Home — Dining
One kitchen, three rooms, all day long.
Kachnar is the house kitchen. It cooks breakfast in the garden, lunch on the veranda and dinner indoors — from the same short menu, using what the mandi had that morning.
Introduction
Named after the orchid tree in the courtyard.
The kachnar in the courtyard is older than the house. It flowers in February and March, and for those two months the kitchen puts the buds into a salad with mustard oil and lemon — the only dish on the menu that is genuinely seasonal to the point of disappearing.
Everything else follows the same logic. The menu is short because the kitchen is small — one head chef, one tandoor, one section for the Western plates. It changes with the market, which means some things you read about here may not be available on the night you visit.
The Restaurant
A room that used to be the drawing room.
Kachnar seats twenty-eight across two rooms. The main dining room is the old drawing room — high ceiling, deep green walls, terrazzo floor and a long window onto the garden. The second room is smaller and quieter, and is where most people ask to sit.
The bar is twelve seats along one wall, open from six. It serves a short list of classics, a house gin and tonic with curry leaf, and Indian wines by the glass — including a few from Nashik and Akluj that are worth trying.
- 07–11Breakfast · garden & dining room
- 12–15Lunch · veranda & dining room
- 15–19All-day plates · bar & garden
- 19–23Dinner · dining room & bar
Breakfast
Served in the garden until noon.
Breakfast is the meal the house is known for. It is cooked to order — no buffet, no warming trays — and it runs from seven in the morning until twelve, which means you can sleep in and still eat properly.
In the cool months, tables are set under the jackfruit tree. In summer, breakfast moves to the covered veranda and the ceiling fans. If you'd rather not see anyone before ten, we'll bring the whole thing to your terrace at no extra charge.
Included in every room rate. Non-residents welcome at ₹1,450 per person, subject to space.
Private Dining
The Garden Room, for fourteen.
A separate room off the courtyard with its own door, its own table and no through traffic. Used for birthdays, board dinners, book launches and the occasional very long lunch.
Set menus are written with the chef two weeks ahead and change with the season. We can do a full Indian table, a lighter Mediterranean menu, or something in between. Wine pairings from the bar list are available.
- 14Seated at one table
- 20Standing reception
- ₹3,500Per head, set menu, from
- 2 wksNotice preferred
Menu Highlights
A short menu, changed often.
A sample of what the kitchen is cooking this season. Dishes rotate; the dal is always there.
All prices in INR, exclusive of applicable taxes. The menu changes with the market — please tell us about allergies or dietary requirements when you book.
Atmosphere
Quiet, warm, unhurried.
Candles rather than downlights. A record player in the corner, playing at conversational volume. No music after eleven.
Reservations
Book a table at Kachnar.
Tables are held for fifteen minutes. For parties of seven or more, please write to us directly and we'll confirm by reply. The garden is only bookable in the cooler months.
Also at the House
Stay the night, eat downstairs.
Guests of the house get first call on garden tables and a standing invitation to the bar. Breakfast is included in every room rate.