Guide for Buyers!!!

Buy

Handicraft

• The Cauvery Arts & Crafts Emporium, 45 M G Road, +91 80 2558-1118, is a large store, offering a wide selection of some of Karnataka's best hand made products. The carvings made of Mysore sandalwood are an especially good buy.
• Central Cottage Industries Emporium (CCIE), M G Road - A government run store promoting traditional Indian hand crafts. The CCIE has major outlets in New Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, Bangalore and Chennai.
• Royal Arts & Crafts, 21 K.H. Road, +91 80 2248-4797 has a particularly wide selection of silk carpets and paper mache products.
• Karnataka State Handicrafts Development Corporation, 45 K.S.H.D.C Complex, M.G.Road, +91 80 2558-1118 - specializes in Karnataka handicraft.
  

Books

• The Strand book stall, 1st Floor, Manipal Centre, Dickenson Road, +91 80 2558-0000, Best known for the latest releases in art, design, architecture and all at good prices.
• Gangarams, 72 M G Road, +91 80 2558-6743, +91 80 2558-7277. Four floors crammed with books makes this book store one of the largest (as well the most organized) book store in India.
• Higginbothams, 68 M G Road, +91 80 2558-7359, +91 80 2558-6574 - a good selection of maps, postcards, guides and novels
• Premier Book Shop, 46/1 Church Street (off M G Road), +91 80 2558-8570. Is a venerable Bangalore institution that has books on every conceivable subject literally stacked from floor to ceiling. Although the store may appear to be utterly chaotic, the owner knows where every piece of his stock lies - just be careful with those elbows, a slight nudge and the whole place will come tumbling down!
• Landmark, In Forum Mall on Luskar Hosur Road, Koramangala, +91 80 2206-7777 / 78 / 80 - a modern bookshop. A good place to pick up the most recent publications. Various household appliances; CDs and DVDs of music albums, computer and video games (the quality varying from time-to-time) and movies can also be found on the next floor.
• Blossoms, near Coconut Grove Restaurant, Church Street (parallel to MG Road),+91 80-2559733,+91 80-25320400 - For those dreamy old books, there are 3 full floors of them. You definitely won't leave be disappointed.
• Select Bookshop, off Brigade Road Behind Curzon Court Hotel, Brigade Road - Used to be the only old bookstore. Mr Murthy, who runs the bookstore, is one of the most knowledgeable people. His grandfather started the bookstore. He also has a collection of lithographs, stained glass paintings and collectors copies of antique books.
• Oxford Book Store, At the Leela Galleria (next to Hotel Leela Palace) - Has some of the latest collection of books and magazines but, doesn't offer any discounts. It has a Cha Bar attached offering 69 blends of tea.
• Tata Book House, At the Indian Institute of Science, Malleswaram - Has a large collection of technical books, on which it offers a flat 20 percent discount. Lots of books in a small place. Also worth visiting just because it is in IISc.
• Bangalore Book shop, on 17th cross,Margosa Road Malleswaram has a wide range of books on Technical and other books spread over 5000 sq fts.This is one of the best places to buy books in Malleswaram. This is owned by the same people who run Tata Book House, above.
• Streelekha, This is a great bookstore to explore the feminist literature and activism that is being produced in India, as well as other texts on the research and work of Indian NGOs. The atmosphere is relaxing and inviting. The bookstore is located at 33/1-9, Thyagaraja Layout in Jaibharath Nagar, telephone: 91 80 25492783.
• Sapana Book House, This is a large bookstore on 3rd Main road, near Kamat Yatri Nivas, Gandhi Nagar (Walking distance from Majestic Bus stand). They also have branches in Sadashivnagar and Jayanagar.
  

