Samyukta Nair Makes Her India Restaurant Debut with Ex-Swati Snacks’ Karan Shah Through Makaan

Restaurateur Samyukta Nair behind LSL Capital joins hands with Karan Shah who brings years of experience helming the iconic Swati Snack, to launch Makaan, a new vegetarian dining destination celebrating Gujarati hospitality.

Located in Juhu, Mumbai, the restaurant will be opening its doors for customers on October 20, 2026.

Inspired by the warmth, generosity and easy chaos of a Gujarati household, Makaan is a place where conversations overlap, food keeps arriving and there is always room for one more. Beyond regional Gujarati cooking, it captures the spirit of home, taking its name from the simple idea that a house becomes a home when people fill it.

The partnership brings together Karan’s deep understanding of Gujarati cuisine and hospitality with Samyukta’s family legacy in Indian luxury hospitality and her own decade of experience building restaurants internationally.

Her first restaurant project in India, Makaan draws on her ability to translate cultural identity into a contemporary dining experience.

“Makaan is our way of giving Gujarati hospitality a home of its own in Mumbai. Food is an expression of affection in our homes, and that spirit shapes everything here, from the cooking to the way we welcome our guests, “shared Karan Shah, Founder of Makaan.

For Samyukta, the connection is equally personal. Having spent her early childhood in Juhu, often in the homes of Gujarati friends, she grew up with a fondness for both the food and the way it was shared. Returning to the neighbourhood with Makaan brings that familiar warmth to a table open to all of Mumbai.

“Makaan feels like a homecoming in more ways than one. I spent my early school years in Juhu, welcomed into Gujarati friends’ homes where there was always room for one more at the table. Returning to India and building Makaan with Karan, whose family has long been close to mine and a friendship that grew through our shared love of food, brings that story to a full circle. Together, we hope to share that same warmth and generosity, making every guest feel like a part of the Makaan family,” added Samyukta Nair, Co-Founder of Makaan.

Some of the highlights in the menu include; Locho, the soft, steamed Surat speciality served with butter, spices, sev and onion; Pudla, a savoury gram-flour pancake; and Panki. These sit alongside Dahi Batata Puri, Fada Khichdi, Satpadi Roti with Gatta Shak, and Vatana Muthiya with Pudina Roti. To finish, soft serves in Shrikhand and Kesar Pista flavours bring a playful touch to familiar sweets.

The menu follows the seasons, with ingredients such as ponk, kand, surti papdi and green tuvar appearing as they become available. Fruits including mango, custard apple, strawberry and guava add further seasonal variety.

The drinks draw from the same household repertoire: pudina chaas, limbu pani, sugarcane juice and tender coconut. Simple and refreshing, they are a natural accompaniment to the food.

Designed by Esha Pandya x Design Practice, Makaan draws on the warmth and texture of a lived-in Gujarati home. A terracotta palette moves from pale clay to deep earth, while bandhani accents reference Gujarat’s textile traditions, reinterpreted in muted, earthy tones.

With 58 covers across indoor and outdoor seating, the restaurant is conceived as an intimate, communal space. The interiors set the scene for conversations, laughter and food passed around the table, giving life to the belief behind its name: a house becomes a home when people fill it.