When Avartana first opened its doors in ITC Grand Chola, Chennai in 2017, it quietly painted a picture for what South Indian fine dining could look like. The much-loved restaurant struck a rare balance – celebrating classic southern ingredients while presenting them with modernist finesse. Over time, it became a destination in itself, earning acclaim and accolades for its precision, creativity, and the quiet confidence with which it elevated familiar ingredients to haute cuisine. Avartana wasn’t just a restaurant—it was a statement.
This award-winning concept has now arrived in the capital, opening at the iconic ITC Maurya in Delhi. For a city already flush with culinary experiences, the debut feels significant. It marks not just the expansion of a celebrated luxury brand, but also a growing appetite for regionally-rooted dining. The Delhi outpost promises to uphold Avartana’s legacy. Naturally, I had to see (and taste) it for myself.
A 13-course dinner at Avartana, ITC Maurya
A dinner at Avartana begins not with a menu, but with a mood. Quiet luxury, unmatched hospitality, and the kind of confident stillness that tells you this isn’t just dinner – it’s theatre! Avartana, a progressive South Indian dining concept, takes diners on a journey over 13 meticulously choreographed courses. At the table, curry leaves turn into mist, rasam arrives as a transparent consommé, and textures are surreal. But this isn’t innovation just for the sake; it pays a deeply respectful ode to tradition retold through modern technique. In a city like Delhi which is good friends with fine dining, Avartana dares to do something quietly radical: it slows you down, draws you in, and asks you to taste – not just the food, but the philosophy behind it.
In their transformative approach to cooking that celebrates a confluence of art and science, the chefs at Avartana bring you an array of guided degustation menus – Anika, Bela, Jiaa, Maya and Tara, each with their own range of courses. We chose Anika, the ultimate 13-course menu. Innovative theatrics, classic taste and a surprise in every dish – that was what we went back home with.
The 13-course menu starts with Stir Fried Chicken – a creamy buttermilk mousse offset by the crunch of curry leaf tempura. The chicken is stir-fried with restraint, a nod to Southern pan techniques. But it’s the tempura that lingers. Light as air, yet humming with flavour. A statement opener!
We moved on to the Cauliflower Crunch next. Cauliflower, usually a shy vegetable, is reborn here with bravado. The Pan Seared Lobster with the spring onion emulsion is next. In this quiet showstopper dish, the spring onion emulsion brings balance to the well-cooked lobster. This is Southern seafood in black-tie!
Next up, the Shrimp and Coriander Dumpling with the chili coriander jam was infinite joy in just one bite. With gossamer-thin coating and bursting with a fragrant shrimp filling, this dumpling was herbaceous, fiery, and luxuriously light.
The Lamb Brain Fritter with cracked black pepper and butter emulsion was possibly the most daring dish of the evening. The lamb brain fritter is NOT a fritter – a textural marvel, the black pepper added just enough kick to slice through the indulgence.
A break from all the savoury indulgence, the Orange and Ginger Sorbet, with a breath of citrus, came as the perfect palate cleanser – sharp, zesty, and absolutely refreshing.
With our taste buds refreshed, the Steamed Seabass with fermented gongura emulsion and butter rice came next to greet the palate. The seabass was feather-soft, steamed just-so, and painted with a fermented gongura emulsion – an Andhra-inspired flourish that’s both tart and complex. The butter rice grounded the dish, making every mouthful a meditation in balance.
The Asparagus and Coconut Stew, the Char Grilled Pork Belly with steamed tapioca, Ooty chili and chayote, the Lamb Rice with okra yogurt were all blockbusters in their own capacity.
The standout dish, for me, was the Uthukuli Chicken which came with a bit-sized Malabar parotta and a white butter toffee. Tender chicken curry made in white butter from Uthukuli, paired with a flaky Malabar parotta and butter toffee didn’t overpower – it seduced. I didn’t know Southern India could be this cheeky.
At Avartana, their degustation menu isn’t just a meal, it’s a performance, a memory, a map of Southern India stitched in silk and plated with precision. No overt theatrics, just depth, integrity, and refinement in every detail. At Rs 5,000 (plus taxes) per person, it’s indulgent, yes, but not loud. It’s the kind of dining that doesn’t try to impress. It just does.