Shopping

Many visitors come to Bangalore searching only for sandalwood carvings and silk sarees and so miss out on the true Bangalore shopping experience. Here is a low down on shopping - Bangalore style:
The M.G Road/Brigade Road area is the most popular place for tourists, and these two roads are filled with shops of every kind, whether it be traditional handicrafts or the latest western wear (this is especially true for Brigade Road).
Bannerghatta Road a tiresome approach it used to be (sounds yodaish)...but now it's much better..and you have 'Grasshopper' a space that exhibits clothing design from the most experimental designers in india and also showcases other ideas - lighting design, products, theatre, music - an open space for expression! and if that's too boring, you can keep driving and you have a thousand ways that you can take to enjoy the wildlife and the myriad resevoirs strewn across the area - you can still find your very own private haven. Enjoy

Brigade Road was used to be where once British soldiers bought their necessities. How things have changed! Today Brigade road is the centre of yuppie Bangalore, you'll see hordes of college students on the road anytime of day or night. Some of the stores on Brigade Road include: Planet M (a huge music store with everything), Louis Phillipe, Pepe Jeans, Levis,Lee, SanFrisco Jeans, Nike, Titan (great Indian made watches) just to name a few... There are also many eateries on either side of the roads and on the side roads that lead of Brigade road, so that you can refuel yourself for shopping! There are your fast food outlets: KFC (right at the entrance), Pizza Hut at the other end of the road and many cafes including the Indian Coffee Chain Cafe Coffee Day.Also includes a Tattoo parlor.

Commercial Street a legacy of the British is another shopping mecca that sells international brands (similar to Brigade road) along side locally produced items. Commercial Street has more of a bazaar feel than Brigade Road. In addition, it is famous for its tattoo and body piercing centers. The price of goods here is very competitive and it is a great place to pick a bargain.

Malls in India are a recent phenomenon, the first opened back in 1999, since then there has been a boom with malls around every corner in large cities (now also in smaller cities). Bangalore is no exception! Here is list of the major Malls in Bangalore, but beware that there are at least a dozen in the planning and construction stages!

Forum ('The Mall') These days no trip to Bangalore is complete without a visit to the Forum on Hosur road in the upmarket suburb of Koramangla, which is fast becoming the shopping hub of Bangalore ready to throw the M.G/Brigade Road area of its throne. Again like other shopping areas, you can find anything at the Forum, high international brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, Swarovski Crystals to traditional Indian Khadi clothing at the Khadder. Other brands with outlets include: United Colours of Bennetton (much cheaper here than in the west), Pepe Jeans U.K, William Penn, Wrangler Jeans, Weekender and of course Nike. The Forum incorporates the clothing from international brands as well as haute couture boutiques including: Mustard, Isis, B and the Chai shop. For books head straight to Landmark and huge store has everything from books to perfumes and music. On the top floor of the mall you will find a PVR multiplex comprising 11 cinemas. For eating there is everything, Fast food (KFC, McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Subway) Cafe Coffee Day and a food court with world cuisines including: Chinese, Vietnamese, Mexican and Italian and Indian. Not to be missed is the Indian cusine at Sahib Sindh Sultan and the British style pub, Firangi Pani. So that is a forum for all your shopping needs under one roof! Its just a must see, especially the outside.

Garuda Mall Located on the corner of McGrath and Commissariat Roads, is the newest mall in Bangalore. This Mall is definitely catered to the upper class of Indian society. Many of the same brands as Forum are available as well as some that are not. One of the major draw points of this mall is that it houses the Indian department chain store: Shoppers Stop, which once stood across the road as a separate building but is now part of this new mall. The Mall also houses a INOX cinema multiplex on the top floor.

Bangalore Central Opened around the same as the Forum, Bangalore Central is more of a large department store than a mall with separate retailers. It still is must visit for shoppers in Bangalore. It is located in city centre on the corner of M.G and Residency Roads (Opposite Mayo Hall), so unlike the Forum it is walkable distance to the main M.G/Brigade Roads shopping area. It has a huge range of everything (like department stores in the west), clothing (Indian and Western brands), electronics, perfumes, accessories as well as a supermarket on the top floor and food court plus a Cafe Coffee Day. They have a altering service with in the store and can be done in two hours depending on the rush.

Safina Plaza Is sale central in Bangalore, located on Infantry Road. Every week there is sale going on of any type. One week it might be home furnishings and the next men's wear. Good place to find some bargains. Many exhibitions are also held here, although there are retailers (Dockers, Lee Jeans, Titan too name a few) here too. So for quiet shopping come here (much less crowded than the other malls). Its best to visit during end of season sales (summer, monsoon) or during festivals (New Year, Christmas, Ganesh Chaturthi).

