Fine dining in India has shifted dramatically. What once meant dressing up for a five-star hotel is now shaped by standalone restaurants that are bolder, more experimental, and at the centre of culinary buzz. And in an unexpected twist, some of the most talked-about spots today are tiny,  intimate 10 to 18 seaters, like Naar in Kasauli or Papa’s in Mumbai — where chefs are reimagining what a dining experience can be.In this episode of our occasional series on Indulgence, host Sandip Roy speaks to three restaurateurs featured in this year’s Condé Nast Traveller Top 50:

Gauri Devidayal, entrepreneur and restaurateur, co-founded The Table in Mumbai, as well as brands like Mag St. Bread Co., Iktara, and Magazine St. Kitchen. 

Shuli Ghosh, co-founder and creative force behind Sienna Calcutta. 

Yash Bhanage, founder and COO of Hunger Inc. Hospitality Pvt. Ltd., the company behind restaurants such as The Bombay Canteen, O Pedro, Bombay Sweet Shop, Veronica’s, and Papa’s.

Produced by Shashank Bhargava
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar