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Despite ticking off at least 60 eateries on my Bengaluru culinary hit list in the past two years, I haven't been able to feature a restaurant review on the blog. I figured that unless I was intentional about it, it most likely wouldn't happen.

On my mother's side of the family, all of my relatives reside in South Bengaluru, all clustered fairly close to one another. This is a bit of a bummer for me because my family lives diametrically opposite to them in a city where nagivating traffic is almost always a nightmare.

My solution is simple - whenever my cousins and I decide to catch up (invariably over a meal), we choose a venue that is equidistant for all of us, usually somewhere in the central business district. Sometimes, I coax them to travel all the way to the North, which they graciously agree to and then there are times when it is my turn to make the lonely journey South.

It is unfortunate (for me) that a majority of the buzzworthy restaurants are concentrated in Jayanagar and JP Nagar in South Bengaluru. I don't mind travelling to Indiranagar but anything beyond that feels like a bit of a haul. Whenever I do have to venture that far, I use the metro by default. Not only is it fast, clean and cheap, but it is comfortable too. I pointedly refuse to feel miserable stuck behind a sea of honking cars so I avoid putting myself in such situations. On a related note, sending my kids to school by school bus and choosing a place of work that is only a 15-minute commute from home are probably reasons why even after two years of moving to Bengaluru, the notorious traffic has never been a point of contention for me 😁 So if any returning NRIs are reading this, you now know my secret to safeguarding my mental health and wellbeing 😆

For our most recent outing, we chose a restaurant that just so happened to be a recent addition to my restaurant wishlist. Located off a main road of Jayanagar, a short walk away from the Rashtreeya Vidyalaya Metro station, Garden by Su is a serene little green escape from the city. This is a plant-filled, airy cafe that strikes a harmonious balance between style and soul.

I arrived fashionably early (which really ought be a thing btw 😂) so I was greeted by a completely empty restaurant. Not one to waste any opportunity, I explored every inch of the space at leisure.

True to its name, Garden by Su welcomes its diners with lush greenery, thoughtfully placed potted plants, natural wood furniture, and an overall earthy, minimalist aesthetic. There is a gentle indoor meets outdoor vibe which is apt for Bengaluru's pleasant weather and the soft music and natural lighting create a soothing atmosphere. It struck me as the kind of place where you instinctively lower your voice and lean into conversation.

There are a few instaworthy spots in the restaurant which I instantly recognized from social media. I do my research folks 😛

As my cousins began to arrive one after the other, we chose a cosy nook in the outdoor seating area and settled down.

The restaurant is completely vegetarian, offering a good mix of both light, healthy dishes as well as indulgent fare. The menu leans into clean, global café fare with a healthy slant. Jain-friendly, vegan and gluten-free options are available for those with dietary restrictions and/or allergies. There are interesting beverages, nourishing bowls, refreshing salads, appetisers from around the world, artisanal sandwiches, brick oven sourdough bakes, hand-rolled and fresh pastas, creative mains and decadent desserts.

Since we were a group of five, we decided to order multiple dishes and share. We tried to order from different categories keeping in mind the seasonality of dishes.

Here is a line-up of what we ordered:

Spiced Guavatini

A concocction of guava nectar, muddled red chilli, Himalayan pink salt & black salt.

Guava and chilli are a match made in heaven. I dig this combination in beverages & desserts so I ordered the spiced guavatini specifying that the chilli be kept at a moderate level (too much is overkill in my opinion).

I enjoyed the bold, punchy mix of sweet, salty, tangy and spicy with the slight muskiness of the guava.

Kombucha

A gut cleanser from Scoby Labs.

This was not ordered by me because I'm not the biggest fan of kombucha. To me, the fermented drink is tangy, fizzy, slightly sweet, and a little funky all at once. But this one was well recieved by the one who ordered it.

Charred Tomato & Basil Soup

Cream of char roasted tomatoes and basil, bell pepper ragout served with a cream cheese crostini with edible flowers.

This was a warm, comforting bowl of goodness. The charred tomatoes lent a deep, slightly caramelized flavor with hints of smokiness that elevated the natural sweetness and acidity of the fruit. The fresh basil imparted a fragrant, peppery brightness that balanced the richness of the tomatoes. With the monsoon season going on in full swing, the rustic, earthy, and vibrant flavours felt like a cozy hug in a bowl, perfect with the cream cheese smothered crostini.

Thai Mango Spring Rolls

Rice paper rolls encasing matchsticks of carrots, Thai mango, vermicelli noodles, microgreens, sesame seeds served with a fresh salad and a sweet and sesame-chilli mango dipping sauce.

These rolls came beautifully presented and were fresh, crunchy, sweet, tart and a tad spicy. With mango season still going strong, it was nice to enjoy the versatile king of fruits in a savoury appetizer.

A refreshing start to the meal, highlighting seasonal produce.

Carpaccio of Beets

Wafer thin sliced oven roasted beets seasoned with salt and pepper and topped with olives, crumbled feta, herbs, mixed toasted seeds & pine nuts, delicate edible flowers and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

I liked the uniquness of the concept, the thoughtful presentation and the clean, fresh flavours of this starter. That said, it could be a hit or miss depending on your palate. To truly appreciate all the flavours, you need to make sure you get a little bit of everything in a forkful. I love the earthy sweetness of beets and the creamy saltiness of feta cheese but the savoury briny olives and nutty pine nuts, which appealed to me in this dish, might not be to everyone's taste.

