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Fast-casual restaurants have been taking the Bay Area by storm. From sandwiches filled with fried chicken or hand-rolled pasta to Cuban and Vietnamese fare, check out the following San Francisco spots that won’t waste your time or money.
1. A modern Vietnamese café
Rice and Bones is lauded chef Charles Phan’s first fast-casual foray is a modern Vietnamese café on the UC Berkeley campus. Choose from regularly changing dishes like beef stew and spicy chicken stir-fry.
Rice and Bones
2. Southeast Asian-inspired fare
Head to Hawking Bird and savour Southeast Asian-inspired dishes like KMG, or khao mun gai – poached chicken served atop rice that’s cooked in chicken broth – in this bright corner space owned by Michelin-starred chef James Syhabout.
Khao mun gai
3. Cuban sandwiches and rice bowls
Fun, funky and filled with tropical colours, Media Noche serves up delicious Cuban Miami fare like Cubano sandwiches and a wide selection of rice-based bowls.
Cubano sandwiches at Media Noche (Photo: Molly Decoudreaux)
4. Rotisserie chicken is the star dish
It’s not surprising that RT Rotisserie‘s star dish is a succulent rotisserie chicken. Brined for 24 hours in buttermilk, it’s served with delicious sauces ranging from chimichurri to Douglas fir sour cream.
The signature rotisserie chicken at RT Rotisserie
5. Californian-Italian-style pizza and pasta
Located in the Mission District, Barzotto’s tightly curated menu includes fresh, hand-rolled pasta dishes like spaghetti with marinara sauce and pork and turkey meatballs and bucatini with clams, green garlic, furikake and chilli.
Bucatini with clams, green garlic, furikake and chilli at Barzotto
6. Dishes inspired by casual souvlaki joints found throughout Greece
One of the originals, when it comes to fast-casual dining, Souvla is a Greek chain that opened back in 2014. They are known for lamb salads, chicken wraps and delicious frozen yogurt.
Frozen Greek yoghurt at Souvla
– PHOTOGRAPHY BY AUBRIE PICK
Please check the establishments’ respective websites for opening hours as well as booking requirements before visiting, and remember to adhere to safe-distancing measures while out and about.
The information is accurate as of press time. For the latest travel advisory updates, please refer to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website.
To learn more about Singapore Airlines flights to San Francisco, visit singaporeair.com. To join us in protecting the environment by offsetting your carbon emissions on your future flights, visit the following websites to learn more: carbonoffset.singaporeair.com.sg and carbonoffset.flyscoot.com
This article was originally published in October 2021
Driving through India, the country’s cuisines, like its languages and customs, can change every half an hour. The Indian nation is an astounding assortment of topographies, religions and historical origins that inform the way its people eat. The variety of must-try dishes is on display in larger North Indian cities like Delhi, Amritsar, Lucknow and Varanasi.
There is always colour and texture to North Indian cuisines. Takeqormas– thick, rich curries made of meat and flavoured with an assortment of spices; or flatbreads like,roomaliroti, which is made thin as a handkerchief to be wrapped around kebabs, andkulchas, which are stuffed, baked and served with zesty sides. Its dishes are laden with spicy chutneys as additions, elements of crunch, and other techniques that speak to the varied and wide histories of the region.
Eating though North India is a journey of constant adventure, and may not be for the faint-hearted, as it demands will and exploration. It is, however, somewhere every true food traveller should have on their must-try culinary map. Follow crowds in bustling street corners, and visit beloved city icons to eat dishes devised in kings’ courts. In this tightly packed, theatrical part of India, there is something for everyone.
1. Chaat
The origins of chaat remain debated, but many conclude that when 16th-century Delhi saw an epidemic of cholera, its emperor, Shahjahan (popularly known for building the Taj Mahal) ordained his cooks to prepare spicy, tangy dishes that could kill the bacteria that was spreading. Chaat is not a dish, but a spectrum of Indian cuisine in which every plate, and every recipe is subject to the whims and imaginations of its cooks.
Many say the name Chaat, which literally translates to “lick”, derives from the delicious recipes that cooks of the North-Indian kingdoms concocted, which left customers licking their fingers and bowls when they ate these inventive creations. Chaat is always eaten on the street – and different cities, districts and neighbourhoods have distinct chaat varieties to their name. Like in Delhi, “aloo tikki” is beloved – in which flat discs of potatoes and lentils are fried, and topped with fresh sauces.
In Varanasi, meanwhile,palak chaak, in which fried spinach leaves are topped with zesty toppings, tells tales of the city’s culinary prowess.
Where to try:The best way to eat chaat is to wander, and follow throngs of locals in the old quarters of cities, but if in Delhi, head to the old city’s Natraj Dahi Bhalle for some of the city’s best offerings, and in Varanasi, Deena Chaat Bhandar and Kashi Chaat Bhandar in the city’s winding lanes will leave little else to desire after you are done.
Chaat is always eaten on the street and different varieties can be found across North Indian cities. Photo credit: Adobe
2. Kebab
Kebabs – dishes that consist of skewered meat on a grill – were first brought to the country by incoming populations of Turkish traders, and Persianate kings. The recipes consist of different variations of spices, herbs and other softeners like yoghurt and cream. Kebabs are made by shaping the meat and grilling them in largetandoors– massive metal grills that operate on coals.
