ORLO, Hyderabad’s newest chef-led regional dining space, offers premium homestyle meals inspired by the great Indian family table. With a weekly rotating menu featuring cuisines from Rajasthan to East India, ORLO blends comfort with craftsmanship
Hyderabad finally has a restaurant that brings back the warmth, generosity, and comfort of the old Indian family dining table—except here, it comes with the craft of culinary researchers, regional experts, and seasoned chefs. ORLO, opened this November by Vikksit Hospitality, isn’t a “mess-style restaurant”; it is a premium, homestyle regional dining experience.
Built on the idea of “aur lo”—take more—ORLO blends the emotion of home-cooked meals with the precision and storytelling of expert-led regional cuisines. The result is a space where you don’t just eat; you participate in the cultural rhythm of India’s many kitchens.
A Dining Concept Rooted in Connection
For founder Vikas Passary, ORLO is a deeply personal project. “At the core of every meal is a connection,” he explains. “It’s the way mothers, grandmothers, children, friends come together. ORLO is a salute to that Indian way of eating and gathering.”
This philosophy shapes the restaurant’s central concept:
a weekly rotating regional menu, created through collaborations with home cooks, culinary researchers, and chefs who specialise in their native cuisines. The result is an ever-changing exploration of India—authentic, soulful, and thoughtfully balanced.
Lunch Like an Indian Home—Made Premium
Lunch at ORLO is designed to feel like walking into a friend’s home during the afternoon—comforting, abundant, and fuss-free. The team calls it a regional meal, not a thali.
The distinction matters.
A thali can be theatrical; ORLO’s meals are homestyle, nutrient-conscious and quietly premium, reflecting the way Indian families actually eat. The plates balance carbohydrates, proteins, fibre and good fats, without feeling heavy. Diners also receive “Barkat”—a small takeaway snack to enjoy later with tea, a symbolic extension of ORLO’s hospitality.
“We offer the right amount for lunch,” Passary says. “You should be nourished, not sleepy. And you should leave with a little abundance to carry you through the day.”
Opening with Rajasthan: A Meal Steeped in Comfort and Heritage
ORLO opened with a Rajasthani regional meal, created with the expertise of culinary researcher Dipali Khandelwal, a Forbes Under 30 honoree. The menu showcased lesser-known homely dishes that rarely feature in restaurant menus:
- Annakoot ki Sabji – a comforting mix of seasonal vegetables
- Junglee Maas – tender meat slow-cooked with chillies and ghee
- Shakkarkand aur Til ki Chaat – earthy, warm and nutty
- Baajre ki Raab – a soothing fermented millet and buttermilk drink
Dipali shared delightful insights:
Rajasthan has over nine distinct cuisines; sun-drying is central to its pickling culture; and dishes like Kankri Mirch, made with edible gum and nuts, are nutrient-rich enough to pass as desi granola.
A Surprise Every Week
One of ORLO’s most charming features is that it does not announce the regional cuisine for the week. You walk in and discover it.
“Next week may be a Sindhi meal. Or Punjabi. Or East Indian,” Passary hints. The unpredictability keeps diners curious and encourages cultural exploration—one plate at a time.
Dinner Turns Premium, Curated and Celebratory
While lunch is intimate and homely, dinner at ORLO becomes elevated and festive. The ambiance transforms—lighting, table settings, uniforms, music—everything shifts to create a fine dining regional experience. The dishes remain rooted in regional identity but are presented with polish and flair.
By night, ORLO also houses Highball, a vibrant bar offering a la carte plates, pan-Indian flavours and inventive beverages.
The Team Behind Orlo
ORLO is the latest offering from Vikksit Hospitality, led by Hyderabad restaurateur Vikas Passary, known for Little Italy and several pioneering F&B concepts. The project brings together a collective of regional culinary specialists—experts from Rajasthan, Sindh, Assam, Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh—who collaborate to ensure authenticity and depth in every meal. The vision is simple yet ambitious: to reconnect diners with India’s culinary heritage through the warmth of homestyle cooking.
Why ORLO Matters in Hyderabad Today
At a time when restaurant menus often chase trends, ORLO brings back something timeless—the comfort of the Indian home, recreated by experts who understand the value of culinary roots. With its rotating weekly menu and family-table-inspired dining, ORLO stands as one of the city’s most meaningful new additions.
Meal for two: ₹1,200
Location: 3rd Floor, R Quad, Opp. Durgam Cheruvu Lakefront, Madhapur
Timings: 12–4 pm; 7–11 pm
Instagram: @orlo.india
