika’s PakGhor, a Mumbai-based Assamese home chef outfit. Each day of the festivities has a special symbolism and is celebrated in a grand way — there is even a day dedicated to the bovine that historically pulled the plough across the paddy field.

No Bihu is complete without pitha. Assam’s version of sticky rice-based pancakes, these sweet treat are either fried or steamed, stuffed or plain, and signal festivities. Common fillings and additions include coconut, sesame and jaggery. It takes highly skilled and practised hands to tame the pitha dough and churn out these light-as-feather pancakes.

Duck is also a common delicacy during Bohag Bihu, says Saikia and there is a quiet logic to its timing. April marks the tail end of winter, when duck meat is at its best; once summer sets in, freshwater fish takes over as the preferred protein. For those from Assam’s ethnic communities, the seasonal calendar opens up something even more intensely seasonal and available for less than a week each April. “Red ant eggs and silkworm are also included,” says Saikia, who hails from the Sonowal Kachari tribe, while her husband belongs to the Boro Kachari tribe.

Rounding out the feast is a principle that centres itself around balance. “Consumption of bitter food is a must at Bihus,,” explains Saikia. Where much of India turns to bitter gourd for this purpose, Assam finds its answer in red bitter flowers that begin blooming from March onwards.

Left to right:A bowlof meat curry;Inji puli

Ushering in Good Fortune with Vishu
Few harvest celebrations in India command as much reverence at the table as the Malayali ceremonial feast aka sadhya. Served on a banana leaf, the meal typically unfolds with inji puli (a sharp tamarind and ginger pickle) and poppadum (crisp lentil wafers), moves through thoran (dry vegetable stir-fries with coconut), sambar (a lentil and tamarind broth) and rasam (a thin, peppery soup), and closes with at least two types of payasam (rice or lentil pudding) alongside nendran, the plump, starchy Kerala banana. Every element has its place, and nothing arrives out of turn.

Vishu, Kerala’s new year and harvest festival, brings a quieter ritual to the table. Before the first meal of the year is eaten, children are led to the Vishukkani: a display of seasonal fruits, fresh flowers, betel leaf, sacred scriptures and the yellow kanni konna (Golden Cassia blossoms, which bloom precisely at this time of year). Only after this first sighting, does the day’s eating begin with the simple vishu kanji — a porridge made from Kerala’s red matta rice, seasonal legumes such as butterbeans or cowpeas, and coconut milk. It can be prepared sweet or savoury depending on the household, but it is almost always accompanied by puzhukku, a lightly spiced and nourishing vegetable stir-fry.

Sadhya, a ceremonial feast served on a banana leaf

Starting afresh with Poila Boishakh
Bengal’s passion for gastronomy is to be admired. No wonder, food is at the core of every festival and big occasion. Poila Boishakh, or the first day of Vaishak month, is also known as Nobo Borsho (Bengali New Year). “Since it’s not a religious festival, there are no restrictions on what can be eaten, nor are there any traditional dishes associated with it,” shares Rhea Mitra Dalal, owner of Euphorhea Kitchen, a Bengali food catering company in Mumbai.

All of Bengal’s best-known dishes, like kosha mangsho (slow-cooked mutton curry), chingri malai kari (prawn and coconut curry), and aloo posto (potatoes cooked with poppy seed paste) make an appearance on Poila Boishakh. It is also ilish or Hilsa season, which makes an appearance in all its avatars — bhaja (fried), shorshe bata (mustard sauce), paturi (banana leaf parcel) and more. “Ilish is a favourite and is often the star of the meal,” she adds. Due to popular demand, Kolkata biryani, chaap, and rezhala are also becoming popular dishes on new year menus.

Most homes prefer simplicity in the specialities. Chingri bhapa (prawns steamed with mustard and poppy seeds), gota moshla mangsho (mutton with whole spices) are among a few of the lighter preparations on Nobo Borsho. “Bengalis love their vegetables and consider them delicacies of the same status as fancy meat preparations,” Mitra Dalal states. Dishes like tawk dal (sour dal) cooked with raw mangoes, begun basanti (eggplant in a mustard and yoghurt sauce), kochi potol bhaja (fried tender pointed gourd) flavour the festivities and signal the setting in of summer. “In some families, especially those with roots in East Bengal (Bangladesh), panta bhaat (lightly fermented leftover rice) is served with a variety of bhajas (assorted fries) and bhortas (mashed preparations),” she shares.

No meal is complete without mishti. Think payesh, sandesh and rosogolla alongside Bengal’s vast repertoire of acid-set cheese or chhena-based desserts.

Left to right: Khejurgurer payesh, a classic Bengalisweet; Punjabi curry and bhature

Tucking into the bounty of Baisakhi
In Punjab, harvest season is always celebrated with great gusto. Baisakhi is no different. April is traditionally when wheat is harvested, and it forms the foundation of Punjabi food. “The arrival of the wheat harvest signifies abundance, sustenance, and continuity, making Baisakhi deeply meaningful for the community,” shares Delhi-based Vernika Awal, writer and brand lead at Ikk Panjab restaurants.

At the centre of the dinner table, commonly found celebratory dishes include aate da halwa (wheat flour pudding) and an array of breads. “Made from freshly milled wheat flour, it is utterly evocative, rich, warm and comforting. Alongside this, there are various breads such as rotis, kulchas, pooris and parathas, often served with seasonal curries,” adds Awal. A Punjabi table will be lacking without sarson da saag (mustard greens curry). There is also the flavourful, yoghurt-based kadhi with deep-fried chickpea flour and onion pakodas or dumplings. Beverages such as lassi and fresh sugarcane juice are also enjoyed, offering a refreshing respite as early summer begins to set in.

Gurudwaras mark Baisakhi as the birth of the Khalsa Panth, a brotherhood embodying justice, equality, and selfless service. Langars, or community meals, offer simple but nourishing food to those in need. On the menu, you will find langarwali dal is often served with fresh chapati smeared with ghee or butter, a seasonal mixed vegetables preparation and kada prasad, a sacred, velvety wheat flour dessert akin to the aate da halwa. “These dishes are simple but deeply symbolic, representing the abundance of Punjab,” Awal signs off.

Community kitchens line every street. Tractors from neighbouring districts rumble in, carrying not produce for sale but provisions for seva — bags of flour, tins of desi ghee, cans of milk, crates of sugar. Families unload and get to work without ceremony. No one is turned away. No one is asked who they are.

This is Punjab in its truest form — of village melas, of harvest festivals, and of ubiquitous langars (community meals) that serve without prejudice. Rooted in the teachings of the Sikh Gurus, equality is not merely an ideal here — it is practised daily, ladle by ladle.

More Than a Stereotype
It is also a Punjab that is routinely misread; and as someone who grew up here, I feel that gap keenly.

“You’re a Punjabi and a vegetarian?” It is a question I encounter regularly, and one that reveals just how narrow the popular imagination of this state tends to be. Punjab, at its core, has always been agrarian and therefore largely vegetarian. Meat dishes gained prominence only after Partition, when migrants from the North-West Frontier brought their culinary traditions with them. The stereotype — paneer cooked in the same gravy, the famed makki di roti and sarson da saag — tells only a fraction of the story. The real feast lies in village kitchens and unpretentious sweet shops: seasonal, local, and built from very few ingredients.

I was reminded of this on a journey through Punjab’s hinterlands one spring, travelling through the districts of Sangrur, Fazilka, Malerkotla, and the royal city of Patiala. The mustard had faded by then, and the wheat — locally called kanak — was beginning to turn golden in the heat. What struck me most was how closely the food mirrored the land: uncomplicated, unshowy, and deeply rooted in the rhythms of the harvest.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the trio of gud (jaggery), ghee, and wheat. During Baisakhi, these three ingredients form the backbone of the celebration. From the rich atte ki pinni (a roasted, flour-based traditional sweet) rolled in pure ghee to the simplest comfort of roti with ghee and shakkar (sugar), these combinations carry generations of nostalgia. Ask any Punjabi about a childhood favourite and chances are they will mention churi — leftover rotis crumbled into hot ghee and jaggery. The most sacred expression of this minimalism is the kadha prasad — a traditional Sikh offering — found in every gurdwara: equal parts wheat flour, ghee, and sugar, transformed into something divine, quite literally.

While wheat is the undisputed hero of the harvest, rice-based sweets hold their own — roh di kheer, made with sugarcane juice, and gud wale meethe chawal (jaggery rice) turned golden with generous amounts of saffron.

Left to right:An elderly Muslimartisan embroidering Army badges in Malerkotla; the celebratory trio of roti, ghee, & gud

Fields, Frontiers and Forgotten Sweets
That agrarian simplicity — that same trinity of grain, ghee and sweetness — follows you all the way to Punjab’s western edge.

In the border town of Fazilka, I arrived at Jyani Natural Farm just as the winter harvest was winding down. Pallavi Redhu Jyani and her husband Vishavjeet Singh Jyani were overseeing the last of the kinnow harvest — plump oranges being plucked and packed — while roses were being distilled into rose water. By April, even millets would be ready. It was here that Pallavi mentioned dhokliya, a traditional harvest sweet made from jaggery, ghee, and freshly harvested wheat.

Fazilka rewards the curious traveller in other ways too. Each evening at the Sadqi border post, just 14 kilometres from town, the BSF and Pakistan Rangers perform the Beating Retreat — a daily ceremony in which both sides march in formation and lower their national flags in synchrony at sunset. It is one of three such ceremonies along Punjab’s border with Pakistan, the other two being at Attari near Amritsar and Hussainiwala near Ferozepur. But where Attari draws busloads of tourists and a carnival atmosphere, Sadqi is quieter, more intimate, marked by patriotism that is felt rather than performed.

The town has its own quieter distinctions on the food and craft front as well. Tille wali juttis — hand-embroidered leather shoes in which women apply the decorative threadwork using stencils while men cut and shape the soles — are a local speciality. And no visit is complete without sampling tosha, a dense, syrup-free sweet with the soft texture of a gulab jamun, whose origins trace back across the border to what is now Pakistan. The decades-old Pakpattnian Di Hatti is the place to try it.

An hour’s drive north, the district of Malerkotla, a Muslim-majority town, has a remarkable history of communal harmony stretching back centuries, which lives on in mawa jalebis — plate-sized and thick, served with dollops of rabdi pooled generously on top.

The town is equally known for its intricate hand embroidery of army badges, a tradition kept alive by elderly Muslim artisans who have practised and refined the craft over decades. And at the sweet shops of Patiala and Sangrur, another distinctive snack appears: pithe wale paneer ke pakode — paneer stuffed with spiced filling, fried and served with mooli (radish) and tamarind chutney. It is the kind of thing you do not find on any restaurant menu, and that is precisely the point. This entire trail — from farm to border post to sweet shop — is an argument made in food: that Punjab’s truest flavours have always lived away from the spotlight.

Left to right:Tosha, a dense, syrup-freesweet with the texture of gulab jamun;a plate of food that celebratesthe spirit of Punjab

The Spirit of the Harvest
Just outside Amritsar, where wheat fields stretch to the horizon, Jagroop Singh — who runs Heart of Punjab, a farm experience that opens his family’s land and table to visitors — describes a Baisakhi that fewer people remember. “Earlier, harvest was done entirely by hand,” he says. “Neighbours helped each other. Women sang boliyan (folk song) and danced giddha (a traditional Punjabi folk dance performed by women) to the dhol as the wheat came in.”

Mechanisation has made farming faster and more efficient, but it has also quietly shrunk the communal theatre around it. The collective harvest is largely gone. What remains are the rituals that grew around it — and those, it turns out, are more stubborn. Women still gather to prepare laddoos and panjiri studded with dry fruits and ginger. The chulha (stove) still burns. Gud wali chai (jaggery tea), makki ki roti, saag, and fresh vegetables pulled from the soil that morning — these are not performances for visitors. They are simply how things are still done. The scale has changed. The spirit, quietly and determinedly, has not.

Travel through Punjab’s quieter districts long enough and a single truth keeps surfacing: the state’s real character was never in its most boradcasted stories. For too long, the state has been reduced to a shorthand: its most exported dishes, its loudest festivals, the version of itself that travels well. The real Punjab has always required a little more effort to find.

It lives in the langars of Anandpur Sahib, where steel bowls are refilled before you think to ask. In the quiet border ceremony at Fazilka, where the flag comes down each evening without fanfare. In the tosha at a decades-old sweet shop, the mawa jalebis of Malerkotla, the dhokliya made from freshly harvested wheat at a farm, and in the boliyan that women still sing.

Spring here is not merely a season. It is the annual reminder that this land has been feeding people — generously, without ceremony, and with deep conviction — for a very long time. To travel through Punjab at Baisakhi is to understand that some harvests are about wheat, and some are about something older and harder to name: the quiet, unshakeable knowledge of how to nourish each other.

For Christians around the world, Easter marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ — a celebration of hope, renewal, and the promise of new life. But it is not a single day so much as a season, one that unfolds slowly and intentionally over weeks. It begins with reflection and sacrifice, moves through solemnity and anticipation, and arrives finally at joy. To live through it fully is to understand why the celebration, when it comes, feels so hard-earned.

It begins, in many Christian homes, with Pancake Tuesday — the day before Lent starts. Shrove Tuesday, as it is also known, has its roots in an old tradition of using up the household’s rich ingredients, such as eggs, butter, milk, and flour. The logic? What couldn’t be consumed during the forty days of fasting and abstinence ahead was cooked up and eaten before the season of restraint began. The pancake, then, is less a treat than a kind of threshold — a way of clearing out and making space, in both the larder and the spirit, for what is to come.

Lent itself is the forty days of prayer, fasting, and reflection that lead up to Easter — a period that mirrors the forty days Jesus spent in the wilderness. In our house, it meant my parents turned pescatarian for the duration. And so the kitchen shifted, too. The smell of fish curries and fresh fried fish would fill our home through those weeks, and my mother’s cooking became simpler… more considered. As children, my siblings and I didn’t fully understand what Lent meant, but we felt that it asked you to pay attention. What we did understand, though, was that Lent meant Holy Week was coming — and Holy Week meant everything was about to change.

Left to right: Fried Pomfret; Hot Cross Buns

It began with Palm Sunday, the day that commemorates Jesus’ triumphant arrival into Jerusalem, welcomed by crowds laying palm branches at his feet. It was the start of the last week of his life, and even as children we understood that the mood of the week ahead was one of weight and meaning.

Then came Maundy Thursday — the remembrance of the Last Supper, the final meal Jesus shared with his apostles, and the moment he knelt and washed their feet as an act of profound humility. After evening mass, there was always something to look forward to: the bakeries around us would put out special buns, marked with a cross on top and filled with little flecks of red and green that we called Tutti-Frutti. They were sweet and soft and slightly festive in the way that only a small, specific thing from childhood can be. I loved them completely.

I bake hot cross buns myself now, and it has taken years to get the recipe exactly right. The recipe lives in my handwritten family recipe book — the one I am keeping for my children, Zene and Zeke, for whenever they discover the joys of cooking and baking.

Good Friday was observed with a stillness that I can still feel. But Holy Saturday — the quiet day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, when anticipation begins to quietly gather — was anything but still in our home. My mother would spend much of it cooking, assembling the Easter feast piece by piece. My father, when he was in town, worked beside her, and the kitchen would fill with the smell of spices and something sweet in the oven. We would drift in and out, mostly to taste, sometimes to help, always to be near them. I remember watching my mother put it all together — slowly, deliberately, with the kind of calm that comes from doing something many times.

There was always a neighbour who sent over Easter eggs — my mother never made them herself, but cakes and muffins came out of our oven, and my father’s Dal sweet was a fixture of the table. He has since forgotten the recipe entirely, much to everyone’s dismay! And then there was midnight mass, which we looked forward to for reasons both sacred and entirely practical: it meant we got to curl our hair and wear the new dresses my mother had sewn for us, which felt like its own kind of ceremony.

An Easter spread with salads, curries, rice, and Easter eggs

Easter Sunday itself was a symphony. Duck moile, roasted chicken, vindaloo, wedding rice, an old-fashioned potato salad or a Waldorf salad — always with a homemade mayonnaise — and my mother’s trifle, which appeared every year without fail, as reliable as the sunrise. It was the kind of lunch that asked you to sit for a long time and then, inevitably, to sleep for an equally long time afterwards.

When I became a mother, I began adding things of my own to this festival — an Easter egg hunt for my kids, where sometimes I would give them clues like a treasure hunt. At others, I would just tell them the number of Easter eggs I had hidden. They would tear through the house, laughing, our pets racing alongside them in a state of equal excitement. Every year I ordered marzipan eggs from Aunty Stella — my childhood friend’s mother, who has been making them since longer than I can remember.

My parents are with us now, and having them here has made it easier to keep the traditions alive. My mother still cooks. The duck moile continues to be a steady table guest, and the sweet redolence of hot cross buns continue to fill up our senses.

As I look back, I think that is what makes Easter so enduring — not just in faith, but in the small and subliminal ways that it insists on being lived through. The weeks of quietness, rituals of restraint, the slow build towards a table heavy with everything you love: it teaches you, year after year, that to celebrate is to arrive at something together. That’s what Easter has always been about for me — new beginnings, made from everything that came before.

But beneath the aesthetics of wellness lies a deeper shift. As Dr Vishakha Shivdasani, a physician specialising in longevity and disease reversal, explains, what we are witnessing is not just a trend — it’s a turning point in how we think about health.

“Traditionally, medicine has focused on treating disease after it appears,” she says. “Longevity medicine is about extending healthspan — the number of years you live free of chronic disease. Lifespan only matters if healthspan improves.”

This reframing is critical. Because the real goal is no longer just to live longer — but to live well for longer.

From Reaction to Prevention
For decades, healthcare systems — and even individuals — have largely operated in a reactive mode. Symptoms appear, tests are run, and treatment follows.

What longevity brings into focus is the idea that disease doesn’t begin when symptoms show up. It begins much earlier.

“More and more people are now asking how to prevent diabetes, heart disease, dementia and metabolic illness decades before they appear,” says Dr Shivdasani. “Because that is when the disease process actually starts.”

This shift toward preventive health is one of the most encouraging aspects of the current wellness movement. People in their 30s and 40s — once considered “too young” to worry about chronic illness — are now paying attention to markers like insulin resistance, inflammation, and metabolic health.

And rightly so.

According to Dr Shivdasani, many of the biological processes that determine how we age begin silently, long before diagnosis. Fatty liver, hormonal imbalances, micronutrient deficiencies — these are not late-stage concerns. They are early signals.

The good news? Many of these conditions are modifiable — and in some cases, even reversible — if caught early.

Cutting Through the Noise: What Longevity Is Not
With social media amplifying the conversation, longevity has also become increasingly misunderstood.

“I see a lot of misinformation,” Dr Shivdasani notes. “Longevity is often portrayed as biohacking, ice baths, expensive testing, or taking dozens of supplements.”

While these elements may have their place, they are not the foundation.

The strongest scientific evidence, she emphasises, continues to point to a far simpler set of drivers: metabolic health, nutrition, sleep, muscle mass, and inflammation control.

In other words, the basics still matter most.

Another common misconception is that longevity is something to think about later in life. In reality, ageing is a continuous biological process that begins much earlier.

By the time symptoms appear, the groundwork has often been laid for years.

Food as Information, Not Just Fuel
If there is one pillar that consistently emerges in longevity science, it is diet.

“Food is one of the most powerful determinants of how we age,” says Dr Shivdasani. “It directly influences metabolism, inflammation, gut health and muscle mass.”

In fact, she describes food as something far more dynamic than calories.

“The food on your plate can literally switch genes on or off.”

Yet, in today’s hyper-connected world, nutrition advice often swings between extremes. On one end are global trends — high-protein diets, gut health protocols, superfoods. On the other is a nostalgic return to traditional eating.

The real answer lies somewhere in between.

Traditional Indian diets, Dr Shivdasani points out, already include many longevity-supporting elements: diverse plant foods, spices, and fermented preparations. What needs updating is not the foundation, but the balance.

“Most people need to modernise protein intake and fibre diversity,” she explains. “Meals should support muscle health, gut microbiome diversity and stable blood sugar as we age.”

It’s less about abandoning tradition — and more about evolving it.

Why Muscle Is the New Health Marker
For years, fitness was largely equated with weight loss. Today, the conversation has shifted toward something more fundamental: strength.

“Muscle is literally a metabolic organ,” says Dr Shivdasani.