Shakarkand Tikki Chaat

Seasoned sweet potato tikki on mixed peas and vatana ragda with a drizzle of sweet tamarind and mint chutney, sour cream, sev & pomegranate.

This is a slightly less indulgent take on one of India's most loved street foods. The use of sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes ups the nutritional value of the dish as sweet potatoes have more fibre, lower glycemic index and are richer in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

This was a colorful and tasty starter with a generous portion. The balance of salty-sweet-tart-spicy flavours combined with the different textural elements from the crispy tikkis, soft vatana, crunchy sev and bursts of pomegranate made for an explosive party in the mouth!

Spinach, Corn and Cheese Dim Sum

Bite-sized steamed dumplings filled with spinach, corn, cheese and served with three condiments.

As with the other starters, the dim sum was presented beautifully. I like the combination of spinach, corn and cheese and this is a vegetarian combination that I have commonly seen in restaurants serving dim sum. It was good but defnititely not the best I've had.

Gochujang Cauliflower

Seasoned cauliflower in a Korean spiced gochujang paste & served with a creamy dipping sauce.

This dish was a flavor bomb that struck all the right notes - sweet, spicy, tangy, and umami-rich. The fried cauliflower served as the perfect vehicle for the bold, sticky glaze made with gochujang, a Korean fermented chili paste. The creamy dip added the right balance and the herbs and peanuts were a delightful addition in terms of both taste and texture. I vote the Gochujang Cauliflower as my dish of the day. If I had my way, I would have ungraciously polished off the entire thing by myself 😛

Highly recommended!

Turkish Pide

Oval hand-rolled flatbread with assorted bell peppers, onions & pepper jam & mozzarella cheese.

This was my #2 dish of the day. The flatbread was baked to perfection and had perfect texture. The medley of vibrant bell peppers, caramelized onions, and a sweet-spicy pepper jam, finished with a generous layer of melted mozzarella took it to the next level. This dish struck a delicious balance between smoky, savory, and subtly sweet.

Highly recommended!

Mexican Rice with 3 Pepper Stew

Spicy Mexican rice with assorted peppers, beans and chopotle chillies with a charred pineapple salsa and nacho chips.

This turned out to be a vibrant, flavourful and satisfying dish. The tangy loaded stew complimented the rice (which wasn't that spicy really) and the chips added a nice crunch.

Dark Velvet Chocolate

Silken mousse with 60% cocoa chocolate, orange zest and multi seed caramel candy.

Don't get thown by the word "dark" in the name of this dessert because 60% cocoa chocolate is semi-sweet rather than dark. My first impression of this dessert was that it was sweeter and less bitter than I was expecting. But the velvety silk texture of the mousse, the delicate hints of citrus in the chocolate with the brittle crunch of the caramel candy made this dessert moreish and satisfying.

I would definitely order this again.

Banoffee Tart

Cookie crumb, dulce de leches topped with caramelised banana and cinnamon crème.

Banoffee pie or tart is right up my alley because I think the combination of banana, cream and caramel is simply divine. The perfume of cinnamon makes everything better, doesn't it?

This dessert was comforting, indulgent and polished off in seconds but I do think that the banana slices could have been caramelized better for enhanced flavour.

We enjoyed a wonderful lunch at Garden by Su. The service was polite, prompt, and unobtrusive. Staff appeared to be well-informed regarding the menu, happy to make suggestions, and generally attentive without hovering. Orders were taken efficiently and food arrived in good time, despite it being a busy weekend afternoon. The wait staff quickly recognised my penchant (read: obsession) for taking food photographs and stood by patiently until I was done before expertly portioning and serving us the starers and main course.

As the photos suggest, most of the dishes come in generous portions, which definitely adds to the sense of getting your money’s worth. Expect to spend around ₹800–₹1000 per person, depending on what you order. I would say that it is rather reasonably priced considering the variety and quality of food and ambience. I recommend booking a table in advance on Zomato or Eazydiner and to make full use of the attactive dine-in offers available.

My concluding remarks:

Garden by Su isn’t just a run-of-the-mill cafe - it is an experience. Whether you go in with a good book, a laptop, or a bunch of friends, you will find yourself wanting to linger. The mindful menu, the aesthetic appeal, and the calming energy all come together effortlessly. Bonus points for the cafe being pet-friendly and having a kids section in the menu. Definitely worth a visit if you are in or around Jayanagar and even more so if you are vegetarian.

Garden by Su is an ideal spot for a solo meal, romantic date, family brunch, working lunch or just a charming eatery to catch up with friends.

Will I go back again? YES.

Garden by Su

Address:

499/32-4, 9th Main, 46th Cross Rd

5th Block, Jayanagar

Bengaluru, Karnataka 560078

Contact number: +91 89712 28404

IG handle: @gardenbysu

Cheers,

Megha

This is not a sponsored or invited review. All opinions are my own.