Festive Fervour in Restaurants

From timeless culinary classics, story-telling to spirited festive twists, restaurants create delightful vibes

- Gita Hari

With the onset of Indian festivals, restaurants across India organise menus that draw together comfort, creativity and celebration. Live melodies fill the air, and thoughtfully crafted festive drinks invite guests to raise a toast to the season, with engaging and absorbing elements thrown in for good measure.

Thali Eateries

Presently, people enjoy dining out on occasions for good food, innovative beverages, folklore, unique events and absorbing activities. This has become a part of contemporary celebrations in a space that balances playful sophistication with traditional practices. Places like Maharaja Bhog, Shree Thakker Bhojanalay, Golden Star and other thali restaurants serve traditional fare. Khandani Rajdhani serves in gleaming thalis placed on rich textile, rimmed with marigold flowers and rose petals, lit diyas, welcoming guests with arti and tilak. While some offer dandiya sticks as take-away to female guests during Navratri, some others present floral tributes or mithai parcels for Diwali, with live folk music where vintage décor sets the tone for celebratory meals.

Regional Cuisine Restaurants

As the city comes alive with lights, colours and festive cheer, it brings along the best ideas to indulge in time-honoured culinary experiences. TAT, the coastal-cuisine restaurant in Vikhroli, Mumbai, helmed by Chef Sudhir Pai, makes it a point to celebrate all Hindu festivals. Bangla geet playing in the background and guests greeted in true Indian style with tilak, TAT’s Durga Pujo thali was well received by all those who relished the region’s delicacies like bhaja, poshto, Luchi, cholar dal, ilish shorshe, doi maach, nolengurer sondesh, mishti doi and more. Their Onam sadhya with its ethnic décor, jasmine mala for women, authentic Kerala cuisine and chenda melam beats was noteworthy.