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To celebrate the arrival of the warmer weather, Atul Kochhar’s Michelin-starred Indian restaurant and bar, Benares in Mayfair, will launch a unique plant-based ‘street-food’ style menu to it’s repertoire, taking guests on a culinary journey from the east to the west corners of India.

The brand new dishes will each be designed by a chef in the Benares kitchen and are inspired by the street food speciality from their own hometown. Guests will be able to experience dishes from Lucknow in North East India through to Maharashtra in West India, each using different marinating methods and time-honoured tandoor traditions. The menu will showcase a map highlighting where each of the dishes originate from to help guide guests through their cultural trip.

The five plant-based options will include a fresh Mixed Leaf Salad, Kasundi Dressing, Panch Phoron Artichokes [typically served in West Bengal], a sweet Tandoori Romanesco, Mango & Ginger Quinoa [a traditional dish originating from Maharashtra, West India], a tender Tandoori Cafreal Paneer, Konkan Spiced Tomato Chutney from [a specialty in Konkan in Goa], an earthy Green Pea Tikki, Apply & Burnt Lemon Ketchup [heralding from Lucknow, North East India] and Chef Atul’s Signature Tarkari Pepper Fry, Carom Crisps  [a classic dish in South West India found in Kerala].

This will sit alongside the original street food menu following the success of last years. Five new dishes will also feature on the menu mirroring the plant-based one, including a flavoursome Tandoori Cafreal Sea Bass, Konkan Spiced Tomato Chutney from Kokan, a smokey Grilled Chicken Seekh Kebab, Apple & Burnt Lemon Ketchup originating from Lucknow and Chef Atul’s Signature Lamb Pepper Fry, Carom Crisps all the way from Kerala.

Atul Kochhar, Chef Patron of Benares, comments: ‘Our talented kitchen team at Benares have developed a brand new street food menu offering guests the opportunity to experience the variety of dishes that derive from India. With plant-based eating on the rise, we wanted to offer a fresh and alternative menu alongside our regular one making street food more accessible to all.’

Both street food menus will be priced at £30 for all five dishes and be available to order in the Benares lounge area, with dishes designed to be eaten by hand – paying homage to Indian tradition.