Kebabs are, as everything in Indian cuisine, of endless types. Take thereshmi kebab, which instructs that pieces of chicken must be marinated in cream and grilled so they are finally as soft as “resham” or silk. Another option is the simple seekh kebab, in which minced and spiced chicken (or mutton meat) are moulded into tubular shapes and eaten with handkerchief like rotis for a quick, filling meal.
Where to try:In Lucknow, the Tunday Kebab – a soft, melt-in-the-mouth kebab made with beef or mutton meat that was devised for a toothless king is a citywide legend and can be found at its namesake restaurant, Tunday Kababi. In Delhi, the neighbourhood of Nizamuddin is home to the city’s most renowned sufi-shrine, and kebab restaurant named Ghalib Kabab Corner — both of which exhibit the city’s layered cuisine and history.
Turkish traders introduced kebabs to North India. Photo credit: Adobe
3. Gulab Jamun
Indulgence has its best form in this popular North Indian dessert. Gulab Jamun originates from the Arabic dessertLuqmat-Al-Qadi and is a soft, melt-in-your-mouth treat made from fried dumplings made of thickened milk. After they are fried, the round, sugary sweets are coated with rose-flavoured sugar syrup, and garnished with powdered pistachios and served warm. While perfect for the winters, Gulab Jamun is eaten all year round by delighted children and sneaky adults.
Where to try:These are available at most sweet shops in North Indian cities, but the most famous are at Chaina Ram Confectioners in Chandni Chowk, Old Delhi; and at Kesar Da Dhaba in Chowk Passian, Amritsar.
Gulab jamun can be found in sweet shops across North India. Photo credit: Adobe
4. Kulcha
The conception of Indian food has finally expanded beyond its most obvious formulations of chicken tikka masala and naan. This is what brings us to the Kulcha, native to Amritsar, Punjab.Kulchais a stuffed bread made with flour in a large coal-fired tandoor, or on an iron-pan over a stove. Unlike naan, kulcha is a layered, flaky flatbread, and can contain pastry-like folds that are laden with ghee, made with cow’s milk, and also fillings of onions, potatoes and paneer.
In Amritsar, the kulcha is beloved, and served with onions, mint chutney, raitas or yoghurt-based preparations, and a “chhole” which is a spiced curry of chickpeas on the side. The bread is a perfect breakfast or lunch, but remember that kulchas are best eaten in the day, as they are a hearty meal that match their origin city Amritsar’s robust and resilient spirit.
Where to try:In Amritsar, kulchas are abundantly available, but a few recommendations include: Ashok Kulche Vala at Ranjit Avenue; or Brothers Dhaba, at Golden Temple road near the city’s most visited, and wondrous temple. In Delhi, a good Amritsari kulcha can be found at a restaurant named Prem Di Hatti, in the city’s West, which makes an assortment of the dish.
Kulcha is a clay-baked bread native to Amritsar. Photo credit: Adobe
5. Lassi
This Indian beverage, varied in form and flavour is often unfairly reduced to its one, mostly consumed form of “mango lassi”. Here, the yoghurt is set with artificial flavourings and sweetened with sugar before it is served. But a good lassi is about the quality and freshness of its milk, the way the yoghurt is churned, and set in large clay pots before it is served.
An industrially made lassi has nothing on a tall, frothy glass made in one of India’s oldest and finest lassi shops. Lassis can be salty – as accompaniments to meals, where the drink is garnished with freshly ground cumin, or other house spices. They can also be luxurious and sweet, where they are thickened, sweetened, and flavoured with saffron, set with beautifully cut nuts. (Disclaimer, sweet lassis can be entire meals in themselves).
Where to try:In Varanasi, Pehalwan Lassi is a treat fit for a king. Each glass of lassi is churned for hours, before it is infused with rabdi – a pudding-like sweet made by reducing fresh, creamy milk, and topped with fragrant spices and almonds.
Lassis can be found both salty and sweet. Photo credit: Adobe
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Please check the establishments’ respective websites for opening hours as well as booking requirements before visiting, and remember to adhere to safe-distancing measures while out and about.
The information is accurate as of press time. For the latest travel advisory updates, please refer to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website.
Since the launch of KrisFlyer in 1999, members have been rewarded for not only flying with the Singapore Airlines Group, but also when they dine and shop with partners. With the launch of KrisShopper, KrisFlyer members who love shopping can get their retail therapy on KrisShop, and enjoy even more rewards for it.
KrisShop started as an inflight duty free shop on board Singapore Airlines. Since then, it has expanded to an omni-channel retailer with a flagship e-commerce platform, as well as presence on Kris+ and KrisWorld. In addition to offering a wide array of global brands and homegrown labels, KrisShop is also home to exclusive merchandise and collaborations. For instance, the Batik Label by KrisShop features products that incorporate the iconic Singapore Airlines batik motif, while The Upcycling Project breathes new life into parts and materials from retired commercial aircraft. KrisShop’s new loyalty programme is one more reason to continue shopping on KrisShop.
Wondering how it works? KrisShopper has four tiers of membership, take a look below:
Ready to join? There are several early-bird promotions that shoppers can take advantage of until 30 June 2022. The first 30,000 members can get up to 1,000 bonus KrisFlyer miles (500 miles when you link your account and 500 miles when you subscribe to the KrisShopper newsletter). Of which, the first 5,000 people to take those actions will get an additional S$20 early-bird reward. KrisShop is also offering a limited-time status match for selected KrisFlyer tiers. This means Elite Gold and Elite Silver members would be upgraded to Icon and Insider respectively.
