Following the resounding success of its Delhi and Mumbai editions, Benares X Indian Accent is set to make its debut in London this summer.
From 7th – 10th July, Benares, the Michelin-starred restaurant in Mayfair, will host a four-night collaboration celebrating the coming together of two icons of Indian gastronomy – Chef Sameer Taneja of Benares and Chef Shantanu Mehrotra of Indian Accent, the acclaimed Indian restaurant from New Delhi and Mumbai which has been rated amongst the best restaurants in Asia since it opened in 2008.
The event will run nightly from 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm, and this exclusive London chapter not only reunites two visionary chefs but also marks the long-awaited return of Indian Accent to the city, five years after the closure of its Mayfair outpost in 2020. Guests can expect a thoughtfully curated tasting menu that honours the regional diversity of Indian cuisine while embracing modern techniques and exceptional ingredients.
The collaboration unites two celebrated kitchens that honour India’s culinary heritage. Benares blends Indian flavours with premium British ingredients, while Indian Accent showcases inventive interpretations of regional Indian cuisine.
Priced at £135 per person, the tasting menu begins with a playful selection of snacks: Bird seekh kebab, Oyster chaat and Bread pakoda. Delicate starters follow, such as Dahi Aloo with purple potato and gari, and Goat’s Cheese Dabeli. Seafood lovers will appreciate the Scallop Malabar, a hand-dived Scottish scallop baked in its shell with a fragrant coconut curry, served alongside soft Malabar paratha. For the meat courses, highlights include Hiran Ki Boti, a succulent fallow deer fillet infused with moringa and green chilli, paired with garlic crème fraîche and smoked chutney, and Meetha Achaar Pork Spare Ribs with sun-dried mango and sour green apple.
The main course offers a richly spiced Slow-braised lamb shank in prune and mulberry korma, complemented by black dairy dal, Indian Accent kulcha, kohlrabi, and a refreshing pomelo and roasted cumin raita. Desserts round out the experience with a Banana halwa tart featuring seasonal Kentish cherries, as well as a warm Doda burfi treacle tart paired with vanilla bean ice cream, and a Daulat Ki Chaat.
“Visiting India for the Delhi and Mumbai chapters was an incredible experience. It was inspiring to cook alongside Shantanu and see first-hand how Indian Accent brings regional flavours to life in such a contemporary way,” says Chef Sameer Taneja. “Now, bringing that energy and creativity to London and sharing it with our guests at Benares feels like a full-circle moment. It’s going to be something truly special.”
Chef Shantanu Mehrotra adds: “Indian Accent has always been about giving Indian food a new narrative, making the familiar unfamiliar. To bring this vision back to London, and to do it with Sameer in such an iconic space, feels incredibly special. This menu reflects our shared respect for tradition and our excitement for what’s possible.”
This pop-up promises to be one of the most exciting chef events of the summer – a meeting of minds and flavours that celebrates the best of modern Indian dining in one of London’s most revered fine dining spaces.
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