From palette to palate, enjoy dining with an artistic flair at these art-inspired restaurants in India

ART IN MOTION
Drop Dead Sexy, Assagao, Goa

Assagao’s ever-evolving culinary space has a new entrant that redefines creativity and inspires an artisanal meal. Drop Dead Sexy is where the guest doesn’t just observe art; they are the art. From the moment someone walks in, the room responds to them. The hands reach out, the eyes follow, the space pays attention — all a brainchild of co-founders Vipin Raman and Siddharth Kerkar, an artist himself. “The idea grew out of Siddharth’s long-standing exploration of participatory art. We wanted to create something that felt alive, a space that doesn’t just hold people but reacts to them emotionally,” Vipin explains. Drop Dead Sexy is designed to evolve every three months, alongside their bar programme. Each season introduces a new visual and emotional language, from large-scale installations to subtle shifts in mood and texture.

EAT, SPOT, SHOP
Arts Room, Delhi

For Navneet Randhawa Bajaj, the inspiration for his restaurant in Delhi came from her “love for Paris and contemporary European cities, where cafés, bars, and art seamlessly blend into daily life.” The result is an immersive, ever-evolving space where design, food, and ambiance come together to spark curiosity and conversation. Bold lighting, rich textures, and a mix of materials like wood, metal, mirrors, and jacquard tapestry make the Arts Room a cosy yet sophisticated space, where guests don’t just admire the art but can even buy them by simply scanning the adjacent barcode. “So far, we’ve showcased tribal art from the Gondwana Art Project, collaborated with Studio Kishangarh, featured digital photography with Yellow Korner, and even displayed carpets from Carpet Cellar,” she says.

BREAKING BREAD IN A MUSEUM
Begeterre, Gurugram

A whopping 10 ft replica of the ‘Laocoön and His Sons’ Vatican sculpture, Thomas Couture’s ‘The Romans in their Decadence’ painting, a giant poster of Raphael’s ‘The School of Athens’ fresco, and ‘Assumption of the Virgin’ by Titian are all housed in a 11,000 sqft restaurant spread over two floors. Begeterre, which offers a globally inspired menu, isn’t just an art-inspired restaurant but a museum-esque dining destination. Three butter-chicken-loving Delhi boys — Sanyam Kalra, Daksh Bali and Prateek Chaudhary — conceptualised this ambitious project, inspired by “the European Renaissance era, celebrated for its emphasis on beauty, craftsmanship, balance, and intellectual depth.”

EASEL TO TABLE
Dali & Gala, Bengaluru

Layered, theatrical, and quietly luxurious, this restaurant introduced the city to an intimate, art-led cocktail bar experience. Dali & Gala houses over 75 bespoke artworks, sculptural installations, and handcrafted copper décor pieces. The 69-seater located at The Museum is positioned as a refined yet provocative addition to Bengaluru’s evolving nightlife and cultural scene. Designed by architect Jatin Hukkeri and artist Siddharth Kerkar, the 2,500 sqft bar unfolds into distinct zones — Rose Room, Animal Room, Rooster Room, Mirror Room, and Dalí’s Library — each with its own mood and artistic language. “The inspiration came from Salvador Dalí’s unapologetic individuality and the fascinating creative partnership he shared with Gala, his [Russian-born wife] muse, collaborator, and anchor,” says Siddharth. “What intrigued us most were the deeper themes behind his work: surrealism, romance, desire, and contradiction.”

THE SURREALIST’S SPREAD
Café Dali, New Delhi

Corners that feel like an old European living room, or a relaxing library, dotted with portraits, unusual objects, dramatic chandeliers, and also a wine cellar that feels like you’ve stepped into a rustic Italian tavern… Café Dali is a vicarious trip to the streets of Florence. The art, however, is inspired by the maverick Spanish artist, Salvador Dalí, who left a deep impression on founder Prateek Gupta. “There’s something magical about how he makes the familiar feel dreamlike,’ he says. “The idea was to create layers. So every time you visit, you notice something new. That slightly theatrical, dreamlike quality, where the space feels familiar but also a little surreal — that’s my interpretation of Dalí inside a restaurant.”

A MOVING CANVAS
The Qube, The Leela Palace New Delhi

At The Qube, it’s not just the fare that changes between meals, but the artworks, too. The cinematic digital art wall at the plush hotel showcases rotating digital pieces by established and emerging Indian artists, with visuals that shift through the day, allowing the space to transform seamlessly from breakfast to dinner. Select artworks featured on the digital wall are even available for purchase through Masha Art Gallery. “The concept is rooted in the idea of creating a living, evolving gallery rather than a static display. The state-of-the-art digital art wall acts as the visual heart of the restaurant,” says Preeti Makhija, General Manager at The Leela Palace New Delhi.

HOUSE OF CREATIVITY NMACC
Arts Cafe, Mumbai

Dining at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre’s Arts Café is an all-consuming sensorial experience. It might be one of the only spaces in India where you can sip a negroni while marvelling at Damien Hirst’s ‘Cherry Blossom’ series of works. In a sophisticated palette of earthy tones, interior designer Gauri Khan created a seamless blend of refined elegance and a raw, natural aesthetic. The magic, however, lies in the almost orchestrated distribution of artworks amid the ornate brassand-gold patterns and luxe lighting fixtures. Other stunning works by celebrated artists like Dia Mehhta Bhupal, Sameer Kulavoor, Jennifer Guidi, Takashi Murakami, Rana Begum and NorBlack NorWhite make the dining experience akin to an art gallery tour