PPS Club members are entitled to a status match to KrisShopper Ambassador, applicable for the duration of their PPS Club membership. Non-KrisFlyer members can also sign up for both programmes concurrently here.
To learn more about KrisShopper, KrisShop’s loyalty programme, click here.
The food scene in New Delhi is diverse and seems to be growing by the minute. While international flavours can be found in many of the city’s hot spots, it is the Indian flavours that are being presented in an entirely new light. Check out these fantastic Delhi restaurants for a taste of the top picks.
1. Seasonal produce can be sampled at NicoCaara
NicoCaara is the result of a collaboration between the Nicobar clothing brand and CAARA cafe. This spot utilises seasonal organic produce to explore the coastal cuisines of India and the Mediterranean. Expect curries and pasta served alongside chilli- and coriander-flecked avocado toasts as well as burrata with grilled eggplant and Goan Tripoli pepper.
A must-try at NicoCaara is their chicken and shitake orange glazed meatballs (Photo credit: NicoCaara)
2. Regional Indian cuisine is the focus at Jamun
Jamun pays homage to India’s diverse culinary traditions. They menu curates a mix of forgotten recipes and popular Indian dishes from the heartland. For example, the bharwan guchhi – tandoor roasted Kashmiri morels stuffed with water chestnut and sprinkled with truffle oil – uses mushrooms sourced directly from farmwives in Kashmir.
Jamun offers an à la carte menu and specially curated set menus on certain occasions
3. Inventive Indian cuisine can be enjoyed at Indian Accent
At Indian Accent, fusion ingredients and techniques underscore plates such as pork ribs and sun-dried mango pickle or spice-infused chicken kofta. Consistently named among Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, the restaurant now sits in an artful dining room at The Lodhi hotel.
Baigan Bharta Cornet at the Indian Accent
4. Re-imagined Indian dishes are prepared at Varq
Varq is an upscale restaurant that specialises in re-imagined, sophisticated Indian cuisine, beautifully plated and plump with the essence and aromas of Indian food. The menu is expansive, and indulgent and boasts a fine spread that consists of chaat, a popular street-snack made with crispy flowers, and puddings of apricot in handmade puff pastry.
Additional reporting by Sharanya Deepak
Please check the establishments’ respective websites for opening hours as well as booking requirements before visiting, and remember to adhere to safe-distancing measures while out and about.
The information is accurate as of press time. For the latest travel advisory updates, please refer to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website.
Delhi has always been a great city city for shopping. Famous for its marketplaces, the retail scene is being reinvented by designers who want to change how people shop and express themselves.
Smack in the centre of India’s north-central plains, the capital city was for centuries a bustling junction on transcontinental trade routes. A parade of dynasties flocked here, razing and rebuilding the city, leaving behind staggering architecture and a legacy of opulence. The city’s myriad marketplaces also thrived, piled high with textiles, spices, gold and ceramics from far-flung lands and packed with artisan guilds whose handiwork adorned everything from clothes and jewellery to crafts.
Markets and shopping remain an important focus in the city today, be it the overwhelming alleys of Chandni Chowk, the sprawling fabric, sundries and gold shops of Lajpat Nagar or the millennial-friendly haunts of Hauz Khas. But that’s not to say the retail scene hasn’t changed.
The interior of Bodice Studio
Beginning in the mid-1980s, commercial hubs such as Khan Market, Meharchand Market and Greater Kailash began introducing air-conditioned spaces to cater to a growing base of middle-class shoppers in search of ready-to-wear fashion and boutique labels. What remained the same, though, is Delhi’s devotion to following Bollywood trends and status consciousness.
But now, a new breed of designers is reinventing the wheel – turning shopping from a purely transactional process to a design-centric experience where people can meaningfully connect. More than that, though, their thoughtful mix of beautiful spaces, envelope-pushing Indian fashion and curated events is fostering an unprecedented experimentation with personal style.
We visit four of the pioneers behind this fashion revolution in the metropolis.
Designer Raul Rai
Designer Raul Rai offers an ode to tropical modernism
Perched atop The Chanakya, a high-end indoor market adjacent to the architecturally rich Lutyens’ Delhi, Nicobar’s frond-filled interiors are an ode to Tropical Modernism. Muslin tunics and organic bamboo fibre knits swing from driftwood beams. Wood and brass spice boxes, earthy ceramics and clay kulhads for serving chai channel a rustic vibe. At in-store café NicoCaara, baristas whip up chai lattes while barkeeps pour sangria margaritas.
Launched in 2016 by Raul Rai and his wife Simran Lal, Nicobar delivers timeless silhouettes that work equally well on the beach and in the city. But through its in-store experiences, it does much more than that.
Nicobar also takes international orders
“In India, questioning lifestyle and the state of being was unheard of five or 10 years ago, but this drives how we think about our space, our design process and our story,” explains Rai. “The dot-com boom occurred 10 years ago [in India], and millennials are looking for new ways to think and create an impact. Our business model takes all this into account.”
