Celeste restaurant in Bengaluru attempts to bring back the old world charm

Celeste Bengaluru brings vintage European dining to Koramangala with old-world charm, a dessert trolley, and a slow, elegant dining experience

When Celeste By Mindescapes first opened in Ooty, it was designed as a nostalgic escape, where vintage European comfort food met the misty romance of the Nilgiris. Now, with its new Bengaluru branch, Celeste attempts to recreate that charm in an urban setting. But restaurateur Dipali Sikand’s vision goes beyond just bringing Ooty’s essence to the city; she also wants to revive something Bengaluru has lost — the slow, genteel way of life that existed before the IT boom.

“Bengaluru had a quaint sort of vibe. It’s still in some clubs, but those aren’t accessible to everyone. I wanted to create a space where people can experience fine dining in an affordable, intimate setting, where you’re not just grabbing a meal but soaking in the whole experience,” says Dipali.

We visited Celeste during Christmas week when the restaurant was dressed for the season — stars, Santa hats, bells, and a red, white, and green palette that added a festive touch. We arrived just as they were opening for lunch, which meant we had the place to ourselves. While it did not have the mist and blue hills of its Ooty counterpart, there were thoughtful reminders of the Nilgiris: bright red geraniums on the walls, and Toda shawls — woven by the women of the dwindling tribal community — gracing the tables. Dipali has also made it a point to source ingredients from the hills. “Even our strawberries, baby carrots, and some of our vegetables come from Ooty,” she says.

Celeste’s menu is unapologetically old-school European. It is where you can still find dishes like Chicken à la Kiev and Stroganoff, which, according to Dipali, have quietly disappeared from most Bengaluru menus. “You have plenty of restaurants in the city catering to the Gen Z crowd — the pub music, the bands, the loud energy. But where do you go if you want to sit down, have a quiet conversation, and enjoy a classic European meal with old-world etiquette?”

Our meal began with the bocconcini, beet & berry salad, a mix of roasted beets, fresh berries, and creamy bocconcini, tied together with a honey-balsamic dressing. The prawn cocktail had plump, fresh prawns enveloped in a velvety, tangy cocktail sauce. The avocado toast was simple but well-executed, with perfectly ripe avocado, sea salt, and a drizzle of basil oil atop crisp artisanal bread.

For mains, we had the Maryland, a breaded, fried chicken dish served with banana fritters and a creamy sauce. It had a slightly eccentric combination of flavours but was oddly satisfying. The saffron sauce quinoa with prawn evoked elegance, the golden-hued saffron sauce adding depth to the perfectly cooked prawns and nutty quinoa. Other interesting dishes on the menu include the slow-braised lamb shank, spinach ravioli, and the mushroom risotto with truffle oil.

While the meal was enjoyable, the desserts truly stole the show. Celeste has returned the charm of tableside dessert service with a trolley — just like the sweets cart on the Hogwarts Express, but with fewer chocolate frogs and far more French patisserie. “You don’t have to go to the menu to choose your dessert, the trolley will come to you,” says Dipali.