Sampige Road,Malleswaram Tired of going to mall, and indulging in window shopping.Try Sampige (a flower name) Road. Sampige Road is the heart of Malleswaram and connects Sheshadripuram to IISc.Sampige Road is around 2kms,has a wide range of shops that sells books, electronic items, silk sarees, handicrafts, cloth materials, Hindu pooja materials, sweets and all the trivial things you can buy on earth. Also try Malleswaram 8th cross on Sampige road(aptly named Brigade Road of Malleswram) for a vibrant shopping experience.Sampige Road is also home to best flower market and fruits market in Bangalore. If you are tired of going to individual shops you can go for the best departmental stores in Bangalore like Fabmall, foodworld, Nilgiris.

Marathahalli Main Road and Factory Outlets Located a distance from central Bangalore (although not difficult to reach), is Marathahalli (a village in a previous life). The main road of this suburb is now a haven for factory outlets for all major brands: Nike, Adidas, Pepe Jeans, Killer Jeans, Louis Phillipe, Levi's, Reebok etc.. You can expect prices here to be cheaper than in the Malls, at least 20-30% price difference but can be up to 50% cheaper when it comes to some of the major denim brands! As if India wasn't cheap enough. Although this is the best place to go to for factory outlet shopping, there are smaller factory outlets scattered across the city. Also look out for sales held by the major brands to get rid of end of season stock (again end of summer or end of monsoon), these are usually advertised in newspapers or look for signs posted on major roads.
Metro shopping mall Near Yashwanthpura railway station and ISKON temple.

Lifestyle near Globus/Garuda Mall
This two-storey store is located in the heart of the new mall shopping district with malls like Garuda Mall, Bangalore Central and Globus, all within easy walking distance and was one of the most coveted stores until the malls came along. It's an easy place to go shopping when you don't want too many options to confuse you or when you're tired and don't want to visit too many shops - you can get everything under one roof here. Good for clothes, cosmetics, watches, jewellery, shoes etc. You also get stylish furniture and other home and living items for a decent price.

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Eat !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Eat
Bangalore is far from the sea, hence if you have a sensitive stomach and are new to the Indian cuisine you should stay away from seafood and fish in Bangalore.

Budget
Bangalore literally has hundreds of fast food joints serving south Indian vegetarian food. They usually are identified with small round steel tables and diners standing around them having food. Dosas, idlis, vada's, curd rice, Vegetable Pulao, rice with sambar, lemon rice are usually standard fare. Quality widely varies, since most of them cater to working people.