Healthy muscle improves insulin sensitivity, supports bone density, and protects against conditions like type 2 diabetes, frailty, and falls. Yet, after the age of 30, muscle mass naturally begins to decline — a process that accelerates significantly after 40 if not actively addressed.

This is where strength training becomes essential.

“Even two to three sessions a week — even 20 minutes — is enough to make a difference,” she says.

The goal is not extreme workouts or aesthetic transformations. It is functional fitness — the ability to move well, stay strong, and remain independent over time.

Paired with regular walking and mobility work, strength training forms a critical pillar of long-term health.

The Supplement Question
Few areas of wellness have grown as rapidly — or as confusingly — as supplements.

From collagen powders to omega-3 capsules, social media is filled with recommendations, routines, and “must-have” lists.

But according to Dr Shivdasani, this is where caution is essential.

“Supplements are not universally beneficial,” she explains. “What works for one person may be unnecessary — or even inappropriate — for another.”

In her clinical practice, she often sees individuals taking multiple supplements without addressing underlying issues such as insulin resistance, gut dysfunction, or micronutrient deficiencies.

The solution lies in personalisation.

“The most reliable approach is evidence-based supplementation guided by clinical assessment and relevant blood tests.”

In other words, supplements should be strategic — not trend-driven.

For those navigating health information online, her advice is clear: look for credibility. Seek out professionals who base their recommendations on research, clinical experience, and transparency — not just popularity.

The Foundations That Actually Matter
With so much information available, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But when it comes to longevity, the fundamentals remain surprisingly consistent.

If someone were to begin their health journey today, Dr Shivdasani recommends focusing on a few key habits:

• Prioritise metabolic health through nutrition: A balanced diet rich in whole foods, adequate protein, fibre, and healthy fats helps regulate blood sugar, reduce inflammation, and support gut health. “Do not fear good fats,” she adds.
• Build and maintain muscle: Strength training, combined with daily movement, supports everything from insulin sensitivity to bone health and long-term mobility.
• Optimise sleep and manage stress: Poor sleep and chronic stress disrupt hormones, increase inflammation, and accelerate ageing.
• Support gut health: “Most disease processes begin in the gut,” she notes, emphasising its central role in overall well-being.

These are not quick fixes. They are long-term investments.

A More Personal Future of Health
Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the longevity movement is its shift toward personalisation.

No two individuals age in exactly the same way. Genetics, lifestyle, environment, and medical history all play a role. What works for one person may not work for another.

This is why the future of healthcare, as Dr Shivdasani sees it, lies in tailored, preventive approaches — ones that identify risks early and intervene before disease takes hold.

Beyond the Trend
Longevity may be trending — but its implications are far from superficial.

At its core, this movement is about understanding that the way we eat, move, sleep, and recover today shapes the quality of our lives tomorrow.

And perhaps most importantly, it is about redefining what it means to be healthy.

Not just symptom-free.

Not just productive.

But physically strong, mentally sharp, and metabolically resilient — well into the later decades of life.

Because in the end, longevity is not about adding years to life.

It is about adding life to those years.

Now, as Pomodoro steps into its next phase, the restaurant is expanding from a cosy 28-seater to a 60-plus-seat space. But the intent behind the move is clear: this is not about becoming bigger, but about making room — for more people, more conversations, and more shared moments.

Left to right:Chef Afshaa Rajqotwala and amazing pastas and more at Pomodoro

A Community-Led Evolution
From day one, Pomodoro’s journey has been shaped as much by its founders as by its diners. Founded by sisters Chef Afshaa Rajqotwala and Nousheen Rajqotwala, the restaurant has always embraced a transparent, evolving approach.

“We take feedback very seriously,” shares Chef Afshaa. “In the early days — and even now — we’ve paid close attention to what our regular diners gravitate towards. What’s being ordered, reordered, or even the smallest tweaks they suggest.”

This feedback loop has not only helped the team maintain consistency but has also guided subtle shifts in flavour profiles and menu offerings. As the space expands, that same community-first mindset continues to define the experience.

“We wanted to make room for more — more pasta, more stories, and the community who can linger longer, bring friends, and celebrate small occasions with us,” she adds.

The new design reflects exactly that: a space that feels more open and comfortable, yet retains the warmth and familiarity that regulars associate with Pomodoro.

Staying True to Italian Craft
At its core, Pomodoro remains rooted in traditional Italian cooking techniques — where simplicity, patience, and quality ingredients take centre stage.

“At the heart of our kitchen is a deep respect for traditional Italian craft,” says Chef Afshaa. “We prioritise technique and ingredients over trends.”

Yet, cooking in Bandra comes with its own nuances. With a well-travelled and discerning audience, the restaurant has found ways to balance authenticity with subtle innovation.

“We don’t change the essence of a dish,” she explains, “but we do bring in our own perspective — through locally sourced produce, flavour notes, or even presentation.”

This thoughtful balance has allowed Pomodoro to build a loyal following, with its handcrafted pastas becoming quiet standouts in the neighbourhood’s dining scene.

Pomodoro interiors

Beyond the Plate: A Space to Linger
The expanded Pomodoro also introduces a dedicated barista counter, giving its coffee programme a stronger identity. It’s a move that broadens the restaurant’s role — from just a dining destination to an all-day space.

“We’ve always wanted to create something beyond just a meal,” says Chef Afshaa. “With the larger coffee bar, people can drop in more often — even outside traditional dining occasions.”

The idea is simple yet powerful: to become a part of someone’s everyday rhythm. Whether it’s a quick coffee break, a long lunch, or an unplanned evening catch-up, Pomodoro is designed to accommodate it all.

“The new space gives people more room to linger, celebrate, or simply pause in their day,” she adds. “We want them to make the space their own.”

Growing, the Right Way
As Pomodoro enters its 2.0 phase, its growth feels organic — guided by its diners, grounded in its values, and deeply connected to its neighbourhood.

In a fast-moving dining landscape, it’s a reminder that sometimes, the most meaningful expansion isn’t about scale — it’s about staying rooted while making space for more.

Ambience & Interiors
As soon as you walk in, you notice the change in atmosphere. The restaurant welcomes you with warm wooden interiors, deep red accents, and rustic Himalayan and Tibetan touches that feel both cozy and inviting. The space is simple and genuine, encouraging you to relax rather than impressing with extravagance. It feels like a mountain home, with every detail—from textures to lighting—adding to the sense of comfort and belonging.

The Food: A Culinary Journey Across the Himalayas
Yeti’s menu acts as a cultural guide, featuring dishes from Nepalese, Tibetan, Khasi, and Manipuri cuisines, and now also including flavors from Ladakh, Arunachal Pradesh, and Sikkim.

We began with the pan-fried momos and Schezwan momos. They were well-prepared, but the flavors were not especially unique—they tasted more like familiar versions than something distinctly Himalayan.

The Thukpa, on the other hand, was just what we hoped for. This hearty noodle soup, filled with spices and vegetables, offered a comforting warmth and depth that reminded us of the mountains. This is a must-try!

The highlight was the Kokra Ko Ledo, a Nepalese-style chicken curry in a spiced coconut gravy. It tasted authentic, rich, and comforting, cooked with a gentle touch. This is the kind of dish that doesn’t overpower but gradually wins you over and leaves a lasting impression.

The menu stands out for its focus on communal dining, generous portions, slow-cooked dishes, and broths made for sharing. This reflects the Himalayan belief that food is about togetherness as much as taste.

Cocktails: Thoughtful, Textured, and Exceptionally Crafted
The cocktail program at Yeti Himalayan Kitchen takes the experience to another level. Using Himalayan ingredients and influences, the drinks are not only full of flavor but also show great skill in their preparation.

The Elder Flower Elixir is light and refreshing, blending elderflower, cucumber, mint, and lime in a balanced, floral drink. Egg protein gives it a silky, airy texture, and there’s no eggy smell at all, showing the bartenders’ attention to detail.

Matricaria is brighter and more lively, mixing passionfruit and orange blossom with Aperol for a citrusy, slightly bitter taste. Here too, the egg protein adds a smooth, velvety texture that lifts the drink without taking away its freshness.

The Himalayan Negroni, made with Hapusa Himalayan Dry Gin and house-made coffee liqueur, has a deep, bittersweet flavor that brings to mind the warmth of a chilly mountain night.

If you want something more playful, try the Pokhara Sunset. It mixes vodka, coconut, basil, and pineapple, balancing tropical flavors with a touch of mountain-town charm.

The Tomillo, made with thyme-infused gin, mango, and lime, finishes the menu with a herbal, slightly sweet note.

Overall, the bar program is well-crafted and pays close attention to taste, texture, balance, and telling a story through its ingredients.

Final Takeaway
Yeti: The Himalayan Kitchen is still a rare find in Mumbai’s dining scene, focusing on authenticity, emotion, and cultural depth instead of following trends.

Not every dish is a standout, but the overall experience feels genuine and immersive. With its warm atmosphere, carefully chosen menu, and excellent cocktails, Yeti gives you more than a meal—it takes you on a journey to the mountains.

If you want to experience Himalayan cuisine at its most authentic and heartfelt, this is a place worth visiting with friends or family.

True farm-to-table goes far beyond marketing rhetoric. Alice Waters of Chez Panisse is often credited with formalising the movement in 1970s California through seasonal, local sourcing. India, however, has long practised deeply rooted traditions of regionality and seasonality. The rupture came post-1990s, when improved cold chains, imported ingredients, and year-round availability replaced harvest-led cooking with predictability.

The modern revival, emerging in the early 2010s, has been driven by independent restaurants, urban farmers, growing sustainability awareness and renewed interest in indigenous produce. In India, this shift is more than a dining trend; it intersects with climate resilience, biodiversity, seed sovereignty and the preservation of regional knowledge. Far from discovering farm-to-table, India is remembering it and reclaiming a food culture that predates industrialisation and reconnecting cuisine with the land that sustains it.

Left to right:Chef Gokuforaging for fresh ingredients;Chef Gokuprepping the fresh ingredients (By Chef Goku)

When the Landscape Writes the Menu
Chef Goku based in Chennai offers a pragmatic perspective. While the idea of a fully self-sustained, farm-to-table restaurant is compelling, he believes it is rarely feasible within India’s cities with a fragmented supply landscape. “It is near impossible to have local sources for spices, oil, sugar, and salt in all parts of the country”, he emphasises. Through pop-ups across India, he has witnessed both the promise and the constraints of hyperlocal sourcing. “It is easier to do in certain parts of the country, rather than everywhere”, he says. Foraging, he suggests, is emerging as the movement’s next evolution extending beyond cultivated farms into forests and wild ecosystems. At a recent forest-to-fork pop-up in Rainforest, Athirampally, Kerala, he built a menu entirely around foraged ingredients — ferns that grow wild along riverbeds, seasonal tubers, wild pepper, and queen sago, a Jurassic-era plant whose seeds are traditionally smoked, milled into flour, and eaten long before rice became a staple in the region. “You don’t dictate the menu, the landscape does,” he says. “It challenges my abilities as a chef while presenting guests new flavours.”

Left to right:Chef Auroni at Gariahat Market, Kolkata;Free Bird from Yokocho, Kolkata (By Chef Auroni)

Kolkata-based Chef Auroni Mukerjee’s latest venture, Yokocho, celebrates the best of West Bengal’s produce through a distinctly East Asian lens. He uses Kopurkanti sticky rice from Amar Khamar — a Kolkata-based store-cum-lunch room that sources it from farms near the Sundarbans — while the free-range chicken for his Hainanese chicken comes from Tona Farms, about 100 kilometres from Kolkata. Yet, when dishes rely on ingredients sourced from further afield, flexibility becomes essential. A brief warm spell recently halted the supply of sea asparagus from Surat, a key component of one dish, prompting the team to rethink the plate and develop a replacement mid-season. “I’m fortunate to have access to such an exceptional variety of locally grown produce in the bajaars (markets), including galda (giant freshwater) lobster from Gariahat for one of our dishes,” he shares. He points out that West Bengal and parts of the North East continue to eat seasonally and locally, with markets often offering vegetables in their entirety — pumpkin fruit, leaves, and flowers for example. “That kind of abundance is incredibly exciting as a chef.”

Chef Michelle Arcelina Paes, Head Chef at Ekaa, Mumbai, brings a nuanced, dessert-led perspective to farm-to-table. “Infusion is one of my core approaches to seasonality”, she says. Her focus lies in extracting the true essence of an ingredient through smell, taste, and texture. She mentions working with the invasive, poisonous lantana flowers for their delicate floral quality or red weaver ants for their sharp citric acidity. “Sometimes the most unusual ingredients are simply the ones we’ve ignored or haven’t yet understood,” she opines. At Ekaa, where the kitchen is entirely ingredient-driven, even a tomato demands respect. Indigenous ingredients require recalibration as they do not behave predictably, they force humility, restraint, and understanding. For them, developing strong relationships with vendors at Sassoon Dock, Bhuleshwar and Dadar markets is integral to getting access to the freshest and most unusual seasonal produce that sparks creativity.

Left to right:Ingredients at Ekaa, Mumbai;Chef Michelle of Ekaa at work (By Chef Michelle)

From Farm to the Pantry
Farm-to-table is no longer confined to restaurant menus. It is reshaping India’s D2C food brands, where direct sourcing is both philosophy and operational strategy. At Kaaram OK Please, ingredients such as specific chilli varietals, spices, and kodampuli (a Malabar tamarind also known as gambodge) are sourced directly from growers, while spinach for one hot sauce is procured from Parna Farms, an urban hydroponic farm in Coimbatore, to reduce transit time and post-harvest loss. Preservation techniques like salting, fermenting and brining quietly stabilise seasonality batch to batch, forming the unseen backbone of the product.

With India losing an estimated 20 to 30 per cent of fruits and vegetables due to fragmented cold chains and long transport routes, the definition of a “farm” is expanding: from large agricultural holdings to smallholder cooperatives and controlled-environment urban hydroponic systems. Shorter supply chains improve quality control, stabilise supply and enhance traceability.

Farm-to-table in India is not just a romantic return to the soil. It is an evolving hybrid — part farmer’s network, part market rapport, part urban innovation, part forest foraging. At its core, it is about proximity: to the land, sea, and, importantly, to the grower. In embracing that uncertainty, chefs are not just changing menus; they are reshaping how we think about food itself.

The Great Seasonal Shedding
In colder months, we tend to stock up on things like flour, heavy pulses, and jars of ghee. By March, these foods feel too heavy. It is time to switch to lighter grains. Sattu (roasted gram flour) is a traditional superfood that gives you protein quickly, without need to be cooked for long. Try using moth beans or sprouted moong instead of rajma, as they are easier to prepare and help keep you cool.

Let Them Breathe
Summer shows the problems with plastic containers. They hold in heat and cause condensation, which can lead to mold. Instead, use bamboo or wicker containers, which let onions and garlic release moisture and stay fresh. Store salt in stoneware or ceramic jars, as it absorbs moisture from the air. In plastic, it gets wet and clumpy, but in ceramic, the jar soaks up extra moisture and keeps the salt dry.

Left to right: Sattu drink; gond katira lemonade with basil seeds

Keep it Cool
Traditional texts and practises, such as the Charaka Samhita and Mediterranean folk medicine, saw the pantry and the pharmacy as interconnected. As we prepare for the summer, focus on foods that help digestion. This means more than just drinking water. Try using gond katira (tragacanth gum), which turns into a cooling jelly and helps protect your stomach from heat. Keep it with sabja (sweet basil seeds), which can lower your body temperature even better than iced tea.

Old is Gold
Clay pots are a traditional way to keep things cool in the kitchen. A matka (clay pot) cools water by allowing it to evaporate through its walls, lowering the water’s temperature without using electricity. Using a porous terracotta lid can help keep foods like soaked almonds, fruits, and vegetables fresh naturally (and keep those pesky fruit flies away), even in hot sunlight, by helping protect them from the heat.

Protect your Oils
One often overlooked summer culprit is lipid oxidation. In the Indian summer, otherwise stable fats like ghee or cold-pressed oils can go rancid faster due to light and heat. Move your heavy oils to the darkest, lowest corner of your pantry. While mustard and coconut oil are seasonal staples, ensure they are stored in dark glass or stainless steel. Sunlight hitting an oil bottle on a windowside counter is a recipe for bitter, off flavours, designed to ruin a summer recipe.

Left to right: A basket tostore onions and garlic; summer spiceslike kokum, dried amla, and mint salt

Organise for Ease
A summer pantry should follow the low-effort rule. Visibility reduces the decision fatigue that comes with a 40°C afternoon. Group your brightness agents — kokum, dried amla, and mint-infused salts, on a single tray at eye level. By organising your space to favour quick-cook grains and hydrating seeds, you subconsciously guide your cooking toward lighter, faster, and more vibrant plates.

Hack your way through seasonal change

• Hanging a small bundle of khus (vetiver) roots inside your pantry doesn’t just add a woodsy aroma; it acts as a natural insect repellent and humidity regulator during the monsoon transition.
• Putting a dried bay leaf in your flour or rice containers is a natural way to keep weevils away, especially when the pantry gets warmer than 30°C.
• Mortar and pestles made from granite or heavy stone stay cooler than the air around them. This helps keep the essential oils in your herbs from evaporating while you grind.
• Clean your pantry shelves with a mix of equal parts white vinegar and water. This makes the surface acidic and helps prevent mold from growing in humid, dark areas.
• Keep onions in bamboo containers that let air flow. This stops ethylene gas from building up, which can cause onions to sprout and taste bitter in humid weather.

From comforting classics like curd rice and rasam to chilled soups and tangy salads, these recipes are designed to keep you cool and satisfied. Ingredients like cucumber, corn, mango, and pineapple not only taste great but also help keep your body refreshed on hot days.

Whether you’re looking for a quick meal, a light snack, or a cooling dessert, these recipes are perfect for summer. Simple to make and easy on the palate, they’re just what you need to beat the heat.

Curd rice
This curd rice is creamy, tangy, and deeply comforting, finished with a fragrant tadka that adds warmth and spice, while fresh garnishes bring texture, balance, and a refreshing lift.

Cold Cucumber Soup with Chilli Oil
Cold cucumber soup is creamy, herby, and refreshing, balanced with lemon and honey, and finished with chilli oil that adds a gentle heat, depth, and a bold, flavourful contrast (not to forget, some umami!)

Cold Sweet Corn Soup with Coconut Milk
Cold sweet corn soup with coconut milk is smooth, lightly spiced, and naturally sweet, topped with toasted coconut and fresh jalapeño for texture, balance, and a bright finish.

Mango Rasam
Comforting and tangy, Mango Rasam brings a seasonal twist to South Indian flavours. Made with raw mango, spices, and a fragrant tadka, it’s soothing, light, and perfect with rice or as a sipper.

Summer Blast Salad
A vibrant summer salad with chickpeas, raw mango, pineapple, and crunchy vegetables, tossed in a tangy, sweet dressing. Refreshing, hydrating, and bursting with flavour, perfect for light, energising meals.

For someone who spends most of their life thinking about food, these seasonal shifts feel personal. They remind me how closely cooking is tied to rhythm — not just of the kitchen, but of the land, markets, and our appetites. After months of slow braises, hearty dishes, and generous spices, the body instinctively begins to lean towards brighter flavours. And this becomes apparent in the dwindling of cooking time, fresher vegetables and colourful plates.

For me, that shift often finds its way into a bowl. Many of the meals we grew up eating naturally belonged in bowls — khichdi on a quiet afternoon, curd rice after a long day, or the effortless-but-reliable combination of rice, dal and vegetables.

When the Kitchen Changed
Growing up in Delhi, the arrival of the season always felt like a small-but-noticeable transition in our home kitchen. Winters were marked by slow-cooked dals simmering on the stove through the afternoon, trays of gajar ka halwa cooling by the window, and stacks of hot, stuffed parathas. The food was rich, warming, and deeply comforting.

But come February, or early March, and things would begin to change.

My mother would return from the market with baskets that looked completely different, brimming with tender peas still in their pods, bright young carrots, bunches of coriander and mint tied with a thin string, and sometimes the first raw mangoes that came bearing hints of the season ahead. The kitchen would suddenly smell greener and fresher. Even the salad vegetables changed with the cooling kakri, or cucumbers, edging out radishes and turnips!

Even though the last of the various saag leaves would continue finding their way into our plates, the recipes would change. Bathua — a wild spinach also known as goosefoot — would start to appear in a cooling raita, instead of inside a paratha. Methi, or fenugreek, stepped out of stuffed bread to quietly slip into a dal.

