About Benares
Benares overlooks Berkeley Square from the first floor of Berkeley Square House and opened under Atul Kochhar in 2003. When it won its Michelin star in 2007, it became the first Indian restaurant outside India to hold the award. The kitchen has changed hands since Kochhar's departure and currently operates under Sameer Taneja, who has retained the star and repositioned the menu toward a more regional-India approach.
The dining room is one of the most polished in Mayfair's Indian scene — marble, rich woods, an open central bar, and lighting calibrated for business dinners rather than birthday-party ambience. Taneja's tasting menu format is the best way to experience the kitchen; the a la carte leans toward the safer side of the spectrum for a reason.
The wine list pairs unusually well with the spicing — not a given in most London Indian restaurants — and the cocktail programme references Indian ingredients without leaning into gimmick territory. For clients who have been to the obvious Indian restaurants, Benares still lands correctly as the serious option.
Best Occasion Fit
Benares is the Mayfair Indian choice for client dinners where the guest counts Michelin stars. It has the longest continuous starred run of any Indian restaurant in Europe, the Berkeley Square address does half the work, and the cooking is confident enough to handle a spice-sceptic guest without losing the Indian-kitchen signal.
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