The store layout is inspired by a haveli, a traditional Indian house arranged around a central garden. This design facilitates the movement of people as well as the myriad of cultural experiences on offer here. Shoppers picking up a linen pinstripe kurta (tunic) or organic cotton trousers may discover a Nico Talk, a monthly series covering topics such as mindful eating and recycling (the brand recently eliminated all plastic from its shipping and packaging). A recent pop-up here bringing together iconic motorcycle maker Royal Enfield, Goa-based start-up gin Greater Than and natural skincare line Ayca drew in nearly 1,200 people.
These touches underscore Nicobar’s commitment to bringing more value to retail. “Buying for buying’s sake isn’t satisfying and it’s not responsible,” Rai says. “Markets provide a natural arena for cultural discourse. Today, these conversations are deeper and cover fashion, wellness, entertainment, you name it. Our design vocabulary responds to this and takes it further.”
Designer Sanjay Garg
Designer Sanjay Garg’s fresh and modern take on the sari
Delhi-based designer Sanjay Garg is known for marching to his own drum. While other designers explore non-traditional silhouettes, Garg’s label Raw Mango hones in on India’s most iconic garment by updating traditional weaves and patterns – using age-old fabrics like jamdani but tweaking colour and motifs, for example – keeping the sari fresh and modern.
“Blouses, petticoats, the patterns and colours were all frozen in time,” Garg says when explaining why saris came to be seen as dated. According to him, this stagnation is symptomatic of a larger issue: Indian design in general languished during the colonial and post-colonial periods. “Four hundred years ago, Delhi had a robust aesthetic language. The Mughal Empire was on a par with Versailles,” he continues. “The west continued to evolve, but the role of designers in India was negligible after the British arrived. Now, [over 70] years after independence, [the concept of design] is being revived.”
The standard perception is that the sari – in essence, a single long piece of fabric – can be worn only one way and on specific occasions. Garg tosses those rules aside, pointing to a younger generation who are hitching up the hems of their saris to the calf and pairing them with boots or trainers.
Modern saris at Raw Mango
In April 2019, Garg opened a second outpost in the heart of the city, adjacent to Lodhi Colony Market, a petit promenade of whitewashed storefronts housing hip and traditional shops and eateries in the heart of one of Delhi’s poshest districts.
“Clothing, like anything else in India, is tied up with caste, religion, identity… it’s been like that for years”
Unlike typically frenzied sari stores, Garg’s spot is like a Zen retreat amidst the bustle. A discreet arched entryway leads down a tree-lined walk and ends in an all-white sanctuary surrounded with shade-filled courtyards. Inside, Garg’s dreamy saris, tunics and lenghas (long skirts) are tucked inside sleek cupboards and traditional armoires reminiscent of private dressing rooms.
“Clothing, like anything else in India, is tied up with caste, religion, identity,” Garg explains. “It’s been like that for years. Only now are we seeing individuality… and community come into play. That’s exciting.”
Designer Ruchika Sachdeva
Designer Ruchika Sachdeva creates a modern Indian wardrobe
Fashion designer Ruchika Sachdeva’s label Bodice occupies an upscale address in Vasant Kunj. The lush, tree-lined lawn at Bodice’s farmhouse contains a glass-walled shop, where Sachdeva’s meticulously tailored collections float like ethereal art pieces.
The main house is where patternmakers, tailors and Sachdeva’s energetic assistants carry out her vision for the modern Indian wardrobe: structured tops, skirts, trousers and dresses with trim waists and sharp silhouettes cut from materials such as cotton, linen and all-season wool.
Bodice Studio features trendy and modern outfits
Bodice started out as a tiny studio space deep in the cacophonous warrens of the now-trendy Hauz Khas Village just over 10km away. “It was good to start out there,” the effervescent designer remembers. “Rents were cheap, the vibe was edgy. But it became commercial really fast.”
Dressed simply in a sand-coloured T-shirt and matching culottes, the 30-year-old designer explains how a younger generation of Delhiites is increasingly “fed up with” the pressure to dress to impress or follow Bollywood style fads. “There’s a shift towards cultivating individual style,” she says.
She is chatting to a Finnish banker, a regular client who is picking up a few new pieces, when she has to field a call from the organiser of a Sofar Sounds gig happening at Bodice that evening.“This event brings music, fashion and a cross-section of people together,” says Sachdeva, who gained global recognition when she won the prestigious 2017/18 Woolmark Prize (womenswear) for rising designers. “I would never have been able to do this in my former space.”
Designer Gautam Sinha
Designer Gautam Sinha focuses on detail-oriented craftsmanship
In late 2017, Central Saint Martins, London, graduate Gautam Sinha scoped out the abandoned industrial warehouses at Dhan Mill Compound for his leather craft label Nappa Dori. Located 14km from the city centre in the southern suburbs and admittedly “not on the way to anything”, it was a risky choice for his flagship.
But he jumped in anyway, transforming one of the warehouses into a loft-like creative space with soaring ceilings and spacious displays for his handcrafted leather trunks, buttery soft handbags, screen-printed satchels and sporty leather footwear. An in-house atelier provides room for artisans to cut and sew modern leather accoutrements and acts as a classroom for DIY belt-making workshops using traditional tools and craftsmanship.
Nappa Dori blends both Indian and western style into their clothes
At the in-house Café Dori, Maneet Bedi – the brand’s designer and operations manager – discusses Nappa Dori’s evolution over a fresh lime soda, all while keeping an eye on the brisk lunch crowd as they dive into the eatery’s signature flatbreads and house-made pasta dishes.
