India, April 30 -- On a Sunday afternoon, 23rd Street Pizza is packed with a young crowd, ordering salads, potato wedges and of course, pizza. Sitting next to my table were two couples who said they were Gujaratis raised in Bengaluru. They ate out five to 6 times a month, mostly trying non-Indian food. 23rd Street Pizza with its New York style pizza and photos of the Big Apple on the wall was one of their favourites.

I was there to try different restaurants as part of the new Restaurant Week India (RWI) 2026. For ten days in April, participating restaurants charge a flat fee of about Rs.1500 per person for a prix-fixe (fixed-price) menu with select items. Diners get an appetizer, a main course and dessert. Three cities are participating ...