And then there was kanji. Around this time of year, large glass jars would begin lining up in a sunny corner of the balcony, packed with magenta-stained brine and black carrots floating inside. My grandmother believed sunlight was an essential ingredient, and the jars would sit there for days, fermenting slowly; filling the house with an unmistakably tangy aroma. By the time our kanji was ready, its sharp, earthy flavour would have transformed into something refreshing and effervescent. We would sip it in short, steel glasses — a delightful sourness waking up the palate and ushering in spring.

Before frozen peas became a year-round convenience, we also tried to peel and store as many of them as we could. Spring afternoons would often see my grandmother and I sitting at the dining table before a mound of peas that we would deshell and store for later use. Looking back, I realise that these tiny rituals were a big part of our way of welcoming the season. And often, we let it have a seat inside a bowl.

Left to right:Raita with a spicytadka; delicious methiparathas with curd, and other sides

What Spring Asks of the Cook
What I enjoy most about cooking with spring ingredients is how little they demand from the cook. Unlike winter vegetables that require a lot of patience, spring produce feels almost eager. A quick blanch or a brief sauté can achieve a lot. This simplicity guides my thinking even when assembling spring inside a bowl, rarely following a strict formula, and letting instinct and balance guide it instead.

A warm grain forms the base. Think brown rice, millets like kangni (foxtail) or sanwa (barnyard), or a lightly spiced khichdi; vegetables to add freshness and texture, sprouted moong or sautéed greens bring nourishment, and something for that crunch. A spoon of hung curd tempered with mustard seeds or soft cubes of paneer for that gentle creaminess alongside dressings made with lime, raw mango, or a puckering chaat masala vinaigrette to offset it all with bright and bold flavours. At times, I like to add a sprinkle of sattu, or roasted gram powder, mixed with mustard oil and lemon — a trick borrowed from traditional North Indian kitchens — for that nuttiness and depth.

One of my favourite spring bowls is reminiscent of childhood afternoons spent at the dining table, helping prepare the season’s fresh produce. A dance of warm millets; blanched, tender green beans; sweet, young bottle gourd with slivers of kakdi adding a cooling crunch, alongside a spoonful of cumin-flavoured curd, and sprouted moth beans, toasted peanuts, lime, grated raw mango, green chilli, fresh coriander and mint to tie everything together.

What makes bowls particularly satisfying is that every spoonful unfolds a new layer. One bite may be heavy on the grain, while another full of crunch with vegetables, and the next bright with fresh herbs or citrus. This keeps the meal interesting and encourages a slower, more mindful way of eating.

With the Rhythm of the Land

Seasonal cooking has guided Indian kitchens long before the aestheticisation of “farm-to-table” and “mindful eating” principles. Our meals have always reflected natural wisdom and championed what the land offered. Summer meant mangoes and cooling drinks, winter brought mustard greens and sesame sweets, and the monsoon often called for warm, comforting nosh enjoyed to the sound of pitter-patter. Spring, though quieter than other seasons, carries its own culinary identity. It refreshes the palate after winter and gently prepares us for the abundance of summer.

The more time I spend cooking, the more I realise that good food often comes from paying attention rather than adding complexity. When we cook along with the seasons, we allow ingredients to guide us. This rings most true for spring — a season of beginnings that brings with it a lightness into our kitchens and indeed, our lives. Produce during this time comes with satisfying flavours but also, with a quiet reflection of the transformation outside, reminding us to let go of what was and make room for what is.

Left to right:Thecha spiced mushroom and spinach stir fry with tomato millet;fresh and vibrant beetroot juice

Chef Megha’s Spring Pantry Essentials
A few ingredients that quietly define the flavours of an Indian spring kitchen.

• Raw Mango (Kairi): One of the earliest signs of the changing season, raw mango brings a sharp brightness to chutneys, dressings and light salads. A small squeeze or grated spoonful can instantly lift an entire bowl.
• Black Carrots: These appear briefly in North Indian winters and early spring and are most famously used for the cooling, fermented drink, kanji. Their earthy sweetness and deep colour capture the transition between seasons.
• Fresh Peas: Tender and fleeting, fresh peas mark the end of winter produce. Whether tossed into pulao, stirred into vegetables or lightly blanched for a bowl, their sweetness is unmistakable.
• Tender Gourds: Bottle, ridge, and sponge gourd begin to appear more frequently as the weather gets warmer. Their delicate flavour works beautifully in lighter spring meals.
• Coriander & Mint: No Indian kitchen truly shifts into spring without these herbs making a strong return. Chutneys become brighter, dressings fresher and even simple meals benefit from their fragrance.
• Hung Curd: Cooling and creamy, hung curd is often the easiest way to add richness to a light dish without making it heavy. Whisked with roasted cumin or mustard seeds, it becomes the perfect finishing element for a spring bowl.

5 Steps to a Perfect Bowl
When I build a bowl, I rarely follow a strict recipe. Instead, I think of it as balancing a few simple elements that come together naturally.

1. A Comforting Base: Start with something warm and grounding — brown rice, millets, or a simple khichdi.

2. Seasonal Vegetables: Let the season take lead with spring vegetables like gourds, beans, peas and cucumbers bringing in freshness and colour.

3. Add The Crunch: Texture keeps a bowl interesting. Roasted peanuts, toasted seeds, or even a sprinkle of roasted chana or sattu adds depth.

4. Make It Creamy: Hung curd, yogurt, or paneer to give the bowl balance and richness.

5. End It On A Bright Note: A squeeze of lime, grated raw mango, green chilli, or a dollop of chutney to enliven your bowl!

Spanish food is easily one of the most underrepresented cuisines of the world. Particularly in India, where we’ve largely clubbed diverse European fare into one seminal category of “Continental”, it has even endured being sidelined and sometimes misunderstood to be the same as Mexican. Widening the conundrum, tapas or small plates are now a “cooler” way of labelling appetisers.

Blame it on the Americas. While all other colonial powers found their way to the Indian subcontinent, the Spaniards caught winds that took them in the opposite direction. History has a way of making us pay a price for the past and the absence of Spanish cuisine in our repertoire could be an “anti-climactic” reason. Which is why the Portuguese, English and even French have intertwined with local fare in India over generations.

But I digress.

There was hope when, in 2021 I visited La Loca Maria in Bandra for the first time. It promised to remain true to its cuisine. Spain had finally arrived in Mumbai.

Left to right:Steak Tartare at La Panthera;BFF Carpaccioat La Loca Maria

Like all restaurants in this trendy neighbourhood La Loca Maria has heaved with clientele from the day it opened doors. It was overwhelming to experience a meal for the sake of the meal without being distracted by the celebrity patronage. Which is why my first outing at the restaurant was a lot of gesticulating over high decibels to manage to convey the order. Zealous, well-intending waiting staff insisted on bringing the now famous Pan De Ajo accompanied by herbed butter. The soft pillowy bread served warm from the oven is like a drug that pulls you in.

I insisted on ordering the Charred Octopus, almost ready to dare the restaurant. Could this really deliver a Basque favourite? In Mumbai? And it did! Perfectly crisp on the surface, al dente to retain the flavours of the sea and yet flavoured by a teasing picante rub - we had a winner.

I promised myself that the restaurant deserved to be sampled on a quieter night. Unfortunately, that opportunity never arrived. To the credit of the restaurant, it has always been bustling, save a rare lazy afternoon I got to enjoy it. And was puzzled. The menu - which I had failed to study enough in my first outing - had Italian leanings, even Mexican and Peruvian. Had Spain gone Continental on me?

Which is why when La Panthera was opened by the same team, now in BKC, I ensured I visited it before it was discovered. The staff enthusiasm matched its predecessor. That was a blue tick. The menu mirrored La Loca as well, with a few intelligent tweaks.

And soon enough, it was comparably busy.

Left to right:CharredOctopus at La Panthera;Double Happiness;GambasAl Ajillo at La Loca Maria

When the opportunity to chat with Chef Manuel Olveira came up, I grabbed it. A recent lazy afternoon turned into a master class of consumer insights, and more.

A love story across continents brought him to Mumbai. Undaunted by the limitations of produce, he took up the challenge to introduce his favourite dishes, many learnt from his parents’ kitchen while growing up, to Mumbai. The results overwhelmed him. He had found a new home, one that teaches him new lessons every day.

For instance, while it may seem that the 6 kilometres that separate his two restaurants in Mumbai city is not a big distance, he treats both with individual attention and respect. His biggest insight? Mumbai changes with every kilometre and the need to become a favourite neighbourhood outpost is to understand and cater to it. That explains the unique personality both restaurants bear - one very atmospheric and the other very occasion-oriented.

While he laments about the inconsistency of produce, he chuckles at how his demand for fresh octopus was met with incredulity by local fishermen, who curiously obliged him. Now he gets first dibs at the day’s catch each time. And that standout dish - brings his home to our tables.

La Loca Maria

Speaking of home, if there was a way to bring an extra twinkle to his eye, Chef Olveira obliged while reminiscing of a youth spent in his hometown in Spain, appreciating the nose to tail culture of leaving no spare with fresh produce. Respecting well-bred and well-farmed protein means ensuring it comes to full use, no wastage in vain. Evidently, this was a formative quality he brought to his kitchens in faraway Mumbai.

We spoke more about his family, how he longed for his father’s stew, which he would enjoy upon landing back home. The simplicity of a lifetime that he has ever since attempted to capture in his menu.

Which prompted me to ask - pasta and carpaccio, among others, have made a crossover to Spain? He smiles naughtily and resigns with pragmatism declaring that the blended European menu has allowed him to adapt to local palettes and familiarity, while introducing them to more of Spain on a plate.

For now, Chef Manuel Olveira seems more native to Mumbai than Spain. I do hope his busy restaurant affords him an opportunity to return home often. For what is at the heart of his success, if his love for the family he left behind to build a family in another country.

As for the meal we had while we learnt more about his life, it was the octopus and steak tartare. And he graciously let me buy him lunch.

For that, I say to him - YES CHEF!

Craft beer has brought new words and styles to Indian drinkers. Beers like IPAs, stouts, saisons, and wheat beers are now common, especially in cities where people are eager to try new things.

Flavour First, Always
Craft beer stands out for its focus on flavor. While big brands aim for the same taste every time, craft breweries care about unique character. This has led to many new styles and seasonal beers, each with its own story. From mango and kokum to pepper, coffee, and jaggery, these additions create beers that feel rooted in place. The result is a portfolio of beers that balance global techniques with Indian sensibilities, making each sip both familiar and new.

Light and Dark Beers

Beer at the Table
A big change in craft beer culture is how it pairs with food. Beer is now more than just a drink; it is becoming a key part of meals. Light beers go well with spicy street food, helping balance the heat and bring out flavors. Rich ales and stouts pair well with hearty, slow-cooked meals, and fruity or sour beers go great with desserts. Because of this, craft beer is popular at both casual get-togethers and special dinners.

Some Indian craft beers to try are Bira 91, Goa Brewing Co, Great State Ale Works, and Simba. These brands made the top 5 brands of beer in 2025, along with Kingfisher.

The Rise of the Brewpub Experience
Craft beer is about the place as much as the drink itself. Brewpubs and taprooms have helped shape this culture by serving fresh, small-batch beers in friendly, social spaces. These places invite people to try new things. Tasting flights, seasonal beers, and sessions with brewers help drinkers learn more about what they are drinking. This makes beer drinking an experience and helps build a community of people who enjoy discovering new flavors together.

Another key part of craft beer today is mindful drinking. People are paying more attention to what they drink, so there is more interest in low-alcohol and non-alcoholic beers. This trend has created a new category in craft beer, where you can enjoy the flavor without strong alcohol. Session beers (low ABV) and alcohol-free options are becoming more popular because they offer good taste with less or no alcohol.

Beer from the beer tap

Pushing the Boundaries of Brewing
Innovation is still a big part of craft beer. Brewers are experimenting with barrel aging, cask finishes, wild yeasts, and unusual ingredients to create beers with greater depth and complexity. Limited-edition drops and special releases, along with seasonal beers, keep things fresh, giving people new options to try. This ongoing change makes sure craft beer stays interesting and fun.

The growth of craft beer in India shows a bigger cultural shift. People are choosing to drink more slowly and with more care, focusing on quality, flavor, and the overall experience.

Today, beer fits into all kinds of moments, from simple lagers to bold, flavorful brews. It works just as well for a casual night out, a celebration, or a special meal. Craft beer is no longer just an alternative. Craft beer is no longer just another option. It is quickly becoming the drink of choice for a new generation.

Here are 10 refreshing juices and coolers to help you stay energized and comfortable all summer.

ABC Juice
ABC juice mixes apple, beetroot, and carrot for a naturally sweet, nutrient-rich drink that helps you feel refreshed and energized on hot summer days.

Cucumber Basil Cool
This cucumber basil cooler combines hydrating cucumber with fresh basil for a light summer drink that cools you down on warm afternoons.

Watermelon Agua Fresca
Juicy watermelon is a summer classic. This agua fresca blends fresh watermelon with a splash of lime for a light, refreshing drink that’s perfect for hot days.

Banana Walnut Lassi
Banana walnut lassi mixes creamy yogurt, sweet bananas, and crunchy walnuts for a wholesome drink that cools and energizes you on sunny days.

Rose Splash
Rose splash blends rose syrup with chilled water and a hint of citrus for a sweet, light drink that’s perfect for warm evenings.

Aam Ka Panna
Aam ka panna is a classic Indian summer drink made with raw mangoes and spices. It’s tangy, minty, and known for its bold flavor and cooling effect.

Fresh Lemongrass Cooler
This lemongrass cooler combines fresh lemongrass and chilled sweetness for a soothing drink that refreshes you on hot summer days.

Tamarind Cola Splash
Tamarind cola splash mixes bold tamarind flavors with bubbly cola for a sweet, tangy, and refreshing summer drink.

Sol Kadhi
Sol kadhi blends kokum with coconut milk for a creamy, pink drink that’s refreshing and slightly tangy—perfect for hot summer afternoons.

Orange Iced Tea
Bright citrus meets chilled tea in this orange iced tea. Orange iced tea combines bright citrus with chilled tea for a sweet, tangy, and refreshing drink that’s great for sunny afternoons.

Ambience & Interiors: Every Corner Tells a Story
As soon as you walk in, the space feels full of memories. Covering 4,800 square feet, the restaurant honors South Indian culture and was carefully designed by hotelier Harshita Shetty. Teakwood frames, cane lamps, brass accents, old Mangalorean windows, and banana-leaf patterns all remind me of childhood homes by the coast.

Ivory, sandalwood, deep green, and gold colors make the space feel warm at any time of day. Terracotta figurines and handloom-style details add small touches that make you feel welcome and comfortable. Every detail feels personal, as if someone knew just how home should feel.

Culinary Journey: Savoring Heritage, One Dish at a Time
The kitchen is the heart of Dakshin Legacy, led by Chef Nagesh, who handles every spice and ingredient with care. From stone-ground masalas to hand-pressed coconut milk, each method honors generations of coastal cooking. As a South Indian, the food tasted like home, but with extra skill.

Here’s what made my visit stand out. This dish brought back memories of childhood feasts. The marinade was balanced, the flavors were rich, and the aroma was hard to resist.

• Chicken Tandoori – Smoky and juicy, this dish felt like a warm hug from childhood feasts. The marinade was balanced, the flavors deep, and the aroma hard to resist.
• Chicken Gassi – This Mangalorean classic, full of coconut and roasted spices, felt comforting. Each bite brought back memories of home-cooked curries slowly simmering in clay pots.
• Ghee Roast Chicken – Bold, spicy, and rich. The roasted ghee masala was delicious and well-balanced, making you want another bite.
• Crab Butter Garlic – Fresh, rich, and well-seasoned, letting the crab's sweetness stand out. It reminded me of evenings by the sea, enjoying freshly caught seafood.
• Gulab Jamun with Ice Cream – A simple, nostalgic ending. The warm sweetness of the jamun, paired with chilled ice cream, brought a perfect sigh of contentment after a soulful meal.

Drinks & Pairings: A Coastal Twist
The bar, curated by Dharmender Prajapati, highlights South Indian flavors with creative, playful cocktails:

• Reddy on the Rocks – Whiskey with tropical fruits and butterscotch; smooth and smoky, great with Chicken Tandoori.
• Chiranjeevi Kidu – Gin with cucumber and ginger; crisp and refreshing, especially with rich curries like Ghee Roast.
• Bahubali Burst – Rum, kokum, peach, and chat masala; tangy, bold, and perfect with seafood.
• Lungi Dance – Gin with curry leaves, amla, and blue curaçao; vibrant and aromatic, fun with spicy dishes.
• Rajni Kudampuli – Vodka with kokum, cranberry, and chat masala; bright and zesty, pais welly with coconut-based gravies like Chicken Gassi.

Service & Hospitality: Warmth That Feels Like Family
The service brings the whole experience together. The staff is attentive, knowledgeable, and welcoming, offering suggestions like they’re sharing favorite recipes from their own kitchens. The hospitality feels genuine, making every guest feel valued and cared for.

Final Thoughts: A True Tribute to South Indian Heritage
Dakshin Legacy is more than just a restaurant. It is a tribute to coastal South Indian cuisine and heritage. From the décor to the last bite of curry, everything shows love, culture, and tradition. In a city full of fusion and experiments, it’s refreshing to find a place that values authenticity.

If you want more than just a meal, if you want to taste home, celebrate heritage, and make memories, Dakshin Legacy is a must-visit. Here, food is shared, valued, and remembered.

If you’ve been looking at kitchen renovation ideas or want to lower your carbon footprint, you’ve probably seen induction cooktops. Are they just an expensive trend, or are they really the best tool for modern cooking? Let’s turn up the heat and find out.

What Is an Induction Cooktop and How Does It Work?
Unlike traditional gas stoves, which use a flame, or electric stoves, which use a glowing coil, induction uses electromagnetic fields to heat your pan directly.

Here’s an easy way to picture it: with a regular stove, the stove heats up first, then warms the pan. With induction, the stove stays cool while the pan itself becomes the heat source (’cause electromagnetic fields don’t have a temperature). This method is cleaner, faster, and much more energy-efficient since hardly any heat escapes into the air. So, if you are craving some yummyveg dumplings, chilla, or even carrot ras malai, you can make them on an induction cooktop! There is absolutely no limit to the recipes you can make on an induction cooktop.

Induction cooktop


Fact vs. Fiction: Separating Heat from Hype

• Myth: You have to throw away every pot and pan you own to use induction.
  Fact: You only need cookware with high ferrous (iron) content. If a simple kitchen magnet sticks to the bottom of your pan, it will work perfectly. Cast iron and most modern stainless steel are already induction-ready.
• Myth: Induction cooktops are dangerous because they emit harmful radiation.
  Fact: Induction uses low-frequency electromagnetic energy, much like the radio waves from a Wi-Fi router. The energy stays focused in the pan and is considered completely safe for home use.
• Myth: It is much more expensive to operate than a standard electric stove.
  Fact: Although induction cooktops can cost more upfront, they are very efficient. Since they heat the pan directly instead of the air, they use less energy than regular smooth-top electric stoves.
• Myth: The glass surface is fragile and will crack under heavy pots.
  Fact: Most induction cooktops are made from strong ceramic-glass blends that can handle heavy pots and sudden temperature changes. As long as you don’t drop a heavy cast-iron pan from above, they are very durable.
• Myth: You can’t get a "char" or a good sear without a gas flame.
  Fact: Induction gives you better temperature control and heats up faster than gas, so you can get a more even, restaurant-quality sear on steaks and other proteins.

Cleaning the fixed induction cooktop


The Golden Rules: Do’s and Don’ts
Do:

• The Magnet Test: Before buying new cookware, grab a fridge magnet. If it snaps onto the bottom of the pan, you’re good to go.
• Keep it Clean: Wipe the surface with a microfiber cloth. Because it doesn’t get very hot, food won’t stick or burn on, so cleaning up takes just a few seconds. Also, you can melt chocolate directly in a pan without a double boiler!

Don’t:

• Slide your pots: The glass surface is strong, but dragging heavy cast iron can leave small scratches. Always lift your pots rather than slide them.
• Use Copper or Aluminum: These metals won’t work on induction unless they have a special magnetic base.
• Leave empty pans on "Power Boost": Induction is so fast that an empty pan can overheat and warp in seconds.

