New Knightsbridge Indian restaurant to open

Six months after the closure of ill-fated Knightsbridge restaurant Geode, a new restaurant will open on the site in November.

Opened in September 2023, Geode promised to be something of a hidden gem. Led by Salvatore Broccu and Marios Louvaris, formerly of Novikov Group, the restaurant’s premise changed before the opening, with promises of “the raw energy of vibe dining” retracted and replaced with the slightly confusing idea of a “seasonal menu reflecting Mediterranean and Asian influences”.

In spite of the change in direction, Wine List Confidential author Douglas Blyde praised the restaurant in his review, commenting: “Geode, with its brilliantly disobedient décor, …an often accessible wine, globe-trotting list, and contrasting, appealing Italo-Asian dishes, is built to please.”

But the good press did not prevent Geode’s sudden closure after only about half a year, though the restaurant’s website is still up.

Now, a new project is set to occupy 14-15 Beauchamp Place.

Vatavaran is the brainchild of chef Rohit Ghai and Abhi Sangwan. The word Vatavaran means “environment”in Hindi. Each floor will supposedly represent a different element of the Himalayan landscape, with the fourth floor being a cocktail bar called Shikhar, the Sanskrit term for “mountain peak” – Ghai’s long-time collaborator Sangwan will be handling the drinks.

It is believed that Vatavaran, which is described in staff recruitment adverts as an “upscale Indian restaurant”, will open on 7 November.

*A previous version of this article incorrectly reported that Ghai had worked with Arrow Hospitality, the group behind Geode, whereas Ghai was associated with Arrow Mayfair through the restaurants Manthan and Kutir, which is a separate company. Vatavaran has been set up independently from either group.

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