A Weekend of Good in Bangalore

After you’ve checked in, make your way to Sadashiv Nagar’s JustBe – Bangalore’s first plant-based whole food restaurant. Located off a busy street and housed within a gated compound, the environs quickly transport you to a serene world. It offers a range of non-refined, non-processed yet diverse options —  the beetroot-based Pink Falafel Sandwich and the Pink Papaya Smoothie make for a refreshing lunch, while the millet and whole wheat pizzas are highly recommended. Stocked with board games, books and designated spaces for sound healing, meditation and yoga, JustBe is an endearing haunt, whether you’re travelling solo or with company.

Fuelled up, you can head over to Bangalore Palace at the heart of the city. It is said that King Chamaraja was so awestruck by Windsor Castle that he had the Tudor-style palace built in 1887. The ballroom, the durbar (assembly hall) and the many paintings that adorn the walls of the palace are the notable highlights. Do enquire about the audio guide before initiating your tour.

• Experiences

Eat well at this plant-based cafe

• Just Be

Hop into an auto rickshaw and head south to channel your inner creative genius while supporting the regional art scene at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath. The visual arts complex has 18 galleries devoted to paintings, photography and folk art. It also offers a space for artists and artisans to showcase and sell their work, and hosts frequent flea markets, making it a worthy stop any given day of the week. 

If you fancy a snack, the canteen (run by the Kamat chain of hotels) does not disappoint: fluffy idlis (rice flour cakes) and buttery masala dosas (thin pancakes filled with spiced potatoes), which also happen to be vegan, await.

• Experiences

Explore Bangalore's artistic side

• Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath

Beat the traffic by taking the Metro from Mantri Square Sampige Road station and get to Mahatma Gandhi Road station. Bangalore’s M.G. Road is one among the city’s most bustling areas, with its markets, commercial avenues and finest of eateries.

Consider stopping at the Cauvery Handicrafts Emporium. Established and run by the government of Karnataka state, this is the place to sate your itch for handmade and handcrafted local arts and crafts such as wood carvings, metal crafts and lacquerware. The initiative sees artisans in the state supported with training and market connections, as well as raw materials at subsidised rates.

The road also runs past Cubbon Park, one of the city’s green lungs spread over 300 acres, and home to over 6,000 trees, for a breather. And under a kilometre away on St Mark’s Road is Koshy’s where one can spend a couple of hours over food and drinks while being transported to a bygone era. A family-owned establishment run by its third generation, Koshy’s began as a bakery in 1940 and has hosted visitors including dignitaries like the late Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and the Queen of England. Do try their potato smileys!

• Experiences

Shop for crafts sourced from all over Karnataka

• Cauvery Handicrafts Emporium

Early birds, don’t miss Bangalore’s Krishna Rajendra Market, better known as KR Market, which can be reached via the Metro (stop at Chickpet). Renowned for its huge flower market, this wholesale market is a visual treat for the discerning traveller who enjoys observing a city’s underbelly. It’s best to trust your feet guide to you through the order in the clamour – so wear comfortable footwear and don’t forget your camera. KR Market sits on a site that was once the battleground for the Anglo-Mysore wars. 

• Experiences

Wander through Bangalore's most bustling market

• Krishna Rajendra Market

Recover from the sensory overload and reward the body with breakfast at MTR — short for Mavalli Tiffin Rooms — just south of KR Market. 

A 1920s establishment, MTR is that quintessential Udipi restaurant for those seeking authentic experiences in the city, a haunt for locals and tourists alike. The simple setting belies the lively atmosphere and sheer delightfulness of the food: try the rava idli, an MTR invention of steamed semolina cakes, or bisibele bhath, a rice dish with tamarind, lentils and vegetables. MTR is also a good lunch option if you skip it in favour of seeing the sights first. 

Next, stroll through the Lalbagh Botanical Gardens known not just for its collection of the rarest plants and trees but also its avian residents. Lalbagh was spearheaded by Hyder Ali and completed by his son Tipu Sultan. The glass-house dating from 1889 is unmissable.

Next, check out Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace. Built entirely from teak wood, stone and mortar in 1791, its ceilings and the walls bear remnants of floral motifs, painstakingly detailed. Reflecting Indo-Islamic architecture, the rooms on the ground floor of the palace have been converted into a mini-museum offering insights into the life of Tipu Sultan. A sign-board in Farsi at the entrance reads: “Abode of happiness and envy of heaven”.

A mere stone’s throw away (450m) is the Bangalore Fort, also known as Tipu’s Fort. Its construction as a mud fort is believed to have begun around the 1530s by Kempe Gowda I, (considered the founder of modern day Bangalore). Later, Haider Ali, the father of Tipu Sultan,  is believed to have replaced it with a stone one in 1761. Only a part of the fort remains intact. Entry is free.

In the afternoon, indulge in some retail therapy. Walk towards KR Market Metro station and head to South End Circle to get to DESI, short for Developing Ecologically Sustainable Industry. An urban marketplace for handmade and handcrafted rural products, DESI was set up so that the weavers of Charaka, a handloom cooperative working with rural artisans in the district of Shimoga, would have a space to sell their handcrafted wares.

Converted from an old house, the DESI flagship store itself is a lovely space — the red oxidised floor is a beautiful highlight — and it carries a range of eco-friendly wares, like clothing, scarves and quilts produced without chemicals. 

• Experiences

Shop for rural crafts in an urban marketplace

• DESI

Next, make your way back to the South End Circle metro stop and head further south to the Rashtreeya Vidyalaya Road stop. There, you’ll find a haven for all things local, sustainable and healthy — Go Native. Also housed in a space converted from a former residence, the restaurant and store offers delectable delights and an array of products sourced from over 50 local organisations.

Its retail area offers apparel, household decor, handmade soaps and oils as well as upcycled and handcrafted furniture. All are created with organisations who offer environmentally-conscious alternatives to products consumed on a daily basis. 

The restaurant on the upper floor opens out to the balcony area nestled in the canopy of trees, providing a peaceful spot  to wind down for the day with dinner, with local dishes created from locally-grown, pesticide-free produce, and presented with a modern twist. If you go in the afternoon, it's also a great spot for enjoying a book or chatting with friends. 

• Experiences

Go back to nature at this restaurant-boutique

• Go Native

If you’ve picked up an appreciation for the clean living and farm-to-table dining wave that’s sweeping Bangalore, Ragi Kana is a good place to delve deeper. 

Held weekly in a school in south Bangalore, Ragi Kana sees local cooperatives come together to hold workshops and talks, amidst a market in which you can buy their wares.

The year-old volunteer-driven initiative is aimed at reducing the rural-urban divide through dialogue, and talks range in topic from sustainability to civic issues. Workshops include cooking, block printing, theatre, gourd art and weaving. The initiative is spearheaded by Mr Prasanna, who also started Charaka and DESI.

• Experiences

Shop at a market that's reviving village life

• Ragi Kana

Make your way back to the city and get to Koramangala to round up your stay with a unique lunch experience at Echoes.

Warm and earthy in vibe, Echoes is also warm-hearted: it hires people with speech and hearing impairment, to provide a dignified livelihood to those with disabilities. It has two outlets, one in New Delhi and one in Bangalore, and it hires its staff through local NGO partners. 

The tables at Echoes have cue cards and patrons order by writing down the number assigned to each dish. Every table has a lamp to be flicked to catch the attention of servers, who rely on visual cues. And as for the menu, the Classic Butter Chicken Thali, the Tandoori Momos and the Ferrero Rocher Shake should not be missed. 

• Experiences

Support dignity with your delicious meal

• Echoes