Induction Cookware


Pro Tips & Tricks for the Modern Chef

• The Paper Towel Trick: If you use something under your frying pan on an induction cooktop, it needs to be heatproof and specifically designed for induction use. Placing a regular paper towel under your pan is not recommended, as it may not be safe. Always use products intended for induction cooking and check with the manufacturer for guidance.
• Mind the "Hum": If you hear a slight buzzing sound, it’s just the magnetic coils vibrating against your cookware. This is completely normal.
• Check your Circuit: Induction hobs draw a lot of power. If you're switching from gas, ensure your kitchen's electrical "vitals" can handle the new guest.

FAQs: Your Top 3 Questions Answered
1. Is induction faster than gas?
Absolutely. Induction can boil a large pot of water in almost half the time it takes on the stove. It’s the closest you can get to instant heat in a home kitchen.

2. Can I use a wok on an induction cooktop?
Yes, but you’ll need a flat-bottom wok. Traditional round-bottom woks don’t make contact with the surface enough to work unless you use a special induction wok stand.

3. Does the cooktop get hot at all?
The glass doesn’t create heat, but the pan does. So, the glass will get some leftover heat from being under a hot pot. It’s much safer than a red-hot burner, but it’s still best to wait a minute before touching it.

4. What features should I look for when buying an induction cooktop in 2026?
When shopping, prioritize wattage and safety. For a standard family kitchen, look for a model with at least 2000W for fast boiling. Key features to check include:

• Power Boost: Essential for searing steak or boiling pasta water in under 2 minutes.
• Safety Sensors: Look for "Auto Shut-Off" and "Pan Detection"—these ensure the unit only heats when a compatible pan is present.
• Bridge Zones: Higher-end models now offer "Flexible Zones" that let you combine two burners to heat a large griddle or roasting pan evenly.
• Touch Precision: Ensure the controls are responsive even with damp fingers, as some budget models can be finicky.

5. Which induction cooktops are the top-rated models right now?
On Amazon, some of the best-rated induction cooktops are Philips Viva Collection Induction Cooktop, iBELL 20YO Induction Cooktop, and Cadlec CookEase 2000W Induction Cooktop. Other than that, you can also look for Infrared Induction Cooktops if you are a fan of barbecues, but also keep an eye out for the specifications to avoid ruining your cookware.

Cooking on an induction cooktop isn't just a trend; it’s a faster, safer, and more precise way to master your favorite recipes. Whether you're a searing-steak enthusiast or a delicate-sauce specialist, your kitchen (and your energy bill) will thank you. And, if you are looking for some of the best induction cooktops, then subscribe to our newsletter or click here.

Leadership takes many forms- from a quiet bar in Hyderabad that doubles as a creative space to a Mumbai café that mixes medical science with comfort food, and a restaurant dedicated to preserving Telugu food traditions. Honey Guha, Neha K Motwani, Antonia Achache, and Pranavi Chekuri are leading this change. Through Oxymorons, The Fertility Table by Luma Fertility and Kitchen Garden by Suzette, and Bhojanam, they show that when women lead with both heart and strategy, hospitality can inspire care, creativity, and cultural change.

Honey Guha
(Co-Founder, Oxymorons)

Honey Guha; Oxymorons (Interior)

For Honey Guha, leadership in hospitality has never been predictable. Her path from fashion to HR and then to food and beverage shaped both her outlook and Oxymorons’ unique identity. “My journey wasn’t linear or textbook hospitality. But those different worlds didn’t collide; they bloomed into each other,” she says.

Oxymorons’ philosophy reflects Honey’s varied experience. The space avoids excess, noise, and formulaic nightlife, instead focusing on intimacy, clarity, and precision. For Honey, experimentation is driven by curiosity and strong systems, not shock value. “Authenticity isn’t rebellion. Its alignment,” she explains.

In an industry often led by visible, masculine styles, Honey took a different path. She focused on structure, emotional intelligence, and long-term planning. Rather than seeking approval, she started sharing her journey online, offering insights on operations, entrepreneurship, and bar culture. Over time, her consistency became her greatest strength. She believes identity is built slowly, and authority comes naturally. Her vision is the idea of psychological safety. Women-led spaces, she feels, redefine power in hospitality. They create environments where guests feel comfortable ordering freely, teams feel safe to experiment, and conversations move beyond consumption into community.

Looking ahead, Honey wants Oxymorons to become even more of a place for new ideas. She focuses on structured experiments, data-driven menu development, and working with other industries. Her goal is not to grow bigger, but to become sharper. “The future for us isn’t bigger. It’s sharper,” she says. She wants Oxymorons to be more intentional, thoughtful, and in tune with where Indian bar culture is going.

Pranavi Chekuri
(Founder, Bhojanam)

Bhojanam (Interior); Pranavi Chekuri

At Bhojanam, Pranavi Chekuri is quietly challenging the way Telugu cuisine is understood and represented. Rather than flattening it into a generic “South Indian” category, she structures her menu around Krishna, Godavari, Rayalaseema, and Telangana, highlighting each region’s distinct flavours, ingredients, and rhythms.

For Pranavi, her approach is about bringing back the details that make Telugu cuisine special. Each thali is a cultural journey, using traditional methods but presented in a modern way. The flavours stay true, but the look and timing are updated for today’s diners. She wants comfort food to feel fresh without losing its essence. When both younger, visually focused diners and older generations enjoy the food, she knows she has found the right balance.

Preserving heritaKeeping heritage alive while growing the business takes discipline. Bhojanam records its main recipes, standardises ingredient sourcing and preparation, and carefully trains its teams. Pranavi believes growth should make things clearer, not weaker. Authenticity needs to be systematic if it is to last beyond one kitchen.is deeply personal. Growing up in a large family where recipes lived in memory rather than notebooks, she witnessed how women transmitted culture through repetition and care. “Food carries identity, resilience, and quiet leadership,” she reflects.

With Bhojanam, Pranavi wants to bring Telugu cuisine to a national audience and show that the cooking knowledge women have passed down has both cultural and business value. She is proving that preserving tradition, when done thoughtfully, can be a strong form of modern entrepreneurship.

Neha K Motwani and Antonia Achache
(Founder, Luma Fertility | Co-Founder, Kitchen Garden by Suzette)

Neha K Motwani; Antonia Achache

For Neha Motwani and Antonia Achache, their work on The Fertility Table started with a shared belief: women should feel informed, supported, and empowered in their health journeys, without feeling overwhelmed or treated only as patients.

Neha’s work at Luma Fertility is grounded in transparency and in giving women control. She believes women today want to be active in their healthcare. “We focus on conversations, not just treatment plans,” she says. By explaining science clearly and welcoming questions, Luma helps women replace fear with informed choices. For Neha, fertility is less intimidating when women understand their own bodies.

She realised that food was a natural part of this philosophy. Fertility is not just about clinics; daily habits, especially nutrition, matter a lot. Working with Kitchen Garden made sense because of its focus on mindful, nourishing food. Their goal was to bring science into everyday places, so eating for fertility would feel comforting, not clinical.

For Antonia, this partnership confirmed the values she has held since starting Kitchen Garden. “Food has always been a quiet form of self-care for me,” she says. The café has always avoided fad diets and extremes, choosing instead to focus on simple, organic, whole ingredients. She believes real empowerment comes from consistency, not quick fixes.

The Fertility Table at Kitchen Garden by Suzette

Working with Luma supported this philosophy. It made Kitchen Garden even more committed to organic sourcing, transparency, and building long-term partnerships with farmers. Their work with Offerings Farm, which grows produce just for the restaurants, shows their strong sense of responsibility to both people and the environment.

As an entrepreneur, Antonia has focused on growing thoughtfully instead of just getting bigger. Her business is built on community, traceability, and trust. “When you lead with care, growth happens naturally,” she says.

Neha and Antonia hope The Fertility Table will help women think about hormonal health and nutrition earlier and with more confidence. They want their impact to be gentle but lasting. As Neha says, “Sometimes it’s just about helping women feel a little more informed, a little more in control, and a little less alone.”

By turning everyday meals into ways to build awareness and wellbeing, their partnership shows how healthcare and hospitality can work together to create real, people-focused change.

Breaking the Fast
The table was set before sunset, glowing in warm amber light. There’s something about breaking a fast that heightens your senses; even as a guest observing the tradition, you feel the pause before that first bite. We began the way many across the Middle East do — with dates. At Bayroute, they arrive stuffed and plush, alongside a vibrant fruit platter and tall glasses of Rooh Afza and lemon mint sherbet. Sweet, cooling, and restorative — the perfect reset button after a long day.

Then came the mezze. And this is where Bayroute flexes its strength. The cold spread was generous: silken hummus drizzled with olive oil, smoky moutabbal, a punchy muhammara with its walnut-chilli depth, and za’atar labneh that begged to be scooped up with warm Arabic bread. Each dish carried clarity of flavour — nothing muddled, nothing overdone.

The hot mezze followed in waves. Cheese sambousek with a crisp golden shell. Spinach and pine nut fatayer that tasted earthy and nutty in equal measure. Perfectly spiced chicken kibbeh with a crunchy exterior giving way to tender mince. Lamb arayes that were juicy and deeply savoury. And falafel — crisp, herbaceous, and paired with a nutty tahini that tied it all together. It felt less like a course and more like a conversation between textures.

The Feast
For mains, we chose two — because restraint felt unnecessary. The chicken shawarma, slicked with toum, was tender and fragrant, while the lamb kofta kebab arrived smoky and robust, the kind that pairs beautifully with saffron rice. There was also vegetable mashawi for balance — charred just enough to hold onto their sweetness. Scooped with bread, layered with dips, or eaten straight — the combinations were endless.

But iftar is never complete without dessert. And Bayroute leans into indulgence here. The baklava shattered delicately under the fork, sticky with syrup and nuts. Rose milk pudding felt floral and light, while kunafa delivered that dramatic cheese-pull moment we all secretly hope for. A tiny cup of Turkish coffee sealed the deal — strong, bitter, grounding.

What stood out most wasn’t just the abundance — it was the intention. Iftar, at its heart, is about togetherness. At Bayroute, families filled long tables, friends leaned into conversations, and there was an unspoken understanding that this was more than dinner — it was a shared pause in a busy city.

Priced at ₹1299++ per person and available across their outlets from February 16 to March 17, the menu is designed as a complete, multi-course experience. But more than value, it offers atmosphere — a small window into hospitality during one of the most sacred months of the year.

And as we stepped out into the Mumbai night, the lingering notes of mint tea and saffron still on the palate, one thing felt certain: some meals feed you. Others stay with you. This one did both.

As dinnertime approached, I was excited to try the fare at Riverside, the resort’s much-anticipated Pan-Asian dining destination, now reimagined with a renewed culinary philosophy and a design language that mirrors the quiet poetry of its setting along the River Sal.

Goa has never been short on beautiful restaurants. But Riverside, especially with its access to non-hotel residents, feels less like a restaurant and more like a pause, the kind where you don’t realise you need until you’re seated by the water, watching the late afternoon sun dissolve into molten gold.

First Impressions: Design meets stillness
The approach to Riverside is cinematic. As I walked in, the hush of the river greeted me before the staff did. The aesthetic is a gentle homage to light, subtly informing the airy white interiors and lofty ceilings that allow natural light to spill in dramatically.

Inside, the space is crisp yet warm. Think chic whites offset by textured surfaces, understated detailing, and a seamless transition between indoor and alfresco dining. Outside, the breezy patio opens up to uninterrupted views of the river. As the evening deepened into night, I was led outside to a thoughtfully decorated gazebo by the water. While this was a specially curated moment for us, other guests can also choose to celebrate their special occasion in this way. I truly recommend it, as my dining experience under the stars was unmatched.

The Philosophy: An Ode to Pan-Asian Flavours
Riverside’s new culinary direction celebrates the rich tapestry of Asian flavours, drawing inspiration from Southeast Asian street markets while retaining the finesse of fine dining. It’s a delicate balancing act, and one that Chef Biswajit Patra and his team seem to have mastered. The idea, I’m told, is to create an experience that honours authenticity while allowing room for innovation. It’s about bold flavours without overwhelming theatrics; about tradition reinterpreted with respect.

He explained that global fusion is his speciality. As someone who gravitates towards Asian cuisine for its complexity: the interplay of sweet, sour, spice, and umami, I was eager to see how this reimagining would unfold on the plate.

A Culinary Journey: From Zest to Comfort
I began with the Spicy Garlic Edamame, a deceptively simple starter that set the tone for what was to follow. Tossed in a punchy garlic-chilli glaze, it delivered taste and heat in measured waves, never overpowering, always inviting the next bite. We then progressed to a round of tasty appetizers. From the crunchy asparagus, carrot, and bok choy dimsums to the succulent chicken gyozas, the intermingling of flavours was delectable. The star of the dishes was the Honey Chilly Rankon. The lotus root was surprisingly thick and crunchy, delivering a satisfying honey-soaked-spice flavor with every bite. A fiery Tom Yum soup whetted our appetite for more, and the bright papaya salad (Som Tam) was just the ticket. A blend of silken textures and robust flavours in a delicious stir-fry of fresh greens created an earthy, comforting dish. Accompanying this was garlic-fried jasmine rice and thin rice noodles, delicately studded with vegetables. To conclude, the soft chocolate cake with an indulgent caramel sauce poured over it was as much a show as a true treat. We also enjoyed their homemade lemongrass sorbet, which served as a refreshing palate cleanser.

The tranquil experience: Dining in rhythm with the river
What sets Riverside apart is both the stellar food and poetic atmosphere. There’s a certain romance to riverside dining , and as evening fell, lanterns began to glow softly around the terrace. The sky turned inky blue, punctuated by early stars. Conversations softened. Glassware clinked gently. The tunes of live music and singing along to beloved classics continued to charm.

The service, in true St. Regis fashion, was impeccable. Every course was introduced with quiet pride, every detail attended to seamlessly. At one point, I found myself simply sitting back, absorbing the moment. The scent of spices hung lightly in the air. The river shimmered under the moonlight. It felt like Goa at its most refined: soulful yet sophisticated.

Final Thoughts

As the night deepened and the river whispered softly beside us, I realised that this was more than just a meal; it was a moment carefully composed by nature, design, and flavour.

At The St. Regis Goa Resort, Riverside offers not just Pan-Asian cuisine but also a gentle invitation to pause, breathe, and savour. Long after the last spoonful and final note of music, the calm, warmth, and quiet magic lingered, like a sunset you never quite forget.

Como Agua
At Como Agua, brunch begins with a view and lingers as an experience. Overlooking Vagator’s picturesque coastline, this striking pizzeria and Negroni bar is wrapped in a sculptural lattice of handwoven lantana. By day, sea breezes sweep across the open deck; by night, the structure glows softly against the forested backdrop. The 72-hour proofed Neapolitan pizzas emerge blistered and airy from the wood-fired oven. Don’t skip favourites like the Burrata Garlic Bread and the Hot Honey & Double Pepperoni pizza. Pair it with a perfectly chilled Aperol Spritz — or take your pick from their equally well-crafted cocktails, just like we did. End indulgently with honey toast crowned in melting ice cream.

The Assa House
The Assa House feels less like a restaurant and more like stepping into Goa’s beautifully kept secret. Housed in a restored Portuguese villa in Assagao, it’s layered with romance: original patterned tiles cool underfoot, chandeliers casting a golden hush, chequered floors leading you deeper into candlelit corners. A European menu unfolds thoughtfully, each dish plated with intention and flavours, encouraging you to slow down and savour the moment. You cannot leave without trying their Blue & Goat Cheese Éclair, Potato Gratin or the 7-hour Lamb Confit. As the evening deepens, the experience shifts. Behind a secret doorway lies LouLou, an intimate cocktail bar that feels deliciously clandestine, a rather new addition to Goa’s night scene.

Fireback
Fireback brings the vibrant spirit of Thailand to Goa with theatrical flair. Inspired by the Siamese Fireback bird, the restaurant’s energy centres around its Josper grill, where turmeric prawns sizzle and smoky eggplant gorlae takes on irresistible depth. Expect fluffy Thai omelettes, bright pomelo salads layered with toasted coconut and ginger, and skewers kissed by flame. The cocktails are authentic and expressive: lemongrass, kaffir lime, tamarind and chilli woven into bold yet balanced concoctions. Surrounded by lush tropical greens, the space feels transportive, delivering the heat, fragrance and soul of Thailand in every bite.

After Dinner at Pisco by the Beach
Tucked inside Anjuna’s beloved sundowner spot, Pisco by the Beach, After Dinner is where the real revelry begins. This intimate 35-seater bar comprises polished wooden floors, low-slung sofas, rattan chairs and long chintz curtains swaying gently as jazz hums in the background and definitely deserves a spot on your Goa list. Dramatic views of the sea can be taken in on the sturdy hammock-style seating while you take in their cocktail menu, which is nothing short of a work of art, inspired by different rooms of a house, each drink layered with unexpected flavour pairings and thoughtful technique. We had multiple rounds of their Lollipops and Rainbows, a Gin-based cocktail with Cherry & Berry Reduction, House Lemon Oleo-Liquer and Grapefruit Zest Cordial that is inspired by the children’s room hence served on a cutesy Teddy. It’s playful yet polished, and the kind of place where one perfectly made cocktail turns into an unhurried night. But whatever you do, don’t dare to leave without indulging in their Chocolate Profiteroles.

Elephant & Co.
With a loyal following in Pune, Elephant & Co. makes a confident Goan debut in an entirely outdoor setting in Anjuna, embracing sea air and golden-hour light. Known for its community spirit and progressive bar programme, the space buzzes from leisurely brunches to lively sundowners. The menu is fresh and experimental, spotlighting local seafood and global comfort dishes, alongside thoughtful vegan and gluten-free options.

The Avocado Tostada, bright with salsa macha, sliced cherry tomatoes and cloud-like whipped feta, was an easy favourite. Standouts also included the Lamb Birria Tacos served alongside a rich, lingering consommé, and a Pepperoni Pizza finished with spicy honey and sesame — bold, balanced, and utterly moreish.

Boilermaker
If you’re in search of a laid-back, high-spirited vibe, Boilermaker is the right choice. Make your way here after hours — this open-air neighbourhood bar hums with easy laughter, draft beers, effortless banter with locals, and cocktails that lean delightfully unexpected. There’s an unpretentious warmth to the place that draws you in — think groovy tunes and you’ll also be greeted by their resident dogs, who roam about like unofficial hosts, adding to the bar’s lived-in charm.

Riverside, St Regis
Set against the picturesque backdrop of the River Sal, Riverside at the St Regis, Goa offers a Pan-Asian dining experience that feels both transportive and refined. Now helmed by Chef Biswajit Patra, who has recently taken the reins, the menu leans confidently into South Asian favourites and deeply layered umami flavours, executed with precision.

We began with a fiery Tom Yum Soup and Spicy Garlic Edamame, followed by delicately pleated Chicken Gyozas, Prawn Dumplings, absolutely unmissable Lotus Stem (the best we have ever tried), vibrant Stir-Fried Vegetables and a selection of other comforting classics — each dish balanced, bold and thoughtfully plated.

Gourmand fragrances first made their mark with notes of vanilla icing and caramel drizzle—unapologetically sweet, instantly gratifying. For a moment, they feel delicious. But for many wearers, that sugar rush fades quickly. What we are seeing now is a shift towards food-flavoured fragrances that favour complexity and emotion over overt sweetness.

In this evolving landscape, perfume is less about making a statement and more about evoking an experience—the way a scent can echo a memorable meal, a late-night dessert, or a warm drink on a cool morning. Here are some of the most compelling food-inspired fragrances today, and what makes them worth lingering over.

Lost Cherry by Tom Ford
The Decadent Classic
Imagine biting into a ripe, dark cherry— lush, juicy, with a slick of liqueur richness. Lost Cherry captures that sensation effortlessly. It opens with ripe cherry and bitter almond, before revealing a soft floral heart of Turkish rose and jasmine. The dry-down of vanilla, tonka and woods feels plush and enveloping. Sweet, but never simplistic, this fragrance balances indulgence with depth. It is best suited to evenings, cooler weather, or moments when you want a scent that feels quietly intoxicating.
EDP 50ml ₹30,000 (approx.)

Twilly d’Hermès Eau Ginger by Hermès
Warm Spice, Playful Energy
Not all food-inspired fragrances lean towards dessert. Twilly Eau Ginger looks to the spice rack instead. Ginger takes center stage here, bright and lightly candied, softened by floral notes and grounded by cedarwood. Fresh, lively and uplifting, this scent feels playful without being juvenile. It is ideal for daytime wear, particularly when you want something effervescent and spirited, without any heaviness.
EDP 50ml ₹10,000 (approx.)

Yum Boujee Marshmallow by Kayali
Sweet Nostalgia
There is an unabashed joy to Yum Boujee Marshmallow. Soft, fluffy marshmallow notes mingle with whipped vanilla and gentle fruity nuances. This fragrance does not chase complexity; it embraces delight. Youthful, nostalgic and comfortably sweet, it manages to remain cheerful without becoming cloying. For those who gravitate towards cosy, feel-good scents, this is indulgence without pretence.
EDP 100ml ₹25,000 (approx.)

Infusion de Santal Chai by Prada
Comfort, Refined
Inspired by the ritual of chai, this fragrance moves away from overt sweetness. Sandalwood forms the backbone, supported by soft spices and subtle citrus notes that feel calming and composed. Infusion de Santal Chai evokes the sensation of holding a warm cup between your palms— grounding, familiar and reassuring. It is an everyday scent that offers comfort without predictability.
EDP 100ml ₹18,000 (approx.)

Fève Gourmande by Guerlain
Chocolate, Elevated
Chocolate has long held a revered place in perfumery, and Fève Gourmande treats it with restraint and sophistication. This is not confectionery sweetness, but dark cocoa warmed with spice and a faint hint of rose. Rich, layered and quietly luxurious, it rewards patience. This is gourmand perfumery for those who appreciate nuance— elegant, textured and enduring.
EDP 100ml ₹30,000 (approx.)

Perched above the meeting point of the Sinquerim and Candolim shorelines, within the embrace of a 16th-century fort, Taj Fort Aguada Resort & Spa is so much more than a luxurious stay. Time seems to slow down here at Goa’s first luxury resort that has hosted royalty, heads of state, and Bollywood’s bright stars. And yet, as I arrive, it feels entirely personal.

The drive up the winding path reveals manicured lawns unfurling toward an endless azure horizon. As I step onto the expansive balcony sit-out, I take in the idyllic vista: Portuguese-style cottages sit prettily against swaying palms, terracotta roofs glow in the summer sun, and the air carries the scent of frangipani and sea breeze. Somewhere below, waves fold softly into the beach.

The Charming Stay
The property sits within the ramparts of the historic Fort Aguada, a 17th-century Portuguese fortification that once guarded the coastline. I check into one of the charming sea-facing cottages. My sit-out opens onto lush lawns and an endless horizon where the sky seems to meet the sea. Later, the attentive team arranges a private picnic in this very alcove, complete with a wicker basket, crisp linen, chilled wine, and scrumptious finger food. As I sit barefoot, palm trees swaying gently above, I feel that rare luxury of enjoying unstructured time.

There is a softness to mornings here. Guests can choose to breakfast at Taj Fort Aguada or stroll along the connecting beachfront stretch toward its sister property, Taj Holiday Village Resort & Spa. The walk itself is an experience: the Sinquerim-Candolim shoreline undulating in golden arcs, families searching for seashells, the Arabian Sea shimmering awake. To stroll here is to drift between two worlds, both distinctly Taj yet uniquely atmospheric.

Epicurean Evenings and Seafront Sips
Dining at Taj Fort Aguada is a mélange of flavours. Each restaurant carries its own mood and culinary narrative. At Paper Moon, the iconic Italian restaurant, for instance, handmade pastas and velvety tiramisus arrive with the kind of European finesse that feels transported rather than interpreted. My favourite evening was spent at SFX, the resort’s contemporary lounge with a view. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame the sea in burnished gold as the sun descends. Small plates circulated, cocktails glistened, a sip-and-paint event was in session. The instructing artist was incredibly talented and patient, and there’s something about this languid place that nudges creativity awake.

Wellness and Wonder
The magic of Taj Fort Aguada emerges in its playfulness. Daily-curated activities like pottery, wood carving, and bookmark-making invite guests to engage. I tried my hand at pottery one afternoon, clay cool beneath my palms, and found unexpected joy in giving shape to my very own trinket bowl. Luxury, here, is not only about polished marble and ocean views; it is about enjoying experiences and making memories.

Don’t miss Bayview Point, where you can catch the spectacular sunset. Gentle lawns encircle it, leading to an archery point. Something is mesmerizing about the view: lawns glow in amber light, the sea stretches vast and unwavering, the fort’s silhouette etched against the sky. Something draws you here, perhaps the knowledge that this coastline has witnessed centuries of traders, conquerors, royalty, and artists. Perhaps it is also the quiet assurance of Taj’s signature service, attentive yet never intrusive. Or perhaps it is simply the way the horizon seems endless, suggesting infinite possibilities.

Taj Fort Aguada is one of India’s most iconic coastal resorts. In these dreamy surroundings, the noise of city life feels distant. Instead, the rustle of palm fronds, the distant laughter of families on the beach, and the gentle clink of glasses somewhere nearby keep you company.

JW Marriott, Mumbai
Party by the sea at JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu with organic colours, live DJs, unlimited street chaat, biryanis, and festive desserts. This sun-soaked poolside celebration blends beach vibes, luxury comfort, and high-energy Holi fun.

JW Marriott

Parsi Dairy Farm, Mumbai
Try the Maharaja Lassi Challenge at Parsi Dairy Farm this Holi. If you finish the giant, topping-filled lassi in 60 seconds, you’ll win a festive gift hamper, get to wear a royal turban, and earn bragging rights at all Mumbai outlets.

Parsi Dairy Farm

HyLo, Mumbai
Celebrate Holi at HyLo with a 12-hour party featuring DJs, street-style comfort food, drinks, and lively energy from morning to night. It’s one of Mumbai’s top festive spots this season.

HyLo

Lake View Cafe, The Westin, Mumbai
Enjoy a scenic Holi lunch at Lake View Cafe inside The Westin Mumbai Powai Lake, featuring festive buffets with gujiya, saffron thandai, live chaat, butter chicken, and lake views for a joyful family celebration.

Lake View Cafe, The Westin

​Raasta, Mumbai
Join Mumbai’s first indoor Holi festival at Raasta, where Raga Holi brings a two-stage celebration. Enjoy energetic music, colourful fun, rooftop views, and an all-day party atmosphere from morning onwards.


​Lygon St., Mumbai
After a morning of colours and celebrations, visit Lygon St. for a relaxed Holi lunch. Enjoy fresh pasta, oven-baked pizzas, handmade ravioli, and classic desserts like tiramisu and affogato for a perfect festive break.

Lygon St.

​Yeti: The Himalayan Kitchen, Mumbai
Take a break from the Holi excitement at Yeti The Himalayan Kitchen. Enjoy steaming thukpa, juicy momos, hearty thalis, and slow-cooked curries at this cozy spot, perfect for recharging after a busy day of celebrations.

Yeti: The Himalayan Kitchen

August Cafe, Mumbai
Unwind after Holi with a laid-back meal at August. Choose from nourishing bowls, fresh bakes, hearty wraps, and comfort food. This neighbourhood favourite is great for a relaxed, post-festival catch-up.

August Cafe

Peshwa Pavilion, ITC Maratha, Mumbai
Enjoy a festive feast at Peshwa Pavilion at ITC Maratha, where Holi is celebrated with chaat counters, Punjabi favourites, sweet desserts, and cooling thandai, all in an elegant setting.

Peshwa Pavilion, ITC Maratha

Hornby’s Pavilion, ITC Grand Central
Celebrate Holi at Hornby’s Pavilion at ITC Grand Central, where Rang Barse offers festive dishes, nostalgic sweets, chilled lassi, and hearty mains for a joyful brunch and dinner.

Hornby's Pavilion, ITC Grand Central

Dough and Joe, Mumbai
Relax after Holi at Dough & Joe, where fresh pizzas with lots of toppings, yummy pastas, and handcrafted coffee create a cozy spot for slow catch-ups. It’s perfect for carb lovers looking for some calm after the celebrations.


MoMoCafé, Courtyard by Marriott, Mumbai
Enjoy a hearty Punjabi feast this Holi at Sweety Da Swad by Sweety Singh at Courtyard by Marriott Mumbai International Airport. Look forward to Dilli 6 aloo tikki, lasooni bekti, tandoori bharwan gucchi, makhanwalla kukkad, dal e shahi, truffle kulcha, and a nostalgic mango panjiri to finish.

Chef Sweety Singh, Courtyard by Marriott

Hotel Irada, Pune
Take it easy and celebrate Holi in style at Hotel Irada. Located on a peaceful winery estate, this getaway offers grape stomping, bottomless brunches, open-air cinema, flying lanterns, and racquet sports, all in a calm, luxurious setting. It’s ideal if you prefer mindful celebrations instead of loud parties.

Hotel Irada

Gather, Pune
Celebrate Holi with music, food, and good company at Utsav, featuring a special collaboration with Krishna Collective. Enjoy live fusion, folk, and Sufi music, great conversations, generous food, and an evening full of warmth and togetherness.


Yazu, Goa
Relax by the sea at Yazu Pan Asian Beach Club with fresh sushi, poke bowls, Asian pizzas, protein-rich mains, and refreshing cocktails. This stylish beachfront spot uses fresh ingredients and bold flavours for a perfect post-Holi meal.

Miri, The St.Regis Resort, Goa
Mark Holi with laid-back luxury at Miri at The St. Regis Goa Resort, where a festive brunch, live music, elegant décor, and a fun kids corner come together for a relaxed, feel-good spring celebration.

Miri, The St. Regis

Sesame
At Sesame, located inside Hyatt Centric Juhu, the celebrations are structured around two set menus — Peony and Deng — each built around themes of prosperity and renewal. The Peony menu is the more indulgent option, featuring dumpling soup, spring onion pancakes, Mongolian-style lamb, Peking duck with pancakes, sweet and sour fish, and lamb shank hot pot, finished with banana spring rolls and moon cakes.
The Deng menu offers a slightly lighter progression, with Chinese leek pepper soup, Mala chicken wings, Kung Pao chicken, Xiao Long Bao, braised eggplant and blue pea edamame fried rice. Both are designed for sharing, making it a practical pick for larger gatherings.

Venue: Juhu Tara Road, Juhu, Mumbai
Menu available till: 3 March

Yauatcha Mumbai
Yauatcha’s Year of the Fire Horse menu runs longer than most. Alongside its regular dim sum offerings, the seasonal additions include Steamed Shrimp and Carrot Dumplings, aubergine in Toban chilli sauce and beetroot fried rice, as well as mains like Steamed Chilean Sea Bass in black bean sauce and Twice-cooked Pork Belly.
Desserts lean citrus-forward, with the Lucky Horse combining mandarin, ginger and caramelised mousse. A separate cocktail list complements the menu, and the restaurant is also hosting themed workshops through the season.

Venue: Raheja Tower, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra East, Mumbai
Menu available till: 15 March 2026

Hakkasan Mumbai
Hakkasan’s limited-time festive menu reflects its polished, contemporary Cantonese style. Dishes such as Jackfruit and Cheese Golden Blossom, Mustard-Roasted Australian Lamb with Asparagus and a seafood-filled Golden Money Bag headline the spread.
The Golden Stallion dessert and a cocktail list featuring the Fire Horse Martini and Yunnan Old Fashioned round out the offering. It’s a focused, premium experience suited to a formal evening out rather than a casual gathering.

Venue: Krystal Building, Waterfield Road, Bandra West, Mumbai
Menu available till: 3 March

The Dimsum Room
In Kala Ghoda, The Dimsum Room is combining its first anniversary with Chinese New Year celebrations. The menu centres on dim sum — Silken Tofu Xiao Long Bao, Pork & Shrimp Siu Mai and Prawn Har Gow — alongside mains such as Braised Pork Belly (Lou Rou Fan), Cantonese Roast Duck, Dan Dan Noodles, and Mapo Tofu with jasmine rice. A John Dory preparation adds a seafood option.
Desserts range from Hong Kong–style compressed French toast to white chocolate matcha cheesecake, and each table receives a traditional red envelope as part of the festivities.

Venue: 3rd Floor, Building 30, K Dubash Marg, Kala Ghoda, Fort, Mumbai
Menu available till: 3 March 2026

​Akina
Akina’s Chinese New Year menu honours the spirit of the Horse with dishes that highlight movement and flavours from different regions, not just abundance. The menu begins with Cantonese pickles and fermented cabbage, followed by Imperial Chicken Xiao Long Bao, Shou Si Ji Pancakes, Xinjiang-style twice-cooked pork, and golden prawn toast.
For vegetarians, there are Mapo Tofu Tacos, Sichuan-style baby potatoes, and XO fried rice. Desserts are comforting without being too heavy. Simple red decorations, modern lanterns, and custom fortune cookies complement the meal.

Venue: Ground Floor, Raheja Ascent, Sudam Kalu Ahire Marg, Worli, Mumbai
Menu available till: 3 March 2026

So, what are your plans this weekend? Go and grab yourself some noodles for a long and healthy life, and a prosperous new year!

The idea itself wandered in from Persia, shaped by the slow-cooking philosophies of beriyan and the love for fragrant grains known as birinj. But once biryani crossed into the subcontinent, it did what India’s greatest dishes always do: it settled and adapted. The result is not one canonical recipe, but a family of preparations—some restrained, some fiery, some lavish, some spare—united only by the shared alchemy of rice and protein meeting heat and time.

The North: Subtlety, Steam and Royal Restraint
In the north, particularly in Lucknow, biryani learned refinement. The Awadhi style does not shout; it murmurs. Rice is parboiled separately, meat cooked gently with aromatics, and only then are the two layered and sealed in a heavy vessel for dum. Saffron, kewra (screw pine) and whole spices perfume rather than dominate. This is biryani shaped by etiquette and patience, once served under gilded chandeliers to Nawabs who prized balance above bravado. Even its vegetarian counterpart, the humble tehri, carries that same measured elegance.

Move east and the rice grows shorter, the mood softer still. Kolkata’s biryani is an adaptation born of exile and ingenuity, influenced by Awadhi cooks who arrived with a displaced court. Potatoes—filling and affordable—nestle alongside meat, while boiled eggs make the dish feel almost indulgently abundant. It is gentler, sweeter, unmistakably comforting, a biryani that wears nostalgia lightly but unmistakably.

Left to Right: Malabar biryani; Biryani, chutneys, raita, and kachumber

Try Them Here

• Awadhi Biryani: Kebabs & Kurries, ITC Grand Central, Mumbai; Kava, Fairfield by Marriott, Lucknow; Punjab Grill, Mumbai; Idris ki Biryani, Lucknow
• Hyderabadi Biryani: Kangan, The Westin, Hyderabad; Sarvi, Hyderabad; Hyderabadi Biryani House, New Delhi; Café Noorani, Mumbai
• Kolkata Biryani: Sonargaon, Taj Bengal, Kolkata; Kolkata Biryani House, New Delhi; Arsalan, Kolkata; Oh! Calcutta, Mumbai
• Dindigul Biryani: Spice Haat, Hyatt Regency, Chennai; Dindigul Venu Briyani, Coimbatore; Dindigul Thalappakatti Restaurant, Chennai; Amsavalli Bhavan, Madurai
• Bohri Biryani: Sam’s Bohri Zaika, Mumbai; Paramount Restaurant, Mumbai; Tazza, Mumbai
• Malabar Biryani: Gad, The Gateway Hotel Beach Road, Kozhikode; Bombay Restaurant, Kozhikode; Paragon, Kozhikode; Malabar Biriyani House, Ernakulam; Hotel Deluxe, Mumbai

The Deccan: Fire and Bold Confidence

Further south, the tone shifts dramatically. Hyderabad’s biryani is assertive, complex and unapologetically spicy. Here, raw meat and rice are layered together, marinated in chilies, yogurt and spice, then cooked as one entity in the kachchi method. The result is deeper flavour penetration, richer masala clinging to each grain, and a heat that builds slowly but insistently. Patronised by the Nizams and perfected in bustling kitchens and wedding feasts, this is perhaps India’s most globally recognised biryani—and its most hotly contested.

Travel down into Tamil Nadu and the rice itself changes character. In Dindigul, fragrant basmati gives way to seeraga samba, a shorter grain with a musky aroma that defines the dish. The biryani here is darker, spicier, closer in appearance to a meat pulao, yet unmistakably its own thing. Chicken is marinated directly with spices and rice before cooking, producing a robust, earthy preparation that speaks of roadside restaurants, loyal patrons and decades-old methods preserved with pride.

Left to Right: Hyderabadi biryani; Kolkata Biryani

The Coast and the Community: Migration on a Plate
On the western coast, biryani becomes a marker of community identity. The Bohri biryani of Mumbai reflects the Dawoodi Bohra palate—aromatic rather than incendiary, spiced with whole garam masalas and balanced by sharp accompaniments. Served traditionally with a fiery green chutney and a crisp kachumber, it is designed to be shared, echoing the communal meals the community is known for.

Further south in Kerala, the Malabar biryani takes on an almost lyrical softness. Influenced by centuries of Arab trade, it echoes dishes like mandi and kabsah, sometimes cooked over coconut husks that lend a gentle smokiness. Whether made with meat or seafood, in pakki or kachchi style, it arrives with coconut-based condiments, date pickles and papad—an ensemble rather than a solo performance.

Across these regions, biryani resists standardisation. It remains gloriously local and endlessly adaptable. And perhaps that is its greatest triumph: a dish that has travelled far and has now settled deep in India’s culinary milieu—one sealed pot at a time.

Did You Know?

• The potato in Kolkata biryani wasn’t a garnish—it was a necessity, introduced when meat was scarce, and stayed because everyone loved it.
• Biryani vs Pulao: The difference isn’t in ingredients, but intent: biryani is layered and finished on dum; pulao is cooked in one go.
• Rice Matters: From long-grain basmati in the north to short, aromatic seeraga samba in Tamil Nadu, the rice defines the biryani more than the meat.
• Pakki or Kachchi? Awadhi biryani is pakki— pre-cooked meat and rice layered together. Hyderabadi and Dindigul styles often go kachchi, cooked raw on dum.
• Why Saffron Is Used Beyond colour, saffron signals luxury. In royal kitchens, its aroma was a mark of status as much as flavour.
• A Community Dish Bohri biryani is traditionally eaten in groups from a shared platter, reinforcing the community’s strong dining culture.
• Arab Connections: Malabar biryani shares DNA with Middle Eastern mandi and kabsah—a legacy of centuries-old spice trade routes.
• One Pot, Many Opinions: Ask five Indians their favourite biryani, and you’ll get five passionate answers—and at least one heated argument.
• Eggs in Biryani? Boiled eggs are a signature of Kolkata biryani, rarely found elsewhere, and often prized as much as the meat itself.
• The Power of Dum Sealing the pot with dough isn’t a ritual—it traps steam, forcing flavours to mingle without burning.

Perhaps it started earlier, but I felt it most clearly in Mumbai, when conversations about food carts began sounding like conversations about destiny. Rongmit in Versova was one of those. A modest Nepalese streetside stall that people spoke of with affection rather than hype, it was run by actors Priya Lepcha and Rohit Kandal, who cooked to survive before they cooked to be seen. The image of them working side by side, frozen in print, feels emblematic of this moment: Himalayan food moving from street corners to brick-and-mortar spaces without losing its soul. When Rongmit announced it was opening a restaurant in Seven Bungalows, still in Versova, it felt less like an expansion and more like a homecoming.

From Memories to Menus
I think what draws me to this food is its refusal to perform. Himalayan cuisine is not about excess. It is as much about warmth as it is about preservation and patience. It comes from places where cooking is dictated by weather and by necessity. That honesty is perhaps why it feels so refreshing today.

In Gurugram, Thamel has recently opened at Sector 65 with a confidence that doesn’t need to be loud. Founded by Piyush Agrawal, it positions Himalayan food not as novelty but as either. There is care in how the flavours are presented, a sense that this is about bridging worlds rather than fusing them for effect. The restaurant leans into the generosity of mountain hospitality, using locally sourced ingredients and letting the palate remain intact, even when technique turns modern. It feels like a conversation between regions, not a compromise.

Thamel, Gurugram

Back in Mumbai, the revival of Yeti as Yeti 2.0 in Bandra feels deeply emotional. Yeti has always been a custodian rather than an interpreter of Himalayan food, and this new chapter leans further into that role. The menu travels from Nepal to Tibet, from the Northeast to Ladakh, offering dishes like ema datshi, Thakali thalis, and Newari choila with quiet assurance. Chef Anil Bangwal’s philosophy of slow cooking, fermentation and time-led flavour reminds you that this cuisine was never meant to rush. Even the drinks here are built around mountain botanicals and indigenous infusions. Yeti’s presence in Mumbai, alongside its outposts in New Delhi at Connaught Place and Pune at Kalyani Nagar, has arguably laid the foundation for this wider moment.