• Mavalli Tiffin Room (MTR), 11 Lal Bagh Road, +91 80 2222-0022, +91 80 2222-1706. One of the very old traditional breakfast places in Bangalore. There are a few people who have been having their breakfast at MTR everyday for the past 15 years. Expect a long wait on weekends.
• New Shanti Sagar. This is an especially good chain of south Indian restaurants. Branches scattered all over the city, notably in Koramangala 80ft road, Jayanagar, Domlur, etc. Rs 50-200.
• The Adiga's chain of restaurants to the south of Bangalore. Prominent among them are the joints located in: Jayanagar 4th Block, take the road facing BHS First Grade College, Basavanagudi. Here is the list: Adiga's Park 585,10th Main,42nd cross,5th Block Jayanagar. 2. Adiga's Foodline,502,40th Cross,8th block. 3. Adiga's Delicacy,105,Dickenson's road,Manipal Centre. 4. Adiga's Majestic, Next to Fkcci Bldg, KG Road. 5. Adiga's Nalapaka, Opp.to HSBC Complex,Bannerghatta, Arikere
• Sree Krishna joint a little further from the road connecting Lalbagh Westgate with Basavanagudi.
• SLV chain of restaurants. Prominent among them are located in:Banashankari 2nd Stage, opposite BDA park
• Vidhyarthi Bhavan, just off Gandhi Bazar in Basavanagudi - A gastronomic haven - offering some of the best Masale Dose in the world! This quaint little place is so famous that it has not even bothered to change it's age old sign board (who needs it anyway, the aroma wafting through the air is a good enough indication that you are in the vicinity of the place)!!! Get there early for a breakfast, there's always a bee-line for places to sit.
• Hotel Janatha, 8th Cross Road, Malleswaram - Makes some of the best Vade sambhar and Masale Dose in town.
• Corner House, Residency Road (2558-3262), BTM Road, Koramangala (Off 80ft Road), Airport Road (Arlton Towers), Marthahalli (Whitefield Road) is one of the best ice cream parlours offering a variety of treats. Their famed 'Death by Chocolate' (popularly known as DBC) is a must for all chocolate lovers and has attained a cult status.
• Central Tiffin Room (a.k.a CTR), Margosa Road, Malleswaram - Another landmark hotel, dishing out some divine 'Benne Masale Dose', which literally melts in the mouth.
• Upahara Darshini, on DVG road, Basavanagudi. Another of Bangalore's new found Darshinis dishing out top notch Masale Dose and Vade Sambhar
• Lake View Milk Bar, MG Road. Tel: +91 80 2558-7410 - excellent ice creams
• McDonalds, Forum Mall - Don't expect to find any meat items.
• Shiv Sagar, Narayan Pillai Street, Off Commercial Street. Tel: +91 80 509-8892 - Don't get put off by the location! It's a great place to eat.
• Coconut Grove, Church Street - try the appams and Kerala parottas with a chicken source dish. Their lunch offer for 80rs is also really good.
• Koshy's, St. Marks Road (below Church St). A Bangalore institution, serving a smattering of Western favorites (like fish and chips) along with the usual South Indian fare in a bohemian-for-India atmosphere. On weekends, they serve up greasy Western-style breakfast, including omelettes and Bombay (i.e., French) Toast. Appam and Stew is their Sunday breakfast special and a must eat. Turn right at the entrance for the more expensive (and decidedly less charming) AC room. Rs 50-200.
• KC Das, St. Marks Road and Church St. The most famous Bengali sweets shop in Bangalore. Stop here for infinite variations on rasgullah.
  

Mid-Range

• Ebony, MG Road. On the 13th floor of the tallest building on MG Road, this stylish eatery offers excellent evening views of the city. Service is a bit slow, but the ambience makes it worth the wait. Book ahead for a terrace seat. Rs 200-400
• Little Italy, 100 Ft Road, Indiranagar. A chic italian vegetarian restaurant, faddish and over priced. Sometimes the staff switches off air conditioning if the tables are less than half-filled!
• Mainland China, Church Street (near Museum Road), +91 80 2227-7722, 2224-5864. Upscale Chinese food. Ok food and good service. Serving lunch buffet. The one at St. Mark's Road is closed. Rs 100-500.
• Sahib Sindh Sultan, Forum Mall, Hosur Rd, Koramangala. Train-themed restaurant with a delicious, upscale menu. Expect a long wait. Or book ahead and roam around the mall or grab a few drinks from the adjoining Firangi Paani. Rs 150-500
• Samarkand, Gem Plaza, 66, Infantry Road (East of Central St), +91 80 4111-3366. North West frontier food (i.e., kebabs) in a kitschy atmosphere. Famous for its biryani, which you can order in advance. (One biryani is enough for three or four people.) You will need to book on weekends. Rs 300-600.
• Shiok Far-eastern Cuisine, 2nd Floor, #12 CMH Road, Indiranagar (next to Citibank ATM), +91 80 4116-1800. This restaurant offers the some of the most authentic South East Asian/Thai food in Bangalore. Rs 150-500
• T.G.I Friday's, Carlton Towers & Airport Road - Don't expect cheap Indian prices.
• CANOPY , PU Building, M.G.Road,This restaurant is an open air paradise bang in the middle of the city and serves authentic North Indian food and also has a multi cuisine menu. Cooking techniques date back to the independence era offering the unique taste. Rs.100-500
  

