Japanese pancakes with Mediterranean martinis: Inside The Hood, Olive Group’s new restaurant in Bengaluru

The Olive Group has a new restaurant, and this one will take you on a trip across the globe.

The restaurant group has been a pioneering name in the industry with brands such as Olive Beach, Fatty Bao, and Monkey Bar. One of their flagships, Toast & Tonic, Bengaluru’s popular cocktail bar shut its doors last year. And now in its place is The Hood, their latest offering. Taking inspiration from neighbourhoods from different parts of the world, The Hood wants to be international, yet familiar.

AD Singh, MD & Founder, the Olive Group, says, “Toast & Tonic was built around the East Village neighbourhood vibe. I think Toast here in its avatar and design had done its time. So we thoughts let’s bring in a new concept which has grown from that. We wanted to expand the vision, and look at the neighborhoods to the world. Look at their history, their traditions, and their experiences. It will always be fresh, because every few months we will add a new hood.”

AD says Bengaluru is an advanced, food-forward city. There are new places opening in the city all the time. There is a lot of money, and the industry is widely accepted. “When I started in this industry 25 years ago, it was like starting from scratch. There were stand-alone restaurants, kebab places or dosa places. But cool places where youngsters could hang out…almost zero.” Now it has grown exponentially, Singh says, and customers want better and better.

AD Singh, MD & Founder, the Olive Group

What is on the menu

Like with other Olive properties, The Hood has a thoughtfully curated menu. It looks at three popular neighbourhoods and dishes from each of them: Gion in Kyoto, San Lorenzo in Florence and Mar Mikhael in Beirut. Chef Dhruv Oberoi, the culinary director, says, “The menu is simple but authentic. We have started with these three hoods, and moving forward, you will see other neighbourhoods coming in the picture.”

Ebi Furai

The three-page menu has dishes from each of these places. From Japan, there are dishes such as gyoza, grilled pork belly, and rolled omelette. The ebi furai is togarashi-dusted fried shrimp, and they also have kushi yaki, Japanese chicken wings.

From the Italian section, there are some much-loved pasta dishes gnocchi, and types of focaccias. And you can choose from pici (a thick hand rolled pasta), pappardelle, and soft-shell crab and anchovy fritters. The Lebanese section boasts names such as kataifi rolls, duck kebab, bone marrow on kubboos, and baba ganoush.

The menu is smart and modern, with more than just the familar dishes from each region. Each section has its own desserts, like Italian Amaretto cake, a Japanese matcha creation and a Lebanese Tahini halva.

Tuscan Tomato Fields Forever cocktail

The Hood wants to keep the spotlight on the food, but the cocktails too have international flavours. Midnight At An Osaka Pickle Bar, has gin and pickled pears. Tuscan Tomato Fields Forever has mezcal, and sun-dried tomato.

As Dhruv says, they will be rolling out new neighbourhoods in coming months. “It could be somewhere in France, or it could be Fort Kochi.”

₹2,000 for two. At Wood Street in Bengaluru. For more details, call 7795280336

Inside The Hood, Olive Group’s new restaurant in Bengaluru

The Olive Group has a new restaurant, and this one will take you on a trip across the globe.
| Video Credit:
The Hindu

Published – February 18, 2026 05:39 pm IST