New Rooms, Old Warmth
What excites me most is how personal these spaces remain. At Mumbai’s Across in Kalaghoda—run by chef Viraf Patel and his wife Prakriti Lama, who is from Nepal—the food feels like a shared biography. The restaurant looks beyond borders, drawing from Eastern India, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet and the wider Himalayan belt. With cooking that is ingredient-forward and deeply regional. One that is less about mapping regions and more about distilling feelings. Certain dishes anchor the menu and invite return visits: shakam ezay, slow-cooked pork with fermented greens that is bold yet comforting; tingmo with cultured butter, precise and quietly indulgent; chicken liver pâté with Dalla chilli and Timur focaccia, refined and layered with gentle heat; and a khichdi with fish fry that disarms with its simplicity. Even the banana blossom pâté has found a following, while su- cha, the butter tea of Nepal and Bhutan, arrives as an expression of hospitality rather than novelty. Across is not interested in recreating dishes as they were, but in preserving their soul while allowing them to evolve—confidently, without spectacle, and far from the momo and thali tropes.

Left to right:Matricaria cocktail; Kichadi fish fry;Himalayan julep

Momos & Beyond
Steamed dumplings are just the beginning. Look for tingmo (steamed bread), Nepalese sel roti, shapta (meat stir-fries) and thenthuk (hand-pulled noodle soup).

A Quiet Ascent
It’s clear to me that what ties all these places together is respect. For ingredients. For climate. Himalayan cuisine does not shout for attention, and perhaps that is why it is finally being listened to.

As I sit with these meals—relishing them with manic gusto—I realise this isn’t just about food. It’s about visibility. About cuisines from the mountains being allowed credibility and continuity. From Rongmit’s journey from cart to restaurant, to Yeti’s decade-long storytelling, and Across’s stewardship of hitherto unknown flavours and textures, this feels like a long-overdue recognition.

Now, this is the most satisfying part for a chronicler of food like myself! This is not a trend built on spectacle. It is built on the notions of generosity and staying true to one’s food philosophy. On food that was always meant to nourish first, impress later.

The pandemic, along with a series of personal hurdles, meant I couldn’t continue leading these trips. Around the same time, I noticed something else gathering momentum across India: a growing number of women curating and leading women-only travel groups. It felt almost like a soft rebellion—a refusal to believe that adventure, freedom and fun belonged primarily to men. These journeys were being designed by women, for women, rooted in trust, shared curiosity and the pleasure of discovering the world with a chosen sisterhood. Even Bollywood echoed the trend, with reports of icons like Asha Parekh, Waheeda Rehman and Helen heading out on regular girls’ trips, gently reminding us that joy, camaraderie and wanderlust are ageless.

Travel, Without an Age Limit
For Divyakshi Gupta, the seed for women-only travel was planted during the lockdown. She spent months living with a local family in a Himachali village, absorbing the rhythms of mountain life. When she returned, friends urged her to recreate that experience for them. Their enthusiasm soon grew into something larger. “These were women who wanted to immerse themselves in a destination, not just skim the surface like tourists,” she explains. “That’s how I travel, and I’m deeply passionate about showing places as I see them—sharing what I taste, feel and experience.”

The success of her Himachal journeys encouraged Divyakshi to look closer to home, drawing on her Punjabi roots to lead all-women trips to Amritsar that move well beyond postcard imagery. Often, these are less ‘girls’ trips’ and more ‘women’s journeys’, with spirited senior travellers rediscovering themselves along the way. “There’s no age bar,” she says, smiling. “If you’re fit to travel, you’re fit to have fun. I’ve had 78-year-olds on my trips, and they’ve loved every minute.”

Rashmi Chadha, founder of WoVoyage, arrived at women-only travel after years of travelling independently and leading mixed tour groups. Over time, a pattern emerged. “Women travel differently when they feel safe, seen and unjudged,” she says. “So many told me, ‘I want to travel, but I don’t have the right company,’ or ‘I don’t feel confident going alone.’ Women-only travel wasn’t a business idea at first—it was a response to a real gap.” Today, over ten lakh women have travelled with WoVoyage, each journey built on reassurance and belonging.

From Anxiety to Belonging
For many women, joining a group of strangers can be both thrilling and intimidating. Meena Bhatia of Let’s Go Women Travelers, who has been building her community since 2016, sees this emotional duality often. “Most women arrive with excitement mixed with nerves,” she says. “Some are travelling solo for the first time, others worry about fitting in or about safety. The questions are natural, but so is the quiet thrill of finally doing something just for themselves.”

Zinal Doshi, founder of The Flapper Life, has witnessed this transformation repeatedly over the past decade. “There’s a clear emotional arc,” she reflects. “Before the trip, anxiety is almost always present. Once the journey begins, there’s a softening.

When women realise they’re surrounded by others who feel the same way, something shifts. They find their tribe.” Conversations flow, laughter comes easily, and inhibitions dissolve without being pushed. “By the end, the change is undeniable. I often hear, ‘I didn’t know I could do this.’ With each day, confidence and self-trust grow. They return more grounded, more courageous, and visibly surer of themselves.”

For the women who lead these journeys, that transformation is deeply affirming. These trips are about far more than ticking destinations off a list. Each itinerary is crafted with care, designed to offer immersive, cultural experiences rather than hurried, checklist-style travel. That said, the challenges are real. Convincing strangers to place their trust in you is never easy. “Managing different preferences, interests and travel styles is the hardest part,” admits Meena. “There’s logistics, coordination, and the possibility of disagreements. You’re constantly balancing personalities alongside practicalities.”

Zinal adds that trust underpins everything. “It’s not just about the destination or itinerary. It’s about emotional reassurance and unspoken fears. Women want to know they’ll be safe, heard and cared for. That trust has to be rebuilt every single time, with every trip.”

Experiences Over Checklists
What unites these founders is a shared belief that experiences matter more than landmarks. Women today travel not just to see, but to feel—to walk, hike, cook, learn and live a destination. “Those moments stay with them far longer,” says Zinal. She recalls a Ladakh trip where the group learned a traditional wellness practice from a local woman. “It was rooted in her everyday life—health and self-care as she understood it. That stayed with the group because it felt real, not staged for tourists.”

Meena echoes the sentiment. “We align our trips with festivals and special moments—Bhutan during the Thimphu festival, Kolkata during Durga Puja, Kashmir during the tulip season— combining local culture, food and celebration.”

For Divyakshi, food often becomes the emotional anchor. “My culinary Himachal trips are always a hit,” she laughs. “Local dham meals, apple picking, jam-making with villagers, foraging, momo sessions—every trip I design has a strong food narrative.”

Whether travelling solo or alongside friends, these women-led journeys have created rare spaces where women can explore freely—without judgement, fear or apology. And perhaps that’s the quiet power of it all. After all, who understands what women truly seek from travel better than women themselves?

Today, fasting is often reduced to metrics, productivity hacks or trend- driven health claims. Yet its deeper value lies elsewhere: in awareness, restraint practised with kindness, and gratitude for nourishment itself. When approached gently and with intention, fasting becomes less about discipline and more about listening—sometimes even evolving into a quiet family ritual that teaches balance rather than denial.

Beyond Food, Beyond Willpower
At its core, fasting is not measured by how long one can go without eating, but by why the pause is chosen in the first place.

When food is briefly set aside, digestion rests. When routine shifts, attention sharpens. Many people notice clearer thinking, a calmer relationship with hunger, and a renewed appreciation for meals once the fast ends. Emotionally, fasting often cultivates patience and empathy; spiritually, it creates space for reflection. Practised this way, fasting supports digestive and metabolic rest, steadier emotions, and a more mindful approach to nourishment —without ever tipping into strain.

Gentle Fasting, the Right Way

• Prepare the body the day before.
• Hydrate early and consistently.
• Rest as deliberately as you fast.
• Break the fast slowly and mindfully.

Preparing the body, practising gentleness
A smooth fast begins well before the first skipped meal. Thoughtful preparation is what allows fasting to feel supportive rather than draining.

Meals eaten the day before should ground the body—whole grains or millets for sustained energy, lentils, eggs, paneer or tofu for protein, vegetables for fiber, and healthy fats such as ghee, nuts or olive oil to stabilise hunger. Hydration plays a quiet but crucial role; plain water, coconut water and mild herbal infusions help the body transition with ease. Gradually reducing caffeine minimises headaches and irritability, while good sleep supports hormonal balance and emotional steadiness. A rested body, quite simply, fasts better.

During the fast itself, the aim is not endurance but awareness. Gentle movement—walking, stretching, breathwork or prayer—supports circulation without stress. The body’s signals deserve attention: fatigue, dizziness or weakness are messages, not challenges. Adjusting or even ending a fast when needed is an act of wisdom, never failure.

When to Pause the Pause
Fasting should be avoided or medically guided during pregnancy and breastfeeding, in cases of diabetes, eating disorders or chronic illness, and in early childhood. Professional guidance is always advisable.

Did You Know?

• Digestive enzymes slow down during fasting, allowing the gut to rest and repair.
• Mild hunger can heighten sensory awareness and appreciation for food.
• Hydration has a greater impact on fasting comfort than duration.

Returning to Food, and Involving the Family
Breaking a fast deserves as much care as observing it. Beginning softly allows digestion to awaken naturally—warm water, fruit, or a light soup works beautifully. A brief pause before the first full meal helps the body adjust, while a calm, balanced plate of easily digestible carbohydrates, moderate protein, cooked vegetables and minimal spice prevents overwhelm. Eating slowly, with attention, supports both comfort and absorption.

When children express curiosity about fasting, it is important to remember that growing bodies do not require restriction. Their interest can be met gently—by encouraging simple meals, avoiding junk food for the day, or introducing fruit-based or time-bound practices for older children, always with hydration and close observation. Explaining the meaning of fasting— gratitude, empathy and self-control— matters far more than enforcing rules.

When fasting becomes a shared family rhythm rather than a personal test, it leaves a lasting impression. Planning meals together, maintaining routines, opening the fast calmly and pairing the period with small acts of kindness or charity transform fasting into a lesson in balance—one observed as much as it is practised.

A Thought to Leave You With
Fasting is not about control— it is about care. Care for the body, the rhythm of hunger, and the meaning ofnourishment. When practised with preparation, gentleness and intention, fasting becomes less about what is given up and more about what is gained: clarity, gratitude, and a quieter connection to ourselves—and to the children watching us learn.

During Ramazan, Hyderabad is busy from iftar till sehri, from 7 p.m. to 4.30 a.m., coming alive with crowded food stalls, chatter, and clattering pots under the iconic Charminar and beyond. It’s not just Muslims—Hyderabadis of all backgrounds venture out at midnight, blurring religious divides as they break bread together under starry skies.

Yet, unlike iftar, which celebrates abundance, sehri has always been about endurance.

Food for Endurance
Across Muslim households, the logic of sehri food was simple: it had to sit gently in the stomach, digest slowly, hydrate the body, and sustain energy through a long day of fasting. This philosophy shaped what appeared on the table.

One of the most beloved traditional sehri spreads in Hyderabadi homes is the trio of khichdi, khatta, and kheema. Khichdi in this context is a buttery rice-and-lentil preparation, often on the drier side, that serves as a comforting, energy-rich base. To a North Indian palate, a dry khichdi for breakfast might seem odd, but in Hyderabad, it is a morning staple with deep roots. The 14th-century traveller Ibn Battuta observed locals eating rice boiled with lentils and butter called kishri for breakfast—an early reference to khichdi’s long history in the region.

Hyderabadi khichdi is distinguished by its sour accompaniment, khatta. This is a tangy sauce or chutney made using tamarind, sesame seeds, peanuts, and other regional ingredients, rather than a curd-based kadhi. It reflects the city’s fondness for sharp, acidic flavours. Til ka khatta, a popular version, blends sesame and peanuts with tamarind to give mild khichdi a spicy edge. The third element, kheema— spiced minced meat, usually mutton or beef cooked with onions and gentle spices— rounds off the trio with protein and satiety, making it a balanced meal.

Sweet Endings in Hyderabad

• Double ka Meetha: Bread slow-cooked in milk, sugar, and ghee, finished with nuts. A Ramazan classic that turns leftovers into indulgence.
• Qubani ka Meetha: Stewed dried apricots with a tart-sweet depth, traditionally paired with custard or thick cream.
• Badam ki Jali: Delicate almond fudge set and cut into diamond shapes— soft, rich, and unmistakably royal.
• Sheer Qorma: Vermicelli simmered in milk with dates, nuts, and rose— served warm or chilled at the close of Ramazan meals.
• Ande ka Pitha: A rare old-city dessert made with eggs, milk, and sugar, steamed gently into a custard- like cake.

Crowd at Charminar when Hyderabad stirs; Khichadi

From Home to Street
Traditionally, families woke before dawn to prepare sehri at home. Many Hyderabadis still consider khichdi-khatta- kheema the ultimate comfort sehri—filling yet gentle on the stomach. Until fairly recently, these dishes were rarely found in restaurants at night; they were considered home food.

With changing Ramazan rhythms, eateries have begun serving khichdi-khatta- kheema during sehri hours, giving people a chance to taste what once belonged only to family kitchens. As one food historian notes, earlier sehri was largely about khichdi, khatta, and kheema—unpretentious and restrained. Today, this trio remains the soul of Hyderabadi sehri, connecting people to inherited tastes even amid the city’s midnight bustle.

Muslim societies—from harees in the Arabian Peninsula to milk-and-bread breakfasts in parts of Turkey, from roti-shakkar in Sindh to plain rice porridges in Central Asia. Hyderabad’s sehri belongs to this larger Islamic food ecology: soft textures, warm temperatures, fats for satiety, protein for strength, and minimal spice.

Did You Know?
Khichdi-khatta-kheema is one of the few Indian meals traditionally eaten both for breakfast and dinner, depending on the season and occasion.

Kheema and Charminar

Inheritance and Evolution
What has changed over the last two decades is where sehri is eaten. The old city stays awake. Eateries and cafés remain open. With this shift, many dishes not traditionally meant for sehri have become part of Hyderabad’s pre-dawn eating culture.

Among them are paya, a slow-cooked trotters’ broth rich with gelatin and spice; bheja, soft and buttery; gurda, sautéed and peppered; and simple tala hua gosht—pan- fried meat cooked with minimal masala. These foods share a common logic: high protein, high fat, and deep satiety.

Another dish finding its way into sehri menus is dalcha with zeera rice, a lentil-and- meat stew paired with cumin rice. Lentils offer slow-release energy; rice brings familiarity. It makes nutritional sense, even if it did not historically belong to sehri.

This distinction matters. There is a difference between traditional household sehri and urban sehri culture. The first is shaped by repetition, and restraint; the second by mobility, choice, and appetite. Both now coexist.

A young Hyderabadi may eat khichdi-khatta at home one morning and drive to the old city for bheja and paya the next. Neither is inauthentic. One represents inheritance; the other, evolution.

Hyderabad has always absorbed and adapted. Many food influences coexist on the same dastarkhwan. Sehri, more than iftar, reveals this layering clearly. Without the distraction of festive excess, the logic of sustenance becomes visible.

If iftar today is about grand feasts, sehri remains quieter, calmer, and underrepresented—but deeply functional. It is a steady act of nourishment for those who observe the fast through the long month of Ramazan.

Sehri Logic
Classic sehri foods across the Islamic world follow the same principles: slow digestion, gentle spice, fat for satiety, and warmth for comfort.

Where Ramzan Begins: Home
Taqi Abbas, a cultural storyteller, explains that Ramzan in Lucknow has always begun at home. “Earlier, select members of the community would walk through neighbourhoods before dawn, beating drums to wake people for sehri,” he says. “Now, we have loudspeakers.”

Sehri foods are seasonal— methi khichdi, sitara and doodh laccha made with sevaiya. Lucknow’s breakfast table also carries traces of British influence, with boiled eggs, sunny-side-up omelettes, jam-butter toast, and occasionally biryani. Life once followed an early-to- bed rhythm, with Eid night being the city’s brightest exception. “Now people stay up all night,” Abbas smiles. “Culture evolves.”

When it is time for iftar, generosity travels easily. “Even if you haven’t cooked, something will reach you,” Abbas jokes. The table begins with papads, fryums, dates, chane ki dal and cooling drinks such as khus sharbat and Rooh Afza. In winter, dum ki chai or Kashmiri kahwa makes an appearance.

Iftar unfolds in two parts. The fast is first broken with fruits, nuts and sharbat, followed by prayer. Only then does the second round begin—a celebratory spread that leans into indulgence.

Where Lucknow Eats
The city has a long list of spots that offer Ramadan delicacies. At the various bazaars, Mughlai options trend: Aminabad (Alamgir Hotel, Tunday Kebabs), Akbarigate (for Idrees ki Biryani, Mubeen’s for nihari kulche and Mughlai, Raheem’s for kulche nahari), Hussainabad (nawabi chaska and handi nihari). A local tip is to try Ache Bhai at Raja Bazar for girde kulcha and nahari.

Left to Right: Mubeen’s kulche-nihari (by Ayan Ahmad); bun-butter-samosa at Sharma Ji (by Anubhuti)

Vegetarian Tables, Shared Joy
Delhi-based journalist and cultural consultant Anubhuti Krishna, who traces her roots to Lucknow, began hosting Lucknow With Anubhuti—two-day cultural immersions—after years of returning to the city. “I grew up vegetarian and was always well fed at Eid,” she recalls. “From chole bhature and sabzi puri to pulaos and mithai.”

In Muslim homes, she explains, sehri is often light on meat, while iftar includes generous vegetarian dishes—kheer samosa, sevai, aloo samosa. A distinctly Lucknowi speciality is a dry chana dal cooked in mustard oil, replaced by dry peas in winter.

Many Kitchens, One Table
Chef and food writer Taiyaba Ali, who grew up in a joint family in Lucknow, recalls Ramzan as a season of abundance shaped by community living. “We had three kitchens—my nani, mami and mother cooked separately—but everyone ate together. Something came from each kitchen.”

Sehri was a childhood excitement. Though the children didn’t fast, they waited for khageena—an anda paratha made with onions, ginger and green chillies, sautéed in ghee and finished with scrambled eggs. Another favourite was lacche or soot pheni, dipped in hot milk and eaten like cereal.

Nihari was strictly a breakfast dish, paired with kulche. “One of the men would bring it home in a large steel container,” she laughs. “But if you were fasting, you couldn’t eat too much—it made you thirsty all day.”

At iftar, dates and fruit were essential. Pakoras varied by household—egg in affluent homes, onion or plain elsewhere. In summer, fruit salads included rasbhari, or cape gooseberry.

Left to Right:Tunday Kababi (byAnubhuti); Raheem's Nihari-Kulcha (byAnubhuti)

The galouti kebab was made for a toothless nawab, Asaf-ud-Daula. Since they melted in the mouth, he could savour his love for kebabs.

Tunday Kebab in Aminabad gets its name from the owner, who had just one working arm (which is tunday in Hindi!).

Grace Over Grandeur
Chef Mukhtar Qureshi, who studied home cooking traditions while building Waarsa at the NCPA in Mumbai, describes Lucknow’s Ramzan as rooted in balance. “This is the food of the people,” he says. “Iftar here values grace over excess, sharing before self, and calm over spectacle.”

Flavours remain subtle, preparations slow. Nihari, haleem, kulche and kebabs dominate, while neighbourhoods such as Aminabad, Nakhas Chowk and the lanes around Bara Imambara transform into vibrant iftar hubs. Haleem and shawarma—newer arrivals—sit alongside Awadhi classics, embraced without erasing tradition.

Full disclosure, I don’t know Chef Nooresha personally. We have a visual familiarity that’s accorded to a patron who religiously frequents and spends copious sums at a restaurant enough times to have put a down payment on a flat in Mumbai instead. Still, that genuine smile of acknowledgement, mutual appreciation, can sometimes be far more valuable than even a legally binding contract.

The frequency of my visits to Izumi, the quintessential authentic Japanese diner, perhaps the only one in India, began in a very personal circumstance. I had just lost my mother and found myself required to renew bonds with my father, whom I have since cared for. At the time, he had begun to lose his eyesight to prolonged diabetes. So we had to put the precious time to good use to build memories for the rest of his lifetime.