Splurge

• Blue Ginger, Race Course Road (in the Taj West End). This high-end Vietnamese restaurant has a beautiful setting and excellent food. You may be shocked by the bill, though. Just next door to Blue Bar.
• Cafe Mozaic, 41/3 MG Road (in the Taj Residency). Western-style dining in a casual atmosphere with some pool-side seating. Sundays before 3:30 PM, there is an all-you-can-eat/drink champagne brunch for Rs 1000.
• Grasshopper, 45 Kalena Agrahara, Bannerghata Road, +91 80 2659-3999 (+91 98 4545-2646). Freshly prepared seven course meal served on the table. Reservation required. Closed on mondays. Prix fixe.
• Leela Palace has several upscale restaurants. All-you-can-eat/drink brunch on Sunday is Rs 1500.
• Sunny's at Embassy Diamante, 34, Vittal Mallya Road. +91 80 5132 9366/ +91 80 5132 9391/ +91 80 2212 0496. About Rs. 1,200 for a three-course meal for two, excluding drinks. Among the best restaurants in Bangalore. Try the excellent range of starters with fantastic sauces (salads are fine here!) and the Pasta with a bottle of Grovers is to die for! Also reccomend the Hot sandwiches for a lunch-time feast. Owned by an Indian Film director.

Ethnic

• Tijouri. North Indian restaurant inside the Hotel Atria.
• Kamat Yatrinivas, Gandhinagar. Serves special N Karnataka meals with jowar(Sorghum) rotis.
• Kadambam. Authentic Iyengar cuisine ranging from Puliogare, Sakkare Pongal, Thayir Sadham, of course Kadambam (which is actually a type of a heavenly concoction of Sambhar and rice, akin to Bisibele Huliyanna), and a wide array of traditional Iyengar sweets. It has two branches, one in Jayanagar 4th Block, not very far from the Shopping complex, and another just off West of Chord road, near Modi eye Hospital in Rajajinagar.
  

Continental

• Herbs & Spice, Off CMH Road, Behind Domino's. Great desserts.
• Casa Picola, has interesting, tasty Italian and continental food in a casual ambience. An old favourite for many locals, it has a few branches.
• Spiga , 76/A Vittal Mallya Road, +91 80 22996781.
• Friends Fast Food, Jyoti Nivas College Road, Koramangala (300m from Forum). Great Conti food at college prices. Casa Picola fans will like this one.
• Cafe Y, Langford Road (Near Prestige Elgin, Hosur Road-Langford Road junction), +91 80 511-44561. Amazing sizzlers and steaks, nice ambience.
• Indi Joe, 1 Airport Road (Carlton Towers), +91 80 5111-3636, +91 80 5112-1234. Offers fondue, pizza, steak and Mexican food. Their Lunch buffet is good.
  

South Karnataka

• Karavalli, Residency Road (at the Gateway Hotel), +91 80 2558-4545. Mangalorean, Goa, Karwar, and Kerala style cuisine.
• Konkan, 6th cross, 6th Block, Koramangala, +91 80 2552-1530. Mangalorean and Goan style cuisine.
• Vidyarthi Bhavan, 32 Gandhi Bazaar, 91 80 2667-7588. Another very old and traditional breakfast place, exclusively known for its Masala Dosa. Similar to MTR, you can find people who have been having breakfast here since times immemorial.
• The Palms, 33 Church Street (at the Highgates Hotel), +91 80 2559-7172. Mangalorean, Coorgi, and Malabari style. (shut for renovations)
• Janatha Hotel, 8th Cross, Malleshwaram. Another great place, famous for its Butter Masala Dosas and Vadas.
• Halli Mane, 3rd Cross, Malleswaram (close to Malleswaram Circle). Truly authentic and top notch traditional Kannada fare
• Kamath Yatrinivas...Majestic, authentic Mangalorean meals
• Kamath Lookaruchi.... On Mysore Road just before Channapatna...amazing food and ambience.Authentic mangalorean meals
• Upaahara Darshini.... On of the bangalore's oldest food joints. Amazing dosas (pancakes!)
  

Bengali

• Bangaliana, 355, 1st 'B' Main, 7th Block, Koramangala, (Opp. HDFC Bank) Tel: +91 80 2571-1058 - Authentic Bengali Delicacies (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner) Restaurant, Take-away, Catering. Specialities: fish, mutton chicken and, of course, sweets.
• Sonar Bangla, 88/1, Shubh Arcade, 1st floor, 16th Cross, Margosa Road, Malleswaram. Tel: +91 80 336-7622 - The restaurant undertakes orders of authentic Bengali food for gourmets who fancy a whole meal and also delivers it at the doorstep. Fish is considered sacred in the coastal state and is consumed universally. So, all fish lovers can take heart as the non-vegetarian cuisine is delivered, but not served at the restaurant.
• 36 Chowringhee Lane, No. 1, Milkman Street, Langford Road, Shantinagar Nanjappa Circle, Near Hockey Stadium, Richmond Town. See the following review:
• 6 Ballygunge Place, 1F., 612, 12th Main, Indira Nagar (above Café Coffee Day). See the following review:

