Two of India’s most recognised names in hospitality, Rohan Dsouza and Twinkle Keswani, launch their first venture outside of India, in London
Bulbul (@bulbullondonofficial), a restaurant and bar serving India’s regional cuisines, has opened, in Blackfriars, a stone’s throw from South Bank and St Paul’s Cathedral. It is the first restaurant outside of India from two of the country’s most recognised names in hospitality: chef and restaurateur Rohan Dsouza, named Chef of the Year on multiple occasions; and restaurateur Twinkle Keswani, named Young Restaurateur of the Year.
The duo are the names behind Pisco by the Beach in Anjuna, Goa, one of the state’s most popular dining destinations, and a portfolio of acclaimed restaurants spanning the backwaters of Kerala, the Himalayan town of Leh, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad. Earlier in his career, Dsouza trained and cooked in the UK, working alongside James Martin and Marco Pierre White, before returning to India to build one of the country’s most decorated culinary careers. Keswani made her name as Executive Vice President of Silver Beach Entertainment and Hospitality before founding her own portfolio of restaurants across India, Kenya and the Gulf. For D’Souza, Bulbul marks a return to London as a restaurateur. For Keswani, it is her first venture in the UK. Since 2022, fewer than a handful of Indian-origin restaurant groups have opened in London, making this venture particularly well-timed.
“There were moments over the last two years when Bulbul felt a very long way off. Converting a 130-year-old printing press into a restaurant has tested us in every possible way. It’s been a journey full of surprises, problem-solving and more cups of coffee than I’d like to admit. Seeing the restaurant finally come to life, and become part of the neighbourhood we now call home makes every bit of it worthwhile.” Twinkle Keswani
“I’ve spent much of my career travelling, cooking and opening restaurants across very different parts of India, from the coastlines of Goa and Kerala to the mountains of Ladakh. What those years taught me is that Indian cuisine is far more diverse than most people imagine. With Bulbul, we’re bringing together some of those regional flavours and techniques in a way that feels honest, approachable and relevant to London today. The aim isn’t to reinvent Indian food; it’s simply to share a broader, more personal perspective of it.” Rohan Dsouza
Over two years, Dsouza and Keswani travelled across India, meeting people, listening to stories and learning along the way. From home kitchens and local markets to toddy shops and street-side eateries, more often than not nobody could tell them the exact recipe or measurements of the ingredients. It came from instinct and years of practice. That experience is the foundation of Bulbul. As the menu states “We are not here to reinvent Indian food. We’re simply cooking it in a way that feels right to us today.” What that means in practice is food that stays faithful to the dish at its source: the regional ingredient, the regional technique, the regional recipe, brought to London without translation.
The kitchen is led by three chefs, each from a different part of India: Chef Rohan Dsouza, Chef Yash and Chef Ashfaq Shaikh. The menu moves across India’s regions, drawing on dishes and recipes from home kitchens and culinary traditions that have quietly endured for generations. Three dishes say it most clearly:
Dorothy’s Braised Goan Chorizo Sausages and New Potatoes is a dish from Chef Dsouza’s own childhood in Goa: sausages braised in chorizo fat with banana shallots and green chilli, served with warm poi. Aunty Marie’s Goan Shrimp Balchao, aged for 48 hours, comes directly from a home kitchen recipe, the kind that exists nowhere written down. The Mewari Laal Maas is a slow-braised lamb in bold red chilli and spiced gravy, a Rajput classic once cooked by hunting clans in the desert state of Rajasthan using Mathania chillies found nowhere else.
The food is served as small and large plates alongside a full tandoor section, cooked over live charcoal in a handcrafted clay oven. The cocktail list applies the same regional approach as the kitchen, with each drink rooted in a specific Indian ingredient or culinary tradition. The Feni and Rice combines Goan feni with pandan liqueur and toasted kolam rice vodka. The Sandalwood and Nannari Negroni is built on nannari-infused gin and sandalwood hydrosol. A dedicated Indian gin section and full Indian single malt selection run alongside the main spirits list.
The interiors are designed by Mumbai-based Right Brain Design Studio, taking the Indian forest as its starting point and realising it through saturated colour, layered texture and contemporary art. A floral installation by Oorja Studio greets guests at the entrance. Bespoke carpets are by Jaipur Rugs, whose international clients include Wimbledon and leading luxury hotels. Staff uniforms are by Papa Don’t Preach, the cult Mumbai fashion label. A 8-seat private dining room is available for exclusive bookings.