“Design [as concept and lifestyle] is a relatively new idea here,” says the soft-spoken 24-year-old Bedi, a creative ingénue who helped Sinha appeal to Delhi’s upwardly mobile millennial shopper. “And not everyone gets it. We wanted to create the [city’s] first retail concept store… where Delhiites [can] explore retail in a different light.” Bedi cites Nappa Dori’s frequent design and lifestyle pop-ups that spotlight new labels and art as one way they’ve tried to loosen the lofty conceptual underpinnings of design to make it more approachable.
Nappa Dori is famed for their leather style
Other designers in the area have since followed Sinha’s lead. Dhan Mill Compound’s former industrial bodegas now house creative spaces, including OddBird Theatre, an independent theatre; Claymen, a ceramic studio; and Motherland, an art and design publishing house, to name a few.
By stepping outside conventional market spaces, Sinha inadvertently jump-started a new type of marketplace, one that hinges on incubating creativity and connections in unexpected places.
Please check the establishments’ respective websites for opening hours as well as booking requirements before visiting, and remember to adhere to safe-distancing measures while out and about.
The information is accurate as of press time. For the latest travel advisory updates, please refer to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website.
The sultry, southern Indian city of Bangalore has carved out a niche as the hub of India’s thriving IT sector, but what visitors may not realise is that it has also long enjoyed a reputation as the country’s pub capital. While other megalopolises such as Mumbai and New Delhi host a bevy of swish watering holes and cocktail dens that stay open into the wee hours, it is Bangalore that boasts a new wave of microbreweries and a thriving, independent craft beer scene.
At the best beer venues in the city, one can find innovative pints spiked with seasonal fruit or local spices and even brewed with traditional grains, offering up intriguing flavours drinkers are unlikely to experience anywhere else. Here are eight spots to sample some of Bangalore’s best brews.
1. India’s First American Craft Brewery
Arbor Brewing Company is the first Indian outpost of a US craft brewery based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It’s known for its India Pale Ale (IPA) varieties – bitter beers that use generous quantities of hops for both flavour and aroma. Beyond IPAs, they offer a wide range of other brews, from the popular, spicy Bangalore Bliss hefeweizen, with hints of banana, clove and lemon blossom, to the award-winning Michael Faricy’s Irish stout that has flavours of dark chocolate and Turkish coffee.
Arbor Brewing Company
2. Go Byg of go home in Hennur
At a sprawling 65,000 square feet, Byg Brewski Brewing Company in Hennur is a massive microbrewery with more than enough elbow space to chill out with a pint. Dine alfresco at its rustic outdoor space, where seats surround a manmade lake that’s lit with fairy lights at nightfall. Besides offering a selection of artisanal brews such as the Byg Triple, a Belgian-style strong ale, and the Byg Peppercorn that’s bursting with pink and green peppercorn notes, the brewery also serves specially crafted cocktails. Pair your tipples with its varied menu of continental, Italian, North Indian and Thai cuisine. The craft-beer infused dishes, such as its pork spare ribs and beer battered onion rings, are not to be missed.
3. Bangalore’s first Irish brewhouse
Seemingly straight out of Ireland, Murphy’s Brewhouse is a tavern located inside luxury hotel The Paul. Along with having the honour of being Bangalore’s first Irish Brewhouse, they boast that their brewers make the best lager in town. While such a claim may sound lofty, their bestselling Black Beard lager is sublimely smooth and malty, carrying a whiff of caramelised sugar. They also serve a range of cocktails and wines, best paired with international fare they serve. The décor – all wood and leather with beer barrels serving as tables – is designed as a tribute to old, kitschy Irish pubs.
Murphy’s Brewhouse
4. Live music and the best hops
Local residents love to kick back with a pint of Windmills Craftworks’ hefeweizen, which is inspired by the refreshing wheat beers of southern Germany and contains a special yeast that imbues the beer with mild hints of banana and clove. On the other side of the flavour spectrum is their dark and full-bodied stout, with its distinct taste of roasted barley. The warm and cosy restaurant space is lined with bookshelves and also plays host to some of the city’s more exciting music events.
Windmills Craftworks
5. Best microbrewery award winner
One of south India’s oldest microbreweries and winner of the “Best Microbrewery” award’ at the Times Food & Nightlife Awards 2022, The Biere Club prides itself on fresh beers created in small batches. This means the innovative use of seasonal ingredients and spices: think smoked orange ale, mango beer or a lemon and chilli cooler ideal for the sweltering summer months. In the cooler season, the pub offers wheat beers made with rich malts and spicy hops. If in doubt, there is also a sampler flight to start with – four to six small glasses, usually comprising a wheat beer, lager, stout, ale and any seasonal or special brew.
The Biere Club
6. Hand crafted beer and wood-fired food
For an unbeatable buzz, Bangalore’s hottest watering hole is Toit, right in the beating heart of Indiranagar, a lush and leafy residential neighbourhood. From pale ales and smoked rye ales to lagers and English malts, there is something for every kind of beer aficionado here. Toit also creates brews with a fruity twist from time to time using local ingredients such as mosambi (sweet lime) and jackfruit. If you want to take a break from beer (though I don’t see why you would), Toit serves a selection of spirits, juices and wines, and make some wicked cocktails. Toit has also opened up shop in Mumbai’s Lower Parel and Kalyani Nagar in Pune.