Fast Food and Ice Cream Parlors

• U S Pizza, Church Street. Tel: +91 80 2559-9347 - If you are looking for a western tasting pizza this is the closest you get, try lamb-pepperoni.
• Richie Rich Icecream Parlor, With three branches around the city, this icecream parlor has a variety of natural icecreams, softies and many scrumptuous fast food items such as pav bhaji and vada Pav which will leave its customers with a craving for its foods. Try the elvis Presley speciality.. or the traffic Jam or Richie Rich Special. The three locations are on St. Marks R, Airport Rd. and Kumara Park East. Tel: +91 802226-9655.
  

Indian

• Bay Leaf, Raheja Arcade, Opposite Forum Mall, Kormangala - A really nice place with reasonable prices.
• Queens, Church Street, Opposite Amoeba - Small restaurant but great food at reasonable prices.
• D A L F R Y D A Y, Banerghatta Road,near IIM -B, besides HSBC Bank and above Fabmall - Now open, serves very good North Indian non vegetarian cuisine in a fine ambience.

Italian

• I-Talia, The Park, M.G. Road. Tel: +91 80 2559-4666 - very expensive
• 100 ft Boutique, 100 ft Road, Indiranagar (after Fab Mall when you are travelling from CMH road side) - the food and drinks are good, but it's a bit pricey.
  

Kerala

• ClayPot, Tippasandra - good kerala meals
  

Dhabas

• There are few Dhabas catering to all tastes. Both South and North Indian fare is available at most places and is clean and cheap. A special mention is the green park dhaba on the outskirts on bellary road and Golconda Chimney on the airport road. Try the Chicken Kathi rolls and the Biryani.

Drink

Drink
What

• Fresh coconuts are abundant in Bangalore, and the water sipped straight from the nut is a healthy, enjoyable and cheap way to quench the thirst.
  
• As in many parts of India, the yogurt based drink lassi is readily available in Bangalore. It is served plain or flavored with sugar or fruit, mango being a popular one. Lassi is particularly refreshing on a hot day and is also very effective in cooling and calming the stomach after an overly-spicy meal.
  
• Fresh lime soda, which is offered "sweet or salt".
  
• Kingfisher is the most popular and widely available beer in Bangalore. It is typically sold in 650 ml bottles, suitable for sharing between two or three people. Note: Indian beer may contain the additive glycerol, which can cause headaches.
  

Where

• Cafes
  
• Cafe Coffee Day - Can be found all over Bangalore.
  
• Barista - Can be found all over Bangalore.
  
• Coffee World - Can be found all over Bangalore.
  The three places above are India's answer to Starbucks and serve snacks, teas, other drinks & coffee of acceptable quality.
  
• Coffee Workers Co-op - M.G. Road - a venerable Bangalore institution, with waiters in traditional uniforms and customers slowly savoring the age-old tradition of coffee drinking - though there are just two choices of coffee: black or white.Have some delightful "masala dosa" here.
  

Pubs and bars

• Bangalore is home to numerous pubs and bars - earning it the epithet the Pub City of India. Note that due to recent police crackdowns, pubs close at 11:30 p.m. in most cases. Top 5 Pubs are as follows:-
  
• Guzzlers Inn, 48, Rest House Road, Brigade Road
  Bangalore , Timings: 11 am to 11:30 pm
  Phone: 2558-7336/2558-2138, Type of food: Multi-Cuisine
• Jockey Club,41/3, Taj Residency, MG Road
  Bangalore, Timings: 5 pm to 11:30 pm, Phone: 5660-4444
  Type of food: Multi-Cuisine
• Nasa, 1/4, Church Street Bangalore,Timings: 11 am to 11 pm
  Phone: 2558-6512/2558-4595
  Type of food: Multi-Cuisine
• Pecos, 34, Rest House Road, Bangalore
  Timings: 11 am to 11 pm, Phone: 2558-6047
  Type of food: Multi-Cuisine
• Purple Haze, 2nd Floor, Opp Prestige Towers,
  Residency Road, Bangalore, Timings: 11 pm to 11 am
  Phone: 2222-0054
  Type of food: Multi-Cuisine

Budget

Most bars and pubs in the city are somewhat upscale, but many inexpensive restaurants serve beer.

