Oota Hyderabad Opens with a Menu Rooted in the Food Traditions of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana & Hyderabadi
After nearly a decade in Bengaluru, Oota has expanded to Hyderabad with its second restaurant. Located in HITEC City, the new restaurant turns its focus to the culinary traditions of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, presenting recipes, ingredients and cooking methods documented during an extensive journey across the two states.
Operated by Total Environment Hospitality, Oota has built its identity around regional Indian cuisines. While its Bengaluru restaurant explored the food traditions of Karnataka, the Hyderabad outpost shifts attention to the Deccan, bringing together dishes from Telangana, Coastal Andhra, Rayalaseema and the former Nizami kitchens.
Rather than presenting a single regional cuisine, the restaurant attempts to showcase the diversity within the two Telugu-speaking states.
A Menu Built Through Two Years of Research
The menu is the result of a two-year research exercise undertaken by Oota’s culinary team. According to the restaurant, the team travelled 3,637 kilometres across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, preparing more than 500 dishes while learning from local communities, neighbourhood eateries, traditional hotels, bars and food historians.
The outcome is a menu that documents recipes from different regions, combining everyday meals, festive preparations and dishes associated with specific communities and local traditions.
Instead of focusing only on familiar Hyderabad dishes, the restaurant includes recipes from across the two states, highlighting the variety that exists within Telugu cuisine.
From Nizami Kitchens to Coastal Andhra
The starters reflect multiple culinary influences. Guests can expect dishes such as Shikampuri Kebabs representing the Nizami culinary tradition alongside regional favourites including Nellore Fish Fry and Bapatla Kodi Vepudu.
The main course continues that regional journey with dishes including Haleem-e-Khaas, Mudda Pappu served with Pachi Pulusu, Naatu Kodi Pulusu and Peethala Iguru.
Together, these dishes represent different food cultures—from Hyderabad’s royal kitchens to the home-style cooking of Telangana villages, the spice-forward cuisine of Rayalaseema and seafood traditions from Andhra’s coastline.
The dessert selection also stays rooted in regional identity with Bandar Halwa from Machilipatnam and Putharekulu from Atreyapuram, two sweets that have long been associated with their places of origin.
Regional Flavours Continue at the Bar
The beverage menu follows the same philosophy as the kitchen, drawing inspiration from ingredients associated with Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Among the cocktails is the Guntur Old Fashioned, made using bourbon infused with Guntur red chilli. The Gongura Highball incorporates gongura, the sour leafy green widely used in Telangana cuisine, while Khubani ki Mehfil draws inspiration from the well-known Nizami dessert made with apricots.
A Restaurant Inspired by Local Food Stories
Speaking about the Hyderabad opening, Kamal Sagar, Founder of Total Environment Hospitality, said the move into Andhra Pradesh and Telangana was a natural extension of Oota’s work with regional Indian cuisines.
According to him, the food traditions of the region have evolved through history, geography and culture, and the Hyderabad restaurant aims to present that culinary legacy through its menu.
General Manager Akshay Puljal said the menu represents conversations and experiences gathered during the team’s travels through Andhra’s coastal towns, Hyderabad’s Old City and the interiors of Rayalaseema. He added that the restaurant hopes to become a place where diners reconnect with familiar regional food traditions.
Interiors That Keep the Focus on the Food
Designed by Shibanee+Kamal Architects, Oota Hyderabad follows the architectural language established by the Bengaluru restaurant. The interiors use wood, exposed brick, brass detailing and curved forms to create a setting where the food remains the central element of the dining experience.
For Hyderabad’s growing dining landscape, Oota introduces a restaurant that brings together recipes from across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana under one roof. Built around extensive field research and regional culinary traditions, the restaurant presents a menu that reflects the diversity of Telugu food, from everyday home cooking to dishes associated with festivals, communities and local culinary histories.
