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AI generated summary, newsroom reviewed
India's fine-dining scene has seen a new wave of openings that place regional ingredients, specialised menus and chef-led experiences at the centre of the meal. In 2026, Delhi welcomed Gaggan Anand's first permanent Indian restaurant, while Bengaluru introduced a tasting-menu restaurant exploring the country's lesser-known food traditions. Kolkata and Chennai have also seen new restaurants built around distinct culinary identities. For diners looking to explore these openings without exceeding Rs 15,000 per person on food, these five restaurants are worth considering.
Price: Rs 11,111 per person, plus taxes
Chef Gaggan Anand opened rāga on Janpath Road on August 26, 2026, marking his return to India's restaurant scene with a permanent address after years of working in Bangkok. The restaurant serves a single 22-course Indian tasting menu, with dishes that reinterpret familiar preparations through contemporary techniques. The menu includes a reworked Bombay sandwich, bhetki paturi and a modern interpretation of nihari. Co-founded with chef Rydo Anton, rāga is designed around two dinner seatings each evening, with a limited number of covers. At Rs 11,111 per person before taxes, the tasting menu fits the budget, although beverages are charged separately.
Prices: Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,350 per person excluding taxes and alcohol.
La Panthera opened its second Mumbai restaurant in September 2026, taking its Spanish-inspired menu to the heritage Eros Cinema precinct in Churchgate. Founded by chef Manuel Olveira and Mickee Tuljapurkar, the restaurant's new outpost has a more restrained Art Deco-inspired interior than its original BKC address. The menu includes Spanish pintxos, ham and cauliflower croquettes, pan con tomate, seafood preparations and wood-fired dishes. The open kitchen places the cooking in view of diners, while the bar focuses on aperitivo-style drinks. With a menu that combines Spanish techniques and premium ingredients, the new address is worth exploring for a special-occasion meal.
Price: Rs 4,550 per person, plus taxes, for the 12-course tasting menu at launch.
Nila opened on Cambridge Road in Bengaluru on January 30, 2026, with chef Rahul Sharma at the helm. The 24-seat restaurant serves a single tasting menu that explores India's regional food traditions, beginning with Nagaland and moving to a Kerala backwaters-inspired menu in its subsequent chapter. Rather than recreating familiar dishes, Sharma works with regional ingredients, fermentation, smoking and other techniques to explore the food cultures behind them. The Kerala menu featured ingredients such as Varara and Gandhakasala rice, Mariyur jaggery and Kotturkonam mango. The restaurant changes its menu periodically, making each chapter a distinct dining experience.
Price: Rs 4,500 per person, including government taxes and service charge.
Rannaghor is an eight-seat chef's table in Hindustan Park, created by Sienna Calcutta. Its 13-course tasting menu explores Bengali cuisine through regional ingredients, traditional preparations and contemporary techniques. Chefs Avinandan Kundu and Koyel Roy Nandy build the experience around dishes that reference Bengal's culinary traditions, including bitter gourd and elephant foot yam, freshwater fish and other local ingredients. The restaurant also uses handmade crockery produced by Sienna's pottery studio, bringing its focus on regional craftsmanship to the table. Dinner reservations are available from Friday to Sunday, and the limited seating makes advance booking essential.
Price: From Rs 1,250 per person for the six-course Root menu; taxes extra.
Firo opened in RA Puram in September 2025, with chefs Ajit Bangera and Abhishek Mody developing a contemporary Indian menu built around familiar ingredients and regional references. Its tasting menus include The Root, a six-course progression, and The Fire, a seven-course menu. For a longer experience, the restaurant also offers The Chef's Edit, a nine-course tasting sequence available for the full table with 24 hours' notice. Dishes include Anjeer Dhokli, Morel Tempura and the restaurant's reinterpretation of butter chicken. The menus are available in vegetarian and non-vegetarian formats, with each course designed to retain its Indian flavour profile while using contemporary techniques.