Toit
7. Stand-up comedy with beer in hand
Prost Brewpub, with outlets in both Bangalore and Hyderabad, derives its name from the German word for “cheers”. It is known for its excellent line up of live music and stand-up comedy events as much as its beers. Their own tribute to the city comes in the form of the pale Bangalore Bolt which is made using German wheat and barley along with a special Bavarian yeast. Also try the Red Alert, a copper-tinted brew that’s fruity and made from Himalayan apples.
Prost Brewpub
Additional reporting by Claire Ang
Please check the establishments’ respective websites for opening hours as well as booking requirements before visiting, and remember to adhere to safe-distancing measures while out and about.
The information is accurate as of press time. For the latest travel advisory updates, please refer to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website.
Beautifully preserved palaces, forts and havelis have become some of the most popular retreats in India, allowing travellers to completely immerse themselves in the country’s rich, royal history.
The majority of palaces and forts were formerly inhabited by Indian royalty; forts in particular were built with strong defences, including earthen ramparts and stone reinforcements to keep enemies out. Havelis, meanwhile, were once private mansions owned by the state’s princes, wealthy merchants or jagirdars (officials who had been gifted land from the king). Many of them are still run by their descendants and now welcome guests into their homes.
Today, a stay at one of these fascinating properties gives travellers a glimpse of how luxurious life was for India’s blue bloods and elite.
1. Bujera Fort, Udaipur
Tucked up in the Aravalli Hills, just a 20-minute drive from Udaipur in the western state of Rajasthan, lies this luxurious, handsome fort. A true design-lover’s dream, the property features antiques, an incredible collection of artwork and sprawling gardens to lose yourself in. Constructed with tradition in mind, it features 86 hand-carved stone columns and jharokas (overhanging enclosed balconies) crafted in local stone.
Bujera Fort
2. Haveli Dharampura, Delhi
Haveli Dharampura in Delhi is a meticulously restored mansion reportedly built in 1887. It is said to have served as the grand home of one of the city’s Muslim noblemen. Its original design features are heavily influenced by the architectural style of the Mughal Empire, which was dissolved in 1857. These days, the abode feels miles away from the hustle and bustle of the dense, heady Indian capital it is located in. Its 14 rooms are decorated in traditional style and the shared areas such as the courtyards, rooftop area and archways have all been lovingly restored. Grab a bite to eat at Lakhori restaurant – featuring food inspired by Old Delhi’s Chandni Chowk streets which sold spices, dried fruit and Indian sweets – for a snapshot of what the good life must have felt like in Delhi during the 19th century.
3. RAAS Jodhpur
Immerse yourself in history at RAAS Jodhpur, which was built around an 18th-century haveli in this ancient city in Rajasthan. Many of its original structures, such as the darikhana (previously the Chamber of Carpets) and the baradari (which once served as the owner’s personal entertainment pavilion) are now iconic dining establishments in the hotel. The pièce de résistance though is the sublime view of Mehrangarh Fort which is perched up on the hill overlooking the famous “blue city” below.
Raas, Jodphur. Photo credit: Shutterstock
4. Neemrana Fort-Palace, Alwar
Just a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Delhi is the incredible Neemrana Fort-Palace. Built in 1464, the fort was restored from ruins and now plays host to guests who appreciate accommodation steeped in history. Boasting nine wings and 74 rooms and suites, the fort is nothing short of epic. We recommend exploring the 18th-century Neemrana stepwell, a huge manmade chasm that was previously used to harvest water and is still a marvel to behold.
Neemerama Fort-Palace
5. Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai
With its opulent design and attentive staff, it’s easy to feel transported at the Taj Mahal Palace. Built in 1903, 21 years before the famous Gateway of India, Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai is a tourist attraction in itself as a landmark building of the Bombay Harbour. It was also the first Indian hotel to have electricity, as well as to house the city’s first licensed bar. If you do stay here, be sure to take the complimentary hotel tour to soak up the incredible history of the palace, which has also played host to famous guests such as Muhammad Ali and the Obamas.
The Taj Mahal Hotel Mumbai
6. Samode Palace, Jaipur
Built in the 19th century in the pink-hued capital of Rajasthan, Samode Palace is a great representation of the regal Indo-Saracenic architecture – combining Indian and Mughal styles – that abounds in this city. An hour and a half’s drive outside of Jaipur, the palace offers breathtaking views of the Aravalli range as well as luxurious accommodations featuring oversized tubs, private balconies and, in the case of the four royal suites, private courtyards. Take a dip in the marble and mosaic-decorated outdoor pool, or head up to the rooftop where an infinity pool and Jacuzzi await.
Samode Palace. Photo credit: Shutterstock.com
7. Vivaana Culture Hotel, Mandawa
An artfully restored twin haveli from the 19th century, Vivaana Culture Hotel is located in a small town around 200km from Jaipur and features carved pillars, hand-painted frescos and colourful stained-glass windows in almost every corner. It’s easy to feel transported back in time while sipping on piping hot local tea in one of the lavishly decorated dining areas. Learn more about the area’s history from its daily cultural shows, or head to the Elephant House Spa for a traditional Ayurvedic treatment like shirodhara, where warm oil is gently poured over the forehead.
Vivaana Culture Hotel
Please check the establishments’ respective websites for opening hours as well as booking requirements before visiting, and remember to adhere to safe-distancing measures while out and about.
The information is accurate as of press time. For the latest travel advisory updates, please refer to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website.
