Kai Bar & Kitchen Redefines Bengaluru’s Rooftop Dining Experience

A Sky-High Playground of Design, Freedom, and Flavour

The city’s F&B landscape has found a daring new icon. Perched 13 floors above MG Road, Kai – Bar & Kitchen defies convention, redefining what a rooftop dining space can be. Neither bar, restaurant, nor lounge in the traditional sense, Kai is deliberately unclassifiable, a space designed for those who refuse to be boxed in.

Its very name embraces multiplicity. In different languages, Kai translates to “restoration,” “food,” and “sea.” Each interpretation fits, yet none are complete.

“Kai doesn’t dictate who you should be or how you should feel,” say the founders. “It creates a space where you bring your own meaning.”

In an industry saturated with rigid “concepts,” Kai positions itself as Bengaluru’s most daring anti-concept concept, an experience that evolves with its guests.

Bengaluru has seen its fair share of rooftops, but not one quite like Kai’s. Offering a 360-degree uninterrupted panorama, the space overlooks the historic Army Cantonment, juxtaposing heritage greens with urban dynamism.

“Very few places in the city can offer such an eye-catching view at this height and vantage point,” the team notes, modestly describing one of the most cinematic vistas in the Bengaluru skyline.

Inside, Maze Concept Design Studio (Koushik B R, Priyanka M C, and Nithya Niranjana) reimagines Indian palace grandeur through a contemporary lens. The ceiling above the main bar, inspired by peacock feathers, glows with maroon, copper, and walnut tones.

Programmable LED lighting transforms the space from a tranquil dining cocoon by day into a lively nightlife hub after dark. Semi-outdoor seating connects directly to the skyline, private dining rooms offer intimate retreats, and the open terrace hosts elegant sundowners. Every surface, from marble inlays to custom wallpapers, has been designed to age gracefully, exuding timeless sophistication.

Under Head Chef Virendra Singh Chauhan, Kai’s kitchen blurs culinary boundaries with a global narrative. The menu spans continents with effortless confidence, small plates like Edamame with Sichuan Pepper, Kyoto Mushrooms with Hot Coriander Sauce, and Spanish Gambas al Ajillo with Cochin Prawns share the stage with playful Indian fusions, such as Paneer Khurchan Tart glazed with raw mango and mozzarella.

From Kai Roll and Charcoal Chicken & Porcini Dumplings to Porcini Risotto, Green Thai Curry Chicken, Malabar Seared Fish, and Lamb Tagine, every dish tells a story of texture and technique.

Desserts like the Yuzu & Matcha Cheesecake and After Dark Chocolate Pudding offer a fitting finale to the experience, bold, elegant, and indulgent.

At the bar, Ashish Adhikari curates a menu where each cocktail is a sensory tale. Japanese whiskies such as Yamazaki and Hibiki, Indian single malts like Godawan and Paul John, and tequilas from Don Julio 1942 to Camino Blanco create a global palette.

Signatures like the Silk Road Blossom, vanilla vodka with jasmine tea and oat milk, and the Korai, smoked vodka infused with kaffir lime, lemongrass, and matcha, embody Kai’s artistic spirit. The Kai Negroni introduces butter-washed rum and coffee-infused vermouth, while the Hibana and Cape of Good Hope stretch creative boundaries.

Even the mocktails, including the Togarashi Twist and KopiCocoa, uphold the same craftsmanship, ensuring non-alcoholic creations stand shoulder to shoulder with the bar’s finest.

At its core, Kai celebrates freedom, of thought, of expression, of experience.

“Kai is not about defining an evening. It’s about opening it up,” say the founders.

Guests are invited to shape their own journey, whether in pursuit of calm or energy, celebration or reflection. In a city enamoured with design-led spaces and curated demographics, Kai dares to trust its patrons to define their own experience.

Thirteen floors above MG Road, where Bengaluru stretches endlessly in all directions, Kai – Bar & Kitchen stands as a symbol of modern luxury: the freedom to explore, to connect, and to simply be.