Left to Right:salmonkombujime;scallop withpassionfruit; ChefKablywielding her magic!

Routinely every Sunday, we found our way to a tiny, cramped 12-seater garage conversion that was Izumi at the time. It took no reservations and opened its doors at 6 pm. We would eagerly line up at 5.30 pm to make sure we snagged a perch at the sushi counter. From behind the glass window, Chef Nooresha would watch us patiently dig our heels before the doors opened and throw us a knowing smile.

After all, customer recognition and acknowledgement are sometimes even more important than the meal itself. And then once inside, with mature grace, she would indulgently pay us some more attention.

It wasn’t that we were looking to feel special. But it was important to spend our special time where the meal was memorable. And Izumi, in its fledgling avatar, exceeded every promise.

Which is why when she organically expanded to the current outpost off Linking Road, the queues only grew. This, despite the fact that one could even reserve a table now! Having been a happy repeat patron, a constant alibi to Izumi’s strong roots in the Mumbai restaurant community, I attribute this popularity to Chef Nooresha’s watchful temperament.

Izumi Sushi Bar

In all my visits, I couldn’t help but admiringly note how she commandeers her open kitchen with nonverbal cues, always scanning the dining hall to ensure service is swift, courteous and perfunctory. There is no time to loiter over a meal at Izumi. The prescription is clear – tables need to turn around, without disrupting their previous tenants.

The fare on offer is consistently comparable to top-class Japanese cuisine, in spite of the limited produce and resources available in India to a Japanese restaurant. Definitely perfectly proportioned nigiris, glistening slices of sashimi, a constantly fired-up robata grill that delivers skewers of delightfully dressed proteins, ramen bowls, donburi... the menu heaves with wholesomeness.

Once you’re in, you cannot miss the torched salmon or the plump scallops. My all-time favourite is the chicken wings drenched in miso butter.

And then there’s genius. The smoked crispy pork belly – black and blue balanced, dressed in a yuzu flavoured kewpie, cannot be skipped. Nor can you forfeit the hamachi truffle ponzu with wasabi jelly – the artistry lies in the balance between sweet fish, a citric dressing, and the jelly bursts at the right time to add a hint of heat. I could go on.

But as near perfection as the meals at Izumi consistently are, for me, the real victory lies in its creator, its founder, its chef.

Nooresha Kably is more than a culinary professional. She is a steady nurturer of her ambition, her team, and her culture. She gives just enough of herself to this wonderful restaurant called Izumi, and then allows many like me to become informal stakeholders that bind us to it as if it were our home.

Left to Right:ohitashi tomatoand crispy tofu salad;vegetable sukiyaki

Beyond being a chef and restaurateur, she is an unassuming role model whom I hope more like me have an opportunity to observe, and even perhaps work with.

I think what makes her special is that she doesn’t realise this herself. In an industry which needs more balanced gender representation, Nooresha achieving her ambitions through a patient, self-motivated, tenacious journey, is the stuff that can inspire many to dare to follow.

Ikigai, in Japanese, means “a reason for being’. For the memories, more than the meals, but never one without the other, Chef Nooresha has found hers and given one to many of us who flock to Izumi.

As for my father, eight years later, he can’t see anymore, and doesn’t leave our home much. But his face lights up when, on a Sunday evening, I order takeaway from Izumi. Mission accomplished.

And for that, I tip my hat, with gratitude, to Chef Nooresha and say Yes, Chef!

Today, many menus focus on fusion and eye-catching presentations, but Chopra’s approach is different. He values integrity, clarity, and genuine emotion in his cooking.

Preserving What Still Works
Chef Ajay believes in keeping traditional techniques alive, not because they are old, but because they still matter. As he says, “I’m not trying to protect techniques because they’re old. I’m protecting them because they still work.”

He has seen Indian food change over time to fit global trends, but this often takes away its true character. “In 2026, originality matters more than novelty,” he says. “Imperfection is proof that a technique is alive.”

He sees imperfections as signs of history and human effort. He thinks that making food too perfect can take away its personality. “Too much modernisation flattens food. Fusion, most of the time, is just confusion,” he says, noting that following trends can weaken a dish’s identity.

Food and drinks at Paashh

Redefining Luxury Through Restraint
Having experience in fine dining with fancy plating and complicated menus, he has chosen to leave that behind. “I’ve done elaborate plates, fine dining theatrics, and complexity for the sake of it,” he says.

Over time, his view of luxury has changed. Now, he believes true luxury comes from simplicity and purpose. “Real luxury is knowing when to stop,” he explains. “Luxury today is clarity of thought. One strong idea, executed honestly, without distraction.”

He thinks real sophistication is about making food that fits together well, not making it complicated. “Food doesn’t need to impress. It needs to make sense,” he says, stressing that people want food with meaning, not just a show.

Letting Indian Food Speak for Itself
Chef Ajay is sure that Indian food does not need to be changed to fit Western ideas. “Indian food doesn’t need Western translation anymore. It never did,” he says.

He knows that being precise in cooking matters, but warns that chasing perfection should not take away the feeling behind the food. “Precision is important, but it should never sanitise emotion,” he explains.

Traditional flavours are often strong, complex, and personal. “Some flavours are meant to be bold, rough, and deeply personal,” Chopra says. “If a dish becomes too polished to feel human, it’s already lost something.”

To him, being authentic is not about copying recipes perfectly, but about keeping the feelings and memories they hold.

Food at Paashh

Choosing Substance Over Social Media
These days, how food looks often matters more than how it nourishes. Chef Ajay is worried about this change. “I see a lot of food being designed for the lens first and the body second,” he says. “That’s not cooking, that’s content creation.”

He does not ignore how food looks, but he will not let it take over his kitchen. “Aesthetic appeal is fine, but it can’t be the core,” he says.

He believes that when looks start to decide how food is made, important values are lost. “The moment visual drama starts dictating decisions, flavour and nutrition quietly step aside,” he says, adding that this is “not a trade off I’m willing to make.”

For him, food should nourish people’s bodies and souls before it is made to look good for photos.

Purpose Led Cooking and the Power of Integrity
As more restaurants focus on sustainability and ethics, Chef Ajay thinks their purpose should go deeper than just marketing. For him, it all starts with one thing. “For me, the non-negotiable is integrity,” he says. This integrity shows in how ingredients are chosen, how food is made, and the attitude in the kitchen. “Integrity in sourcing, in technique, and in intent,” he says, is what makes a kitchen responsible.

Trends will always change, but he believes honesty in cooking never goes out of style. “Trends will keep changing, especially in 2026 and beyond,” he says, “but food cooked with honesty will always outlive food cooked to impress.”

Food at SoBombae

A Quiet Revolution in Indian Cuisine
Chef Ajay Chopra’s story reflects bigger changes in Indian food. The industry is shifting from copying others and focusing on looks to embracing confidence, clarity, and depth.

His beliefs are simple but strong: keep what works, use restraint, respect emotion, and act with integrity. While many chase attention, he is creating something that will last.

His food is not made to win praise, but to earn trust.

This Sri Lankan–Malaysian collaboration in Mumbai feels like more than just a guest chef showcase. It plays out as a thoughtful culinary dialogue between Sri Lanka and Malaysia — between memory and technique, comfort and heat — making it one of Bandra’s most exciting food pop-ups this season.

Bold Plates, Island Heat, and Comforting Depth
I began with the Kadala Hummus, made with black channa and topped with shallot pepper masala, served alongside crispy dosa shards. Earthy, smoky, and packed with spice, it set the tone for what was to follow. The Avocado Pachadi offered contrast — cooling yet layered — balancing creaminess with gentle heat in a way that felt both comforting and contemporary.

The Devilled preparations, one of Lisa’s signatures, delivered that unmistakable Sri Lankan street-style punch — spicy, tangy and slightly sweet, with caramelised edges that make each bite intensely satisfying. It’s the kind of dish that defines bold island flavours.

Among the standouts was the Ceylon Black Pepper Fry, deeply aromatic with a sharp heat that builds gradually rather than overwhelms. The vibrant Superrr! Shrimp Fry, tossed with coconut sambol, raw mango and lemongrass, brought bright coastal notes to the table — fresh, fiery and beautifully balanced.

The indulgent Karuppu Mutton Hopper showcased slow-cooked depth and robust spice work, reflecting the intensity Sri Lankan cuisine is known for.

The Yellow Grain Mustard Curry, simmered with coconut milk and rampe, anchored the experience with warmth and complexity. Gently spiced yet layered, it was comforting in a way that lingers long after the last bite.

Dessert came in the form of Spiced Palm Brûlée, where caramelised sweetness met subtle spice — a refined finish that stayed true to the island-inspired theme.

More Than a Meal: Why the Experience Feels Personal
Lisa, known for championing authentic Sri Lankan flavours in India, previously built a loyal following with The Jaffna Jump in Goa, a pop-up celebrated for bringing regional Jaffna cuisine into the spotlight long before it became widely recognised in the Indian dining scene. Her cooking continues to centre on memory, migration and fearless spice — and that narrative carries strongly through this Bandra pop-up.

This collaboration with The Penang Table in Bandra feels meaningful rather than trendy. It highlights honest flavours, cultural depth, and cross-border culinary storytelling — making it a must-visit food pop-up in Mumbai for lovers of bold Sri Lankan and Malaysian cuisine.

If you’re looking for one of the most exciting limited-edition dining experiences in Bandra right now, this is one to add to your list.

Tucked within this heritage address is Hearth — a restaurant that doesn’t shout for attention, but gently draws you in. It isn’t built on trends or theatrics. It’s built on memory, fire, and instinct.

A Fire-Led Restaurant in Mumbai That Feels Personal
Co-founded by Chefs Dhriti and Sabby, Hearth is anchored in flame — not as spectacle, but as language. Fire caramelizes, chars, deepens, and sometimes even leaves things imperfect. And that imperfection is intentional. It gives the food character.

At Hearth, cooking doesn’t begin with a rigid concept. It begins with a feeling. Sometimes it leans towards Bombay. Sometimes it draws from a memory. Sometimes it’s simply what the chefs were craving that week. But every dish that leaves the pass is shaped by technique and restraint.

Their culinary journeys read like a map of some of the world’s most respected kitchens — from Burnt Ends in Singapore to Masque and Ekaa in Mumbai, and even Relae in Copenhagen. Yet the menu here doesn’t imitate. It reflects. Rooted in Indian sensibilities, shaped by global exposure, and unified by fire.

For a Sunday brunch in Mumbai, it feels refreshingly grounded — no over-styled plates, no unnecessary drama. Just significant moments of flavour and a lot of quiet joy.

Something is always cooking at Hearth

A Chef-Interactive Brunch Experience
What makes Hearth stand apart in Mumbai’s restaurant scene is its chef-interactive experience. The kitchen doesn’t feel like a closed-off world. The chefs move from flame to table, presenting dishes themselves, sometimes adjusting, sometimes explaining, always engaging.

During our brunch, this openness made the experience feel intimate. It wasn’t scripted. It wasn’t performative. It felt like being invited into someone’s home kitchen — and that kitchen happened to be run by chefs who’ve worked across global fine-dining spaces.

The hospitality here is instinctive. No rehearsed lines. No forced upselling. Just thoughtful attention that reads the table.

And for a sister-date Sunday, that matters. We weren’t rushed. We weren’t hovered over. We were simply welcomed.

The Team Behind It
Behind the scenes, the restaurant is co-founded alongside Gayatri and Ankit Chona, and Amishi Parekh and Chaitanya Rele — a team blending food entrepreneurship, nutrition, design, and business with a shared focus on craft and culture. The result is a restaurant that feels considered without feeling calculated.

Hearth Interior

The Space: Where Art Deco Meets Open Flame
Designed by Architect Faizan Khatri, the interiors echo the restaurant’s core philosophy. Wood — in multiple typologies — appears not just in the kitchen but in installations and lighting. The warmth is tangible.

The Art Deco heritage of the Eros building is preserved with minimal intervention. Soft lighting at the bar, intuitive furniture placement, and a visible relationship to the open flame create a space that feels connected — to the food, to the past, and to the present moment.

It’s warm without being rustic. Elegant without being intimidating. Perfect for a long Sunday brunch conversation that drifts from childhood memories to future plans.

Pork Sausage &Pepperoni Skewers and Pesto Puttanesca

What We Ordered

Stracciatella Salad
We began with the Stracciatella Salad, a dish that immediately set the tone for the meal — restrained, ingredient-forward, and quietly confident. The stracciatella was creamy and fresh, its delicate texture offset by seasonal produce. It was the kind of salad that doesn’t feel like a “starter” — it feels intentional. Clean, balanced, and the perfect opening to a leisurely Sunday brunch in South Mumbai.

Pork Sausage & Pepperoni Skewers (House-Made Meats)
One of the standout elements at Hearth is that all the meats are made in-house, and it shows. The Pork Sausage & Pepperoni Skewers arrived with a beautiful char — caramelized edges, smoky aroma, and that satisfying snap that only properly cured and crafted meat can deliver.
There was depth here. Spice, smoke, salt, and a gentle sweetness that came from the flame. Nothing tasted mass-produced or rushed. The in-house pepperoni had personality — a reminder that when chefs control their ingredients from scratch, the results feel layered and precise.
For meat lovers looking for one of the best pork dishes in Mumbai, this is a must-order.

Half-and-Half Pizza: Hot Chorizo & Pepperoni and Pesto Puttanesca
Because Sunday brunch with a sister demands compromise, we went half-and-half — Hot Chorizo & Pepperoni Pizza and Pesto Puttanesca Pizza on one base.
The pepperoni side carried that same house-made integrity as the skewers. The slices blistered slightly at the edges, releasing oils that mingled with the tomato base and melted cheese. Each bite was smoky, savoury, and deeply satisfying — a classic done with craft. The pesto side offered contrast — herbaceous, nutty, and vibrant. The basil-forward freshness cut through the richness of the cheese, while the crust — kissed by flame — remained light yet structured.
What stood out most was the dough. Cooked with precision, it had just enough char underneath to remind you that this is a fire-led kitchen in Mumbai, not a conveyor-belt pizzeria. Together, the two halves mirrored the spirit of the restaurant — comfort rooted in technique.

Guava Picante
To drink, we chose the Guava Picante, a cocktail that felt especially right for a warm Mumbai afternoon. Bright guava sweetness met citrus sharpness and a gentle chilli kick. It was refreshing without being overly sweet, layered without being complicated. The spice lingered just enough to keep you going back for another sip — a playful nod to Bombay’s love for sweet-heat flavour combinations.
If you’re looking for unique cocktails in Churchgate, this one deserves attention.

Mocha Bread Pudding – The Smoky Dessert
We ended brunch with the Mocha Bread Pudding, described as a smoky dessert — and it delivered on that promise beautifully. It felt nostalgic and contemporary at once. The kind of dessert you don’t rush through. The kind you share bites of, even if you initially pretend you won’t.

Cocktail and Mocha Bread Pudding at Hearth

Final Thoughts
Hearth is for those who live to eat — not to document, not to tick boxes, but to truly experience.

It’s where hospitality feels instinctual, where chefs cook with their hands and serve with intention. Where fire is not just a technique, but a philosophy. And where a simple Sunday brunch with your sister turns into a slow, unhurried celebration of memory, flavour, and togetherness.

In a city constantly chasing the next big thing, Hearth offers something quieter — and perhaps far more lasting.

Much of August’s charm comes from Ruhi and Daksh Gupta. Ruhi brings warmth—she knows the regulars, remembers their favorites, and makes everyone feel at home. Daksh focuses on the vision and keeps things running smoothly, ensuring the food and experience remain consistent. Together, they’ve built a café that’s welcoming, familiar, and comfortable—just what a neighborhood spot should be.

Comfort Food, Crowd Favourites, and Standout Plates
The food impressed me all evening. The ragi-based pizza dough stood out—it was healthy, light, and still felt like a treat. Both the vegetarian and non-vegetarian pizzas were full of flavor and popular with everyone. The wraps were fresh, well-seasoned, and the kind of comfort food you’d want on a busy day.

The pass-arounds kept the energy going: the mushroom and tomato basil soups were warm and well. The pass-arounds kept things lively. The mushroom and tomato basil soups were warm and balanced. The avocado chili oil tartine had just enough richness and spice. The Mediterranean pita pockets were filling, and the herb-butter gnocchi was cheesy, soft, and comforting. spot without overwhelming you. The African Peanut Chicken Bowl was another highlight, packed with quinoa, roasted vegetables, and a rich peanut sauce that tied everything together beautifully.

Coolers, Coffee, and a Sweet Ending
The Coconut Bliss cooler was refreshing and light, perfect for the lively relaunch. The cappuccino was as good as ever, with the classic August taste. The tiramisu at the end was soft, airy, and just indulgent enough.

A Café Designed to Feel Like Home
What really sets August Café apart is the atmosphere they’ve created. Ruhi and Daksh want it to be a place people visit often, somewhere that fits easily into daily life. It’s the kind of café you can stop by after a workout, between meetings, or for a comforting meal after a long day. The relaunch showed that August is still the neighborhood’s “third space,” built on community, warmth, and good food.

If you want wholesome food, a relaxed vibe, and a real sense of belonging, August Café’s new chapter is just that—a homecoming.

Step inside, and the pace drops immediately. Olive’s familiar sun-washed aesthetic translates beautifully here—white walls softened with gentle blues and greens, light pouring in, and a sense of ease that feels almost transportive. A gentle undercurrent of Son Cubano drifts through the space, its warm Afro-Cuban rhythms adding an easy, sensual pulse that makes the room feel alive without ever demanding attention. It’s polished but not precious, relaxed without trying too hard. The room feels designed for lingering: business lunches stretching into coffee, friends drifting from salads to cocktails, conversations unhurried.

Olive Cafe and Bar Interiors

Small Plates, Big Comfort
We began with the Baby Back (pork) Ribs, slow-cooked until obligingly tender, glazed just enough to be sticky-sweet without tipping into excess. Beneath them sat a warm, succotash-like mix of pearl barley and charred corn—nutty, smoky, and comforting in the best way. It’s the sort of dish that understands balance: richness held in check by texture and restraint.

The Fritto Misto followed—a generous medley of lightly battered seafood like calamari and white bait, fried just right. The coating was perfectly crisp without being heavy, finished with a gentle dusting of Cajun spice that added warmth rather than heat. The cool dill-mayo dip gave this preparation a clean and moreish appeal, making the fried seafood disappear far quicker than expected.

Next came Edamame XO, a simple idea elevated by confidence. Wok-tossed edamame slicked in umami-rich XO sauce, deeply savoury and moreish, the kind of plate you keep reaching for absent-mindedly while talking animatedly across the table.

The Caprese Salad arrived looking crisp and refreshed, anchored by creamy burrata and accentuated with glistening segments of grapefruit. The citrus brought a welcome bitterness and brightness, cutting through the richness and making the whole thing feel light, yet elevated, a tad!

Left to Right: Baby Black Ribs; Caprese Salad; Fritto Misto
Photos by Raul Dias

Cocktails That Know Their Station
That grapefruit note made for an easy segue into drinks. The Paloma Paloma! was excellently judged—tequila-led, bright with citrus, and finished with a salt and kaffir lime dust rim that sharpened every sip. It was refreshing without being simplistic, grown-up without losing its sense of fun.

We followed this with the Smoky Picante (as one does, these days!), where tequila and mezcal meet guava, chilli, coriander, and ginger. It had depth and warmth, the smoke never overpowering, the spice gently insistent rather than showy. Alongside it, the Parisian Bling felt elegant and floral, with gin, lavender, and lime. Our request for no egg white was met without fuss, replaced seamlessly with a vegetarian alternative—likely aquafaba—resulting in a drink that was just as silky and well-structured.

Not everything hit the mark, though. A non-alcoholic Mugicha made a brief appearance and, for me, missed entirely—its roasted grain notes oddly reminiscent of an iced, soy-heavy bone broth. Admirable in intent, but not one I’d revisit.

Cocktails at Olive Cafe and Bar

Mains with Muscle and Soul
For mains, I went straight for the buff steak—a dry-aged 9 oz tenderloin, cooked medium-rare with confidence and exactly what I needed after weeks of steak cravings. Juicy, properly seasoned, and paired with pomme purée, baby vegetables, wilted kale, and a peppercorn sauce that behaved itself by not overpowering anything.

