Samrat set to return in a new look next January

The iconic restaurant, which shut down after 45 years of service on Race Course Road, will reopen on Museum Road, confirms owner

Samrat, the landmark restaurant on Race Course Road that shut down in September, is returning with a new look and revamped menu on Museum Road.

Famous for its masala dosa and coffee, the eatery was located inside the Chalukya hotel. It has now found a new home in 1 Sobha on Museum Road. “The outlet will be called Chalukya Samrat,” owner Santosh Shanbhag tells Metrolife.

The decor work will commence this week and the restaurant will open in the first week of January 2023, he informs.

The eatery announced its return on Instagram last week. “The announcement was necessary as some restaurants are trying to scam customers by using our name. People are overjoyed about our choice of new location,” he adds.

The choice to move to the Central Business District is an attempt to “grow the brand name and evolve
with time”.

“This is an upmarket location, and I know it’s a risk. However, it’s a risk I’m willing to take. The new location will have a ‘wow factor’ along with the charm of the old restaurant,” says Shanbhag.

They are also curating a new menu, comprising both south and north Indian delicacies.

“Our popular items like the rava idli and dosa will remain. We will retain our famous taste and recipes. But there will be a completely new North Indian menu. Prices will also be a little higher,” he adds.

The older restaurant closed its doors after 45 years to make way for an office complex. It was a favourite among politicians and movie stars, and many nostalgic Bengalureans had rushed to grab a last bite there in September.

The restaurateur was eager to get back into business and continue his father Maruthi L Shanbhag’s legacy.

“Even though we have Mini Samrat on Millers Road, I knew that wasn’t enough. I wanted to keep the legacy going, and I knew the longer I would wait, the harder it would get to re-establish ourselves,” he says.