Restaurant India News: Chef Kunal Kapur Launches Pincode Bengaluru Restaurant

Kunal Kapur has announced the launch of Pincode Bengaluru, marking the brand’s entry into the city as part of its ongoing expansion in India’s dining segment. The restaurant concept focuses on presenting regional Indian cuisine through a structured and experience-driven format.

Pincode, positioned as a Michelin star restaurant concept, builds its menu around culinary insights gathered from different parts of the country. The Bengaluru outlet continues this approach, drawing from the chef’s experiences across small towns, urban centres, and traditional food settings. The offering combines familiar regional dishes with updated techniques and presentation formats.

The Bengaluru launch is also linked to Chef Kunal’s early career, with the city playing a role in his professional development. Industry observers note that the city’s dining market continues to support both regional formats and experimental concepts, making it a relevant location for such expansions.

The restaurant’s design has been developed by Chetana Vij and Vikram Sharma from IDAG, with a focus on combining traditional design elements with a contemporary layout. The space includes installations, colour-led interiors, and curated elements aligned with the brand’s positioning.

The menu includes a mix of reinterpretations and standard dishes. Items such as Podi Idli Chaat, Pesto Burrata Pav Bhaji, and Kathal Galauti with Ulta Tawa Paratha are positioned as updated formats, while dishes like Punjabi Kadhi Pakora and Mutton Nihari remain closer to traditional recipes. The offering also includes pulao variants and desserts such as Pansari Kulfi.

“Bengaluru has always been a city that balances tradition with innovation,” said Chef Kunal Kapur. “Many memories of my early days as a chef are connected to this place. While working on this menu, I wanted to bring together my own childhood memories, my roots, and the strong regional identity that defines this city. The idea was to create food that feels nostalgic yet exciting, familiar yet new, while celebrating the diversity that makes Indian cuisine so extraordinary.”

Ahead of the launch, the chef reviewed Bengaluru’s food ecosystem, including neighbourhood eateries, traditional dining formats, and local vendors, to align the menu with local preferences and consumption patterns.

With this opening, Pincode continues to scale its presence in India, focusing on regional cuisine formats, operational consistency, and market-specific adaptation within the organised dining sector.