Booking a table at your favourite restaurant just got easier

India's dining scene may be getting bigger and better, but the experience of eating out increasingly feels like a battle. As diners continue to be spoiled for choice, it doesn't help when finding a table is next to impossible especially on weekends. More often than not the buzz around the latest restaurant openings only makes the process more cumbersome.

But good things come in small packages. Starting 24 April to 3 May, diners can sign up for a meal at some of their favourite brands as part of Restaurant Week India (RWI)—a platform that allows an easy access to a curated selection of the country's most sought-after kitchens over 10 days across Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. This year, there are 60 participating restaurants spanning different formats and cuisines, offering prix-fixe menus priced at a fraction of à la carte rates, enabling diners to try tables that have been on their wishlist and also those usually hard to get.

“We looked for restaurants that are innovative, consistent, and genuinely food-forward—places that have something to say through their menus, not just names that sound impressive on a list,” says Gauri Vij, co-founder of The Dining Collective, a Mumbai-based initiative that curates dining experiences. “There are names like The Table, The Bombay Canteen, Bar Paradox, La Loca Maria, Bar Sama, Comal, Adrift Kaya, Nisaba, Inja, Comorin and more, all chef-driven restaurants that have earned their reputations the hard way.”

The format includes three courses (lunch is at ₹1,600++ and dinner is ₹1,900++), and within that, restaurants may offer choices for each course depending on how the menus are built.

“We want to close the gap between great restaurants and the people who haven't walked through their doors yet. It is designed for adventurous diners who engage with restaurants for their craft, reputation, and storytelling and not just a meal,” says Chaitanya Rele, mentor RWI.

A few things to keep in mind:

Menus are available on the website in advance; so it’s easier to plan – especially as bookings have to be prepaid in full.

The prix-fixe format lowers the stakes on a first visit—you're not navigating a full menu, and the price point removes the usual hesitation.

Beverages are ordered and billed separately.

⁠The regular menu is still available if you want to order beyond your set meal.

It's a good excuse to finally pull the trigger on a place you’ve been meaning to check out.

Bookings open on 17 April. More details: rwi.puttingscene.com