Across the table, the ginger salmon impressed differently. Beautifully plated with a clean, almost Western sensibility, it revealed its Asian soul on the palate. Soy-marinated, grilled just right, resting on sticky rice with stir-fried spinach, sesame, cashews, Thai chilli, and teriyaki sauce—it was harmonious and flavour-forward.

Left to Right: Ginger Salmon; Strawberry Tres Leches
Photos by Raul Dias

Pastel-Hued Sweet Endings
Dessert felt like a soft landing, awash in gentle colours and calm indulgence. The strawberry tres leches was creamy and divine, its pale pink and ivory tones mirroring its delicate sweetness. Alongside it sat a pale green iced matcha for me, finished with a playful bourbon foam, and a comforting beige cappuccino for my guest that did exactly what it should. Together, they formed a pastel tableau.

I left Olive Café & Bar feeling like I’d stolen a little extra time from the day. The kind where lunch stretches longer than planned, the conversation flows easily, and no one’s in a hurry to check the clock. In a neighbourhood that usually thrives on deadlines and calendars, this felt refreshingly indulgent. On a Saturday afternoon when BKC had collectively slowed its stride, Olive was exactly where I wanted to be—one last sip, one last bite, and absolutely no rush to leave.

Bookmark these romantic restaurants, date-night spots, and couples dining destinations to make your February 14 truly unforgettable.

Hyatt Centric
One spot, three different places to celebrate! Hyatt Centric offers the best Valentine’s Day celebrations at Sesame, FLYT, and Nitara. You can expect à la carte dinners, Spanish-inspired rooftop menus, elegant set courses, signature cocktails, and panoramic city views.

Sesame, Hyatt Centric Juhu

MoMo Café, Courtyard by Marriott
Is your partner a fan of roses and candle-lit dinners? Then you have to celebrate the day of love at MoMo Café! It sets the mood with a Prosecco, gourmet starters, comforting mains, and decadent desserts, enhanced by candlelit tables, roses, and fairy lights for a warm, romantic Valentine’s celebration.

Momo Cafe

Mercii
An intimate dining experience with amazing food? Mercii has you sorted! Celebrate Valentine’s Day with scallop tiradito, rosette ravioli, elegant mains, and refined desserts, perfect for couples seeking slow, romantic dining.

Mercii

Peshwa Pavilion, ITC Maratha
Is your valentine a fan of Italian food? Well, you have to visit the Peshwa Pavilion this Saturday. They are serving up an Italian-inspired buffet and brunch, featuring comforting classics, vegetarian favourites, and shareable desserts. What better way to say “I love you” than feeding your loved one some pasta?

Peshwa Pavilion

Zane’s Cafe & Pet Spa
If you and your Valentine are pet parents, then it is a no-brainer that this place will be a hit for you! Spend Valentine’s Day with pet-friendly dates, offering 20% off for pet parents, complimentary treats for furry companions, and a cosy, wellness-led space for heartfelt, paw-some moments.

Zane's Cafe and Pet Spa

World of Palates
You and your partner have a sweet tooth with a strong love for everything strawberry? Well, World of Palates brings you the best strawberry dessert menu with Matilda cake, milkshakes, and smoothie bowls. So, try these with your Valentine!

World of Palates

KOA Cafe & Bar
Experience the joy of cooking your own pasta at KOA with your beloved! Here, you get to reconnect with your partner and indulge in curated cheese platters, romantic cocktails, and DIY cupcake activities to relax and enjoy time together.

KOA Cafe and Bar

Toscano
Another Italian dining experience that can gain you some major brownie points from your Valentine! This one is all about comfort dishes, elegant desserts, and warm, intimate settings that set the romantic vibe.

Toscano

Paashh
Paashh turns Valentine’s Day into a slow, soulful date with flavour. Think mindful bites, meaningful conversations, dreamy pastas, sweet endings, and romance that whispers instead of shouting.

August Cafe
August Cafe adds magic to Valentine’s with surprise-filled roses, sweet treats, cosy coffee moments, playful exchanges, and heartwarming connections, turning every visit into a story worth sharing.

Hearth
Who would say no to a six-course tasting menu that they can enjoy with their Valentine? Certainly not us! Featuring specials like fig and goat cheese, crudo with strawberry gel, fire-grilled seafood, lobster with corn sausage, smoked mushroom pavé, confit duck, and layered dark chocolate desserts, it's really a foodie couple’s dream come true!

​
Houdini
Is your Valentine a fan of K-Drama and K-Food? Well, Houdini is serving up the best of Korean cuisine, including doenjang-glazed fried chicken, spicy tofu, tteokbokki, kimchi rice bowls, buldak fish, and katsu curry. If that is not enough, you get to have them with a side of Soju and other cocktails while enjoying some good music.

Houdini

Coffee Island
When I say Valentine’s Day always has something for everyone, I mean it! Coffee Island is the best place to enjoy comfort food from all over the world, and with some Jain-friendly options too! So, no matter what, you are all set for the best Valentine's experience this year!

Coffee Island

Le Méridien
Enjoy the best that Le Méridien has to offer and enjoy it with your Valentine! And even if you don’t have a Valentine, you can still enjoy their offerings. Be it the strawberry specials at Tasse Café or singles dinners and brunches at Hill View Café, you can enjoy the best dining experience.

Le Méridien

Sofitel Mumbai BKC
If you are planning a small staycation with your partner this Valentine's Day, then Sofitel is the place for you. Enjoy French-inspired dining and stay experiences, featuring a champagne welcome, in-room breakfast, and Artisans’ desserts such as Strawberry Love Affair, Forbidden Apple, and L’Amour Fraise, for indulgent romantic moments.

Sofitel Mumbai BKC

Amelia
Couples who enjoy wine together stay together! A relaxed and romantic weekend awaits, with a wine-led offer and seasonal menu featuring prawn cocktail, stuffed mushrooms, pumpkin walnut caramello pasta, truffle chicken roulade, and eggless baked strawberry gateau.

Amelia

Stambha
Love brews well when together, and so do these limited-edition brews! So, enjoy brews like Red Velvet Nitro Stout, Strawberry IPA, Hibiscus IPA, Rose Litchi Cider, and Strawberry Cider, paired with interactive games and Cupid’s Arrow-themed social experiences.

Harajuku
A fan of desserts will certainly love this place, so bookmark it for this Valentine’s Day! You get to pick from Teddy San desserts, jiggle pancakes, s’mochi, and strawberry matcha beverages with cupcakes. Not only that, but you also get to enjoy Red Flag Green Flag couple menus, paired with karaoke nights and social dining experiences.

Harajuku Tokyo Cafe and Bakehouse

Late checkout
Late Checkout hosts an exclusive guest shift by London’s Tayēr + Elementary, featuring ingredient-led, produce-driven cocktails, draught-forward serves, and experimental mixes inspired by minimalist techniques and global bartending philosophy. So, are you going or not?

Late Checkout

ITC Grand Central
A table set for romance? ITC Grand Central’s A Table Set for Love is exactly that! With truffle edamame and prawn dim sum, kebab labgeer, paneer dum anari, dum ki machli, and fish roulade setting the tone, followed by delicious desserts like lemon raspberry entremets and red velvet cake. Who will ever say no to these?

ITC Grand Central

La Panthera
Enjoy Valentine’s Day, La Panthera’s way! What awaits you is a four-course Valentine’s menu featuring beetroot carpaccio, steak tartare, baked brie, morel risotto, seafood gnocchi, grilled tenderloin, and classic tiramisu, paired with European wines and refined cocktails.

La Panthera

Yazu
Does pan-Asian cuisine hit the spot for you and your partner? Well, this is your sign to celebrate Valentine’s Day at Yazu. They are offering a pan-Asian menu paired with High Spirits of Asia cocktails, including Fujisan, Pickle in My Tickle, Umi-So, and Tomm Yummm.

Yazu

L&S Bistro
Toasting to your love is the best way to celebrate this day, so enjoy the menu by L&S Bistro, Toast to Love, featuring passionfruit and rosé cocktails, gin rose and whisky coffee drinks, paired with ricotta starters, turkey confit, halloumi orzo, John Dory mains, and molten chocolate desserts as you enjoy the view of the Arabian Sea.

Pause
Pinks and reds are the colours of love, so enjoy these vibrant hues with Pause. Expect comfort desserts like matcha berry tarts, vegan strawberry cheesecake, and red velvet cake, paired with choco-berry clouds, strawberry matcha lattes, and rose-kissed coffee.

​Ummrao Saaj
Enjoy dinner dates the whole Valentine’s weekend with your partner. Featuring a Modern Indian Valentine’s set menu with mango pickle rice biscuits, pickled salmon tikka, pulled lamb, and much more. End the night on a sweet note with cardamom milk bread and basil seed frozen milk dessert, paired with sparkling wine and candlelit ambience.

Ummrao Saaj

La Loca Maria
A Black Winter Truffle menu just for the month of Valentine’s? Yes, please! The menu features truffled steak tartare, white asparagus with verdina beans, duck with miso consommé, truffled mushroom lasagna, garganelli cacio e pepe, and so much more! And of course, no Valentine's dining experience is complete without desserts, so enjoy some mocha almond financier to end the night on a sweet note!

La Loca Maria

​Yauatcha
While Valentine’s Day is all about love, it also denotes love of friendship, and Yauatcha delivers! Enjoy Galentine’s here with your friends. Enjoy a Mahjong and Yum Cha afternoon with assorted dim sum, crispy turnip cakes, petit gâteaux, macarons, and unlimited tea, paired with a friendly tournament and dessert hampers for winners.

Yauatcha

Fairmont
At Fairmont Mumbai, Valentine’s comes alive across Madeleine de Proust, Samaa, ORYN, The Merchants and The Hedonist—from soulful Sufi nights and coastal mezze to Peking duck, cocktails and DJ-fuelled celebrations.

JW Marriott Juhu
Valentine’s turns extra with Mon Chéri dinners, starlit poolside dates, private Cove romance, Italian flair at Mezzo Mezzo, Awadhi love at Saffron, and swoon-worthy Bombay Baking Company treats.

JW Marriott Juhu

The St. Regis
Love goes luxe at The St. Regis Mumbai with sky-high dates at The Penthouse, Nikkei romance at Koishii, cocktails at Koi Bar, seaside vibes at Sette Mara, global feasts at Seven Kitchens, and cosy classics at The Sahib Room.

Sette Mara and Seven Kitchens at The St.Regis

So, which one made your weekend list to celebrate Valentine's Day this year?

As the idea of “Kitchen Couture” gains popularity, brands are rethinking how their products look, feel, and live in everyday spaces. Packaging is no longer just about storing it out of our sight, in a dimly lit storage room. It is about personality, pride, and presence. It is about putting them on well-lit shelves to be admired and fit into the decor.

We speak to Karan Tacker of Goonda and Mokksh Sani, the visionary behind Living Liquidz, Mansionz, and Cartel Bros (The GlenJourneys with Ajay Devgn), on how they are dressing their brands to impress, balancing aesthetics with practicality, and building packaging that connects deeply with modern consumers.

Edited excerpts.

How big a role does packaging style play in making someone notice your product and buy it for the first time?
Karan: Packaging is the first point of contact. It sets the tone instantly. For GOONDA, the visual design was created to disrupt and not blend in. On crowded shelves and e-commerce platforms, it signals attitude and intent. The moment someone sees it, they understand it is a bold choice. That instant recognition is what helps turn curiosity into action.

Mokksh: Packaging plays a decisive role. It is often the first point of contact between the brand and the consumer, and in that moment, it communicates intent, quality, and credibility. Before the product is experienced, packaging sets expectations, which strongly influence the first purchase decision.

Left to Right:Karan Tacker; Mokksh Sani

What look are you going for with your packaging this year, and how does it reflect your brand’s personality?
Karan: The look will always stay true to GOONDA’s core DNA, with a few new additions. Bold, expressive, and unapologetic. It reflects a brand built around energy, movement, and rebellion. The design feels street-forward yet considered, and mirrors the mindset of those who live outside the ordinary.

Mokksh: This year, The GlenJourneys is focused on a refined, contemporary aesthetic that speaks confidence and symbolises purposefulness. The design reflects our brand’s balance of modern luxury and exploration. It’s visually strong without being overstated, mirroring our belief that confidence doesn’t need excess.

What feeling do you want people to have the moment they pick up your product or open it?
Karan: It should feel energising. There should be a sense of anticipation. Picking it up should spark confidence and intent. Opening it should feel like the start of a moment. Focused, charged, and ready for what comes next. Undiluted emotion. Total immersion. Game on.

Mokksh: We want the experience to feel considered and intentional. The moment someone picks up the product, it should convey care, quality, and quiet excitement, an impression that what’s inside has been thoughtfully crafted and is worth slowing down for.

Do you design your packaging to be “show off” worthy for gifting, parties, or social media?
Karan: Yes. The packaging is designed to be seen. It holds its own in social settings and creates Instagram-ready moments that stop the scroll. Whether at parties or in everyday settings, the design invites sharing and conversation. It turns the product into a visual statement.

Mokksh: Yes, but with subtlety. The goal isn’t to design for spectacle, it’s to create something people are naturally proud to share. If the packaging feels elevated and distinctive enough to be gifted or displayed, that’s a reflection of its authenticity, not its flash.

GOONDA Energy Drinks and Agave Spirits

How does the way your product lives in everyday spaces shape your packaging design?
Karan: GOONDA is designed to live where people gather, move, and celebrate. Homes, bars, parties, desks, and gyms. That reality drives every packaging decision.

The EL GOONDA spirit bottle is compact, square, and sturdy, inspired by bold Western agave spirits. Its flat silhouette sits comfortably on bar counters and house-party tables. The illustrated label, desert landscape, and skeletal character create a strong narrative. It feels rebellious yet crafted, premium yet approachable.
The GOONDA Energy can reflect the same attitude in a more versatile format. It is tall, slim, and easy to carry, with bold typography and graphics that demand attention. The Hipflask format offers ultimate portability for gym bags, long drives, and late nights. Across categories, the design remains functional, visually strong, and instantly recognisable.

Mokksh: Our packaging is designed to exist comfortably in real, everyday environments, with the bottle at the centre of that thinking. Its form is intentionally easy to hold, easy to pour, and durable enough for regular use, yet elegant enough to feel special. Whether it’s sitting on a home bar, travelling in a bag, or being opened during a celebration, the bottle is designed to transition seamlessly between the everyday and the occasion. It feels at home in daily rituals, but never out of place when the moment calls for something worth celebrating.

How do you balance trendy, studio-worthy designs with packaging that will still feel fresh a few years from now?

Karan: We focus on identity over trends. The design feels current without depending on short-term styles. It is built on a strong visual foundation that allows it to evolve naturally, while keeping the core brand philosophy intact.

Mokksh: Our focus always starts with strong fundamentals: typography, proportions, and material choices that ensure the design has lasting relevance. From there, we introduce just enough contemporary edge to keep it visually appealing and in line with current trends. A good example is our upcoming smoky expression, where the bottle is fully painted red, an unexpected, almost rebellious choice in a category traditionally dominated by darker, conservative tones. It challenges the conventional bottle design and sparks curiosity. After all, who would have imagined a single malt presented in a striking red bottle, and yet, it feels completely at home within our design language.

The GlenJourneys

Beyond looks, what practical details matter most to you in your packaging?
Karan: Practicality begins with structure. The EL GOONDA bottle uses thick glass and a solid base for stability. Its compact form makes it easy to grip and pour, while durable labels and secure closures support frequent handling and travel.

The GOONDA Energy can is built for movement. Its slim, lightweight aluminium body handles condensation well and supports quick consumption. Across categories, every detail is intentional, functional, premium, and unmistakably GOONDA!

Mokksh: Beyond looks, practicality is built into every bottle's design. The 21-Year-Old Edition features a structured, elegant silhouette with refined detailing and a weighted feel, designed to signal maturity while remaining comfortable to hold and store. The Cask Series uses a bolder, more contemporary design language, with distinct finishes and clear labelling that highlight individuality and experimentation. Across both, elements like balanced proportions, secure closures, and durable materials ensure the packaging not only looks considered, but works effortlessly in everyday use and celebratory settings alike.

Looking ahead to 2026, how do you want your packaging to evolve to connect better with your audience?
Karan: In 2026, GOONDA’s packaging will stay true to its Indian roots, loud, proud, and polished for a global audience. We will amplify familiarity without dulling the edge.

Premium upgrades, such as embossed, high-grade paper labels, will elevate our top-shelf presence. The Hipflask will receive a sleeker, tougher refresh for spontaneous celebrations on the move. Our goal is to evolve alongside our audience and strengthen the tribe, not drift away from it.

Mokksh: By becoming more intentional and more human, we see our packaging evolving toward clearer storytelling, smarter material choices, and a stronger emotional connection, less noise, and more meaning. The aim is to create packaging that feels quietly confident and deeply aligned with our audience’s values.

And no, by "pickling," we are not talking about our traditional Indian achaar, soaked in oil and spices. We mean proper vinegar-based pickling that you often see in global cuisines.

While many people use these terms interchangeably, there is a clear difference. And since I prepare and enjoy both, let me break it down for you in the simplest way possible. Let us get to it.

Pickling

What Is Pickling?
Pickling is all about preservation using acid.

In this method, fruits or vegetables are soaked in vinegar, brine, or another acidic liquid. This acid stops harmful bacteria from growing and helps the food last longer.

Think of:

• Cucumber/Gherkin pickles
• Pickled onions (Click here to make some at home!)
• Pickled jalapenos
• Pickled beets, carrots, turmeric, etc.

These are classic examples of pickled foods. The flavour comes mainly from vinegar, salt, sugar, and spices. The process is quick and controlled. In many cases, pickles are ready within a few hours or days.

Key Features of Pickling

• Uses vinegar or an acidic solution
• Does not rely on natural bacteria
• Fast process
• Sharp, sour, and sometimes sweet taste
• Lasts 3-4 weeks (the flavours and texture slowly disintegrate, I don't know about you, but I love my pickles crunchy)

Pickling is perfect when you want instant tang and crunch.

Fermenting

What Is Fermenting?
Fermenting is a natural and slow process. Here, the vegetables are preserved using good bacteria that already exist on their surface. When mixed with salt and water, these bacteria break down sugars and turn them into lactic acid. This acid preserves the food and gives it that deep, complex (umami, we love!) flavour. Fermentation is also gaining popularity as a sustainable way to preserve seasonal produce without electricity or plastic packaging.

Think of:

• Kimchi (Want to make some Kimchi? Click here!)
• Sauerkraut
• Kanji
• Idli and dosa batter
• Kombucha

All these are fermented foods. Fermentation happens over days or weeks. It cannot be rushed. Time and temperature play a big role.

Key Features of Fermenting:

• Uses natural bacteria
• No vinegar needed
• Slow process
• Develops layered, tangy flavours
• Rich in probiotics
• Lasts 3-6 months

Fermentation is where food meets science and patience.

Which One Is Healthier?
This is where many people get curious. Fermented foods usually win in the health department. Because they contain live bacteria, they support gut health, digestion, and immunity. These probiotics help balance our stomach’s microbiome.

Pickled foods, especially vinegar-based ones, usually do not contain live probiotics. However, they are still low-calorie, flavour-packed, and can help control cravings.

So,

For gut health: Choose fermented

For instant flavour: Choose pickled

Both have a place in a balanced diet. While both of them are good for health, keep an eye on salt, sugar, and preservative content, especially the store-bought ones. My mantra- when in doubt, make it at home.

What About Indian Achaars
Now, let us address the elephant in the room.

Our traditional Indian achaar is unique. Some achaars are fermented naturally over time. Others are preserved mainly using oil, salt, and spices. Some modern versions even use vinegar.

So Indian pickles can fall in between pickling and fermenting, depending on how they are made. That is what makes them special and diverse.

Why We Often Confuse the Two
Because on the plate, they look similar. They are both tangy, preserved, served as sides, and full of flavour. But behind the scenes, their journeys are very different.

It is like comparing instant coffee with slow-brewed filter coffee. Both give you caffeine. The experience is not the same.

Should You Include Both in Your Diet

Absolutely. A mix is ideal. Add some fermented foods like kanji, curd, or kimchi for gut health. Keep pickled onions or cucumbers for that extra zing in sandwiches and salads.

Balance is the real secret.

The Bottom Line
Pickling and fermenting may share the same shelf in your fridge, but they belong to different worlds.

Pickling is fast, sharp, and controlled.

Fermenting is slow, natural, and probiotic-rich.

Now, the next time someone says, “Yeh toh bas pickle hi hai,” you will know better. And, maybe even explain it over dinner.