Samrat, a landmark restaurant, set to close on September 25

Located on the ground floor of Chalukya Hotel, a ten-minute walk from the Vidhana Soudha, it will soon make way for a commercial complex

Samrat, the iconic restaurant on the ground floor of Chalukya Hotel on Race Course Road, is closing down on September 25.

As the news spreads, many nostalgic Bengalureans are visiting it for a last bite from its kitchens. Business has gone up by 20% since the closure was announced.

Established in 1977, Samrat serves south Indian and north Indian fare. When it comes to its southern menu, it is famous for its masala dosa, rava idli and badam halwa. Just a ten-minute walk from Vidhana Soudha and the High Court, the restaurant is especially popular among politicians, officials and advocates. “Over the years, almost every politician has visited Samrat. For everyone, from H D Deve Gowda to Siddaramaiah to B S Yediyurappa, a visit to Samrat was a must. The dosas are a favourite of the Deve Gowda family,” says Santosh Shanbhag, owner.

The restaurant has maintained a simple menu. “My father believed we should focus on what people like and improve on what we are good at, rather than just follow trends. That is one piece of advice I hold close to my heart,” he tells Metrolife.

Nityanand, cashier, has worked at the restaurant for 25 years. “This has been my first and only job since I moved to Bengaluru from Honnavar in the ‘90s. I will now have to look for a new job,”

For 88-year-old Bibi Zainab, Samrat was the go-to place for lunch. “My husband and I would regularly drop by. Over the years, as our family grew, our children and their spouses would join us, so we have lots of memories here,” she says.

N V Vasudeva Sharma has been coming to the restaurant since 1987. “It has seen me through my college days into adulthood. I now work in the building right next door, so it’s our evening snack spot,” says, as he takes a selfie outside the restaurant with a friend. The restaurant serves its last north Indian meals on September 14.

Movie stars stopping by

Ramya, actor and politician, has frequented Samrat since she was a child. “My mother and I would stop by after our trips to Cubbon Park,” she reminisces. “Their food has always been good. Will they lend me their chefs?” she asks with a laugh. Dr Rajkumar used to visit Samrat regularly, says owner Shanbhag. “He was so down to earth. He would mingle with all our customers. His son Puneeth also liked our place and would visit almost every week,” he says. Bollywood actors Mehmood and Rekha have also visited the restaurant in its early years.

Cops’ haunt

Sub inspector B L Kalkotappa is wistful as he sips on a cup of tea at Samrat. For four years, he has visited the restaurant twice a day. He monitors the thick traffic at the high-profile junction across the restaurant. “Just 15 minutes at Samrat for traffic cops like me would be rejuvenating. We’re not sure where to go now,” he says.

Opened in 1977

In 1977, Maruthi L Shanbhag, hailing from Manki, a village in Honnavar taluk, set up Samrat on the ground floor of Hotel Chalukya. “He started off as a cleaner at a Kamath restaurant and slowly made his way up with his hard work and built Samrat from scratch,” Santosh tells Metrolife. After Maruthi Shanbhag’s death in 2005, his son Santosh took over. “I had worked as a trainee under him for years,” he says. Two years ago, he opened a branch in Vasanth Nagar, calling it ‘Mini Samrat’.

Why is it closing?

The owner of the building wants to pull it down and build a commercial complex, says Santosh. For him, “the closure almost feels like losing a loved one.” He plans to reopen the restaurant at a new location soon, but is unsure when and where that will happen.