Are bar and restaurant takeovers changing how we eat out?

It would be imprecise to say that restaurant takeovers are a new phenomenon. “When we started, people were hungry — pardon the pun — for these things: new experiences and different options because there were such few restaurants and bars,” Gauri echoes, explaining why in the first-wave of culinary events the focus was greatly on international players. Be that as it may, for mixologist Avinash Kapoli, Bengaluru’s latest cocktail bar, Soka’s owner, takeovers and collaborations have proven to be “a great marketing tool”. From a marketing perspective, these formats generate buzz and attract new customers, while also allowing for the diversification of offerings without the need for permanent changes,” summarises Avinandan Kundu, head chef, Sienna, Kolkata, which concluded its first international pop-up, Epar-Opar at Singapore’s modern Vietnamese diner, Lo Quay in April. The award-winning, progressive Indian restaurant Ekaa, Mumbai, too has seen its own share of international ‘collabs’ — at The Elephant Room, Singapore in 2022; a bar takeover at Nairobi’s Hero Bar and Sinnerman the same year; and an 11-course degustation menu pop-up at the South Indian and Sri Lankan cuisine restaurant Nadodi in Kuala Lumpur in 2023.