Mid-range

• Pecos, Rest House Road (off Brigade Road). This 60's retro pub (a mural of Jerry Garcia greets you at the door) is often crowded on all three floors, including the pleasant roof-top seating area. Free popcorn with every pitcher of beer. Cards are available for frequent customers which make every tenth pitcher of beer free, but you may have to ask several times in order to acquire one and to get it updated.
  
• Nasa, Church Street.
  
• Tavern at The Inn, Museum Road.
  
• Styx (next to Cauvery Handicrafts on M.G. Road) - known for its heavy metal and hard rock music. 'Happening' nights are Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
  
• Purple Haze, Residency Road. Popular for the classic rock that's played there.
  
• Sparks, Brigade Road extension, next to Brigade Towers.
  
• Ego's, Castle Street, off Brigade Road.
  
• J'Cubez, Banshankari 2nd Stage, opp. BDA complex - For all those rock lovers
  
• The Bunker, off Residency Road.
  
• Legends of Rock, Koramangala.
  
• Dewars, next to cantonment railway station - beautifull old bunglow.... slow but charming service (you don't need to order drinks - just buy the bottle!) - excellent tapas kind of food (primarily carnivorous and hell! spicy)no music!...thank god you can actually talk with the people you go out with - might just disappear very soon!
  
• Opus, Palace Cross Road, near Sankey Road, +91 80 23442580.A chilled-out, ex-pat friendly lounge with a large outdoor space. Has karaoke on most Sundays and Wednesdays (Kroaknights) as well as regular live music and DJ dance nights. You may need to book ahead on theme nights.
  

Splurge

Most hotels have spiffy bars with every imaginable concoction of drinks available.

• 13th Floor, Barton Center, M.G Road. Make a reservation.
• Aura, Cunningham Road
• Blue Bar, Race Course Road - Usally open past midnight. On weekends you need to buy drink-tickets for 1500rs to enter.Excellent drinks if you make sure Danny makes them. Officially they have a couple's only policy. Spontaneous dancing likely next to the bar.
• Cosmo Village, Magrath Road
• F-Bar (Fashion Bar - a theme bar by FTV) inside Le Meridien
• Firangi Paani, Forum Mall, Koramangala.
• Geoffrey's, Airport Road
• Hint, 5th Floor Bangalore Central, M.G Road. Tuesdays is ladies night (couples permitted).
• iBar, Park Hotel, M.G Road
• Spin, just next to Brigade circle. Closes early at 23.30. You have to buy dink-tickets for 500rs to enter. Beware: On Saturdays they play only house music - which is not really happening.
• Taika, Church Street (off Brigade Road) - Usally open past midnight and has a huge dance floor. 3 bars and a launge area. Entrance is 1200rs.
• Tuscan Verve (off Brigade Road)

Sleep

Sleep

Some of the more expensive hotels have different rates for foreigners and Indians. Serviced Apartments are a good alternative to standard hotels and are chosen by visiting executives and travellers these days. Media has talked much about the Bangalore serviced apartments. Big Hotel groups like Hilton group etc are said to be considering launching their Serviced Apartments in Bangalore. A local Infozine has a list of service apartments (and hotels) at this link -->[23]
Please keep in mind that the smaller Bangalore service apartments are former homes with about 3~7 rooms & managed by a caretaker and part time 'manager'.

Budget

• Sri Rama Krishna Hotel (good, cheap hotel) - in the "Majestic Area" near City Rail and Bus Station. 170rs (close to $4) per night will get you a very secure single with morning Freezing cold water, tea/coffee TV, phone in room and a good views if on upper floor (request). However, if you have a problem with cockroaches, then you'll probably want to look else where. Also, make sure you bring mosquito netting as there are vents that are impossible to close. The hotel also has a very popular, large restaurant serving South Indian food.* Kinldy confirm as this hotel was closