24 Hours in Bangalore

24 Hours in Bangalore: Where to Stay, Eat, Chill and More

I’ve often thought that a nomad like me is just not cut out to enjoy a city. Time and again, my two years in Delhi reinforced that belief. But when I decided to pack my bags and make the road my home (Read: I’m Hitting The Road, Indefinitely), something unexpected happened; I fell in love with Bangalore. Even on a summer afternoon, Bangalore was a breath of fresh air. People hung out on the streets, quaint cafes lurked around every corner, breweries served up handcrafted beers, and the cool weather was perfect for pleasant strolls. Here’s my ode to the city, and a lowdown for your next trip to Bangalore:

WHERE TO STAY

• Lemon Tree Hotel 

Bangalore’s Lemon Tree Hotel Electronics City is a 15-minute drive from Koramangala district. It is 25 km from the railway station and 63 km from Bengaluru International Airport.
Offering modern Indian-style rooms, Lemon Tree Hotel Electronics City, Bengaluru provides comfortable accommodation with access to an outdoor pool and gym. Providing free parking, it has a 24-hour cafe.

• I’ve gone back and checked i low as INR 2500 per night on Bag2Bag.in, really excellent value for money!

MORNING BITES

• Au Bon Pain, Brigade Road. Most coffee shops open around 10 am, but if you find yourself walking the streets in the wee hours of the morning, grab a bite at this gourmet bakery (opens at 7 am). The freshly prepared basil pesto and cheese croissant and the mango smoothie are must tries.

FOR LUNCH

• Meghana Foods, Residency Road. Literally a stone’s throw away from Roerich Grand Hotel is this busy biryani joint. It serves some of the best vegetarian biryani I’ve ever tasted, complete with curry and raita, on a banana leaf. I loved it so much, I had it twice in two days.
• BonSouth, Koramangala. What a treat! For some 500 rupees, you get an all-you-can-eat buffet, and I loved the vegetarian starters (south Indian flavors, don’t ask me names yet) so much that I barely had space for the main course. The staff was lovely, and came chasing after us when we were leaving – no tipping allowed! Seriously, don’t miss it.

FREE WIFI

• Starbucks, Church Street. Bangalore’s first Starbucks opened in the heart of the city and I love it. Spacious and varied seating upstairs, fast and free Wifi, lots of charging points, yummy frappuccinos and plenty of opportunities to eavesdrop on interesting conversations.
• Arbor Brewing Company, Magrath Road. If your creativity flows with beer, this microbrewery for you. The food is nothing to write home about, but the beers are refreshing and the ambiance is awesome even during the day.

JUST TO CHILL

•  Green Theory Cafe, Convent Road. An oasis in the middle of the city, this is your break from city life (not that you’ll need one in Bangalore, atleast in your first 24 hours!). With leafy green surroundings, this vegetarian / vegan cafe serves up delicious nachos and pizzas, cooked using organic ingredients.
• Matteo Coffea, Church Street. With an alfresco sit-out for people watching, Matteo seems to be a favorite among locals. There’s free Wifi too, but don’t expect to get much done with no charging points.

GRAB A BEER

• The Biere Club, Lavelle Road. An after-work hangout of choice, this microbrewery has a chirpy ambiance, complete with funky wall paintings, a rustic bar, and a whole range of in-house brews to sample.
• Toit, 100 Feet Road. Not one I had the chance to try, but it came highly recommended from my Facebook and Twitter networks. Good beers, great ambiance, they say

FOR DINNER

• Mavalli Tiffin Rooms (MTR), Lalbagh Road. I didn’t have the time to try it, but they say it has the best South Indian food in town, and possibly all of India!
• The Glass House, Lavelle Road. A classy hideout in the center of the city yet away from it all. We hung out for hours on the glass deck upstairs, sampling drinks and indulging in the eggplant-pesto starter.