Home to colonial bungalows for railway officers, as well as tree-lined avenues dotted with schools and colleges, the former residential area of Nungambakkam in central Chennai has become an upscale lifestyle destination. Nungambakkam is where you’ll find the best bars and restaurants. At its epicentre is where you’ll find Khader Nawaz Khan Road (KNK Road for short) – lined with cafés, designer boutiques and art galleries. Check out suggestions for the top places to check out in Chennai’s hippest neighbourhood.
1. Contemporary cafe serving locally produced ice cream
Tucked down a dead-end street, Amadora Gourmet Ice Cream is set up in a bright and airy shop, featuring tree trunk-shaped tables. They use the freshest ingredients from local producers. to make ice cream cakes as well as over 200 gourmet ice cream and sorbet flavours. Make sure to try the chocolate cake with salted caramel and the dark chocolate sorbet.
Amadora Gourmet Ice Cream sources their ingredients from all over India
2. One of the city’s oldest privately owned art galleries
Nestled in a tiny lane, Apparao Galleries is one of Chennai’s oldest privately owned art galleries. Started in 1984 by local artist and collector Sharan Apparao, the gallery’s walls showcase paintings, ceramics and sculptures from up-and-coming Indian artists. The gallery also hosts workshops covering everything from art appreciation to using art to explore emotions. Recent exhibitions have featured glass sculptor Anjali Venkat and the drawings of celebrated artist Ganesh Pyne.
Apparao Galleries is a great place to view contemporary art in Chennai
3. Boutique filled with artisanal goods
Lifestyle store Naturally Auroville Boutique stocks the best artisanal goods from Auroville, a commune in Tamil Nadu. They are known for handmade products, from herbal cosmetics and scented candles to furniture, lamps, chocolates and cheese. Stroll past the small lotus pond in front and into the store to check out the organic body scrubs, soap bars and coconut oil. They also stock silk stoles, shawls and notebooks made out of cotton and biodegradable material – all of which make great gifts.
Naturally Auroville Boutique also sells vegan cookies and chocolates
4. A menu crafted in Singapore and prepared in India
Nasi and Mee literally translates to “rice and noodles” in Bahasa. The restaurant is located on the first floor of a nondescript building on KNK Road. With a live kitchen at one end, the establishment’s canteen-style décor is accentuated by industrial-chic furniture and a colourful mural of a man eating noodles. Part of a South Indian chain started by a fourth-generation Malaysian Indian, Nasi and Mee shares this heritage through its rich fusion menu of dishes from Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia. That means everything from Thai Massaman curry and dim sum to lotus stem with honey and chilli.
N&M Nasi Goreng comes with a fried egg, satay, cucumbe, and keropok
5. Boutique hotel featuring vintage art
Offering just six rooms – each named after Indian flowers – Ikhaya Artisanal Boutique House is all about vintage art, designer wallpaper, fourposter beds and rug-strewn wooden floors. The rooms are surrounded by a tranquil garden, a respite from the hubbub of Chennai. You can dine at Nolita, the chic in-house restaurant and pizzeria that draws its name and inspiration from the New York neighbourhood famous for its Neapolitan-style pizza.
Ikhaya Artisanal Boutique House features six spacious rooms
Please check the establishments’ respective websites for opening hours as well as booking requirements before visiting, and remember to adhere to safe-distancing measures while out and about.
The information is accurate as of press time. For the latest travel advisory updates, please refer to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website.
India’s art scene has been gaining momentum over the years and some of the most exciting galleries and museums can be found in Mumbai. From a new institution dedicated to Bollywood movies and modern galleries to the oldest museums in the city, Mumbai is filled with fantastic art galleries waiting to be explored.
1. Check out cutting-edge exhibitions in an old metal printing press building
Housed in a century-old printing press in Colaba’s northeast, Project 88 was renovated into an art space by renowned architect Rahul Mehrotra in 2006. This 372m2 gallery focuses on showcasing avant-garde work by bold, young artists such as the Raqs Media Collective or the internationally acclaimed Otolith Group. A case in point was “Blurred Lines”, an exhibition it hosted in 2019 by Australian artist Maggie Baxter, who collaborated with block printers and embroiderers from the Indian region of Kutch to create textile artworks that address ideas of dissonance, arbitrariness and perfection. This month, you can look forward to a solo exhibition by Mahesh Baliga who is known for depicting the absurdity in everyday life through his paintings and sculptures.
Project 88 showcases avant-garde work by bold artists
2. Visit the oldest Museum in Mumbai
First opening to the public on its current site in 1872,Dr Bhau Daji Lad Mumbai City Museum is the oldest museum in the city and resides in the neighbourhood of Byculla. In the early 2000s, its Victorian structure underwent a five-year restoration, winning a Unesco Award of Excellence for its efforts in cultural conservation. Housing over 15,000 objects within a 1,300m2 space, the museum’s highlights include the popular decorative and fine arts collection, which includes maps, clay models, silver objects and a magnificent statue of an elephant. The museum also collaborates with distinguished Indian artists such as Sudarshan Shetty, Jitish Kallat and Thukral and Tagra as part of its “Engaging Traditions” programme where it invites artists to respond to the musuem’s existing collections. A little-known fact is that under the museum’s foundation stone lies a time capsule containing copies of Mumbai newspapers published in November 1862, coins that were in use back then and documents signed by the founders of the museum.
