Michelin-Starred Mayfair Indian Restaurant Gymkhana Will Reopen in February

Michelin-starred Indian restaurant and Eater 38 mainstay Gymkhana will reopen in February, its owners have announced on Twitter. The restaurant, on Albemarle Street in Mayfair was forced to close in June, following a fire. No one was hurt.

The JKS Restaurant-owned, critically acclaimed fine dining restaurant famous for outstanding biryanis, grilled meats, and game, has undergone a refurbishment, which leaves the 47-cover ground floor restaurant largely unchanged, and continuing to take inspiration from the “elite” ‘gymkhana’ sports and membership clubs which date back to colonial period of British-occupied India, but which still exist today and which the owners, the Sethi siblings, have visited since they were children.

It will retain “original design details championing elements of traditional architecture and styling from elite gymkhana clubs as well as residential mansions of India,” the group said.

Karam Sethi, the creative lead behind the group said the food and drink will be the same. The green, brass, cream, and brown decor will be “upgraded.” The downstairs bar area has been redecorated and “re-modelled allowing for a convivial club feel with a Kashmiri Chilli colour palette, bold carpeting and collection of Indian art.” It will be a different shades of red to Brigadiers, the Indian mess tavern-inspired venue, which opened in the Bloomberg Arcade in the City in June, 2018. Instead, rust, burnt orange, and blue will replace the blue and brown from before.

The newly positioned basement bar will “offer an ornate jewel-box shaped area with campaign furniture and detailing.” That furniture takes inspiration from Pierre Jeanerette’s work in Chandigarh. The new interior design has been led by newly appointed JKS Design Director, Samuel Hosker.

Famous fans of Gymkhana include David Beckham and Ed Sheeran; Oprah Winfrey visited the restaurant with Reese Witherspoon in March last year.