Dr Bhau Daji Lad’s Victorian structure underwent a five-year restoration in the early 2000s. Photo credit: saiko3p/shutterstock.com
3. Learn about the journey of Indian cinema
The Indian film industry produces more than 1,500 movies a year, more than any other country. So, it was fitting that the National Museum of Indian Cinema (NMIC) opened in Mumbai – the home of Bollywood – in January 2019. The museum is housed in two buildings off Peddar Road, a trendy thoroughfare lined with upscale fashion boutiques. The Gulshan Mahal, a heritage bungalow, has eight exhibit halls celebrating Indian cinema through the ages, from silent films to the time of the Partition and even New Wave cinema. The hand-painted movie posters and black-and-white film reels here evoke a strong sense of nostalgia. Adjacent to the main building, a newly built glass annexe known as the New Museum Building has a “Gandhi & Cinema” exhibit, an interactive Children’s Film Studio as well as an entire floor dedicated to film technology featuring cameras, lenses and lighting apparatus.
The National Museum of Indian Cinema holds many precious memories of how India’s film industry has grown over the decades
4. Explore contemporary Indian art in the historic Fort area
Founded in 1963 by couple Kekoo and Khorshed Gandhy, known as pioneers in raising the visibility of contemporary Indian art, it was rebranded as Chemould Prescott Road in 2007 after their daughter Shireen took over and moved the organisation to a 465m2 loft space in the historic Fort area flush with architecture from the colonial era. It specialises in displaying the big names in contemporary Indian art such as MF Husain, SH Raza and Nalini Malani, however, Shireen is keen to make art more accessible to everyone. In 2019, she curated the groundbreaking exhibition “Modus Operandi”, which put the art of 25 of India’s top contemporary artists up for sale at affordable prices for young and inexperienced collectors. More recently, they have featured work from NS Harsha, an artist from Mysore whose paintings, floor works and installations depict life in a small town. Harsha marries brush techniques from ancient Indian miniature schools with a Pop Art aesthetic to create art that is complex and colourful.
Chemould Prescott Road is in the historic Fort area and is housed within architecture from the colonial era
5. Get a glimpse of Indian history from this underground shelter
Set among woodland and surrounded by the crashing Arabian Sea on three sides, Mumbai’s Governor’s House, also known as Raj Bhavan, is a true architectural gem. In 2016, then-governor C Vidyasagar Rao discovered an underground British-era bunker during an evening walk through the vast grounds. The massive 1,395m2 space has since been restored and was inaugurated as the Bunker Museum in August 2019. Visit and see models of cannons and soldiers, experience virtual reality booths and listen to historical anecdotes about India’s struggle for freedom. For photo opportunities, there’s also a section that creates the optical illusion of a bunker of infinite length.
6. Discover Indian talent in a modern setting
Chatterjee & Lal was founded in 2003 by husband-and-wife duo Mortimer Chatterjee and Tara Lal. This tiny one-room gallery in Colaba first made headlines when it showcased Nikhil Chopra, a performance artist, in 2007, where he remained confined to a room in the gallery building for three days and nights and, taking on the role of a character, made a drawing of the iconic Mumbai view seen from the rooftop of Kamal Mansion. They’re known for discovering exciting Indian talent such as Gagan Singh (known for his cartoons on human sexuality) and Minam Apang (who creates charcoal and ink paintings about Northeast India) and also hosting retrospectives of esteemed late artists such as Amrita Sher-Gil and Nasreen Mohamedi. This month, they will be hosting the work of Riten Mozumdar, previously the head designer of Indian lifestyle brand Fabindia, in a show that focuses on prized Indian textiles and clothing.
Chatterjee & Lal is known for discovering exciting Indian talent
7. Make time for one of India’s finest art and history museums
With a world-class collection of over 50,000 artefacts and paintings and even two digital collections, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS) is considered one of India’s finest art and history museums. It was designed by George Wittet in 1909 in the Indo-Saracenic style, which melds traditional Indian architecture with the Western Gothic aesthetic. Worth a special mention is their Children’s Museum, which launched in March 2019 and was curated by 25 kids between the ages of eight and 15. The child-friendly exhibits cover themes such as courage, teamwork and friendship. The 555m2 glass enclosure sits among mango, palm and baobab trees and will host storytelling sessions, poetry clubs and even performances at an adjoining amphitheatre.
The exterior of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya. Photo credit: Damian Pankowiec/shutterstock.com
8. Swing by this contemporary art gallery at Dhanraj Mahal
A new entrant to Mumbai’s art scene, TARQ was conceptualised as an art laboratory inside Dhanraj Mahal – one of the city’s most iconic Art Deco buildings. Founder Hena Kapadia nurtures young, experimental artists such as Nibha Sikander, Ronny Sen and Apnavi Makanji whose works push the boundaries of how contemporary art is perceived in India. This month, there’s a solo exhibition by Vishwa Shroff, who represents architectural forms through pensive pen and pencil drawings. Make sure to also check out their superb programming that includes film screenings, theatre performances, live music gigs and, recently, a zine-making workshop with local design house Bombay Duck Designs.
Tarq hosts many forms of contemporary art installations that are unconventional and boundary-pushing
Please check the establishments’ respective websites for opening hours as well as booking requirements before visiting, and remember to adhere to safe-distancing measures while out and about.
The information is accurate as of press time. For the latest travel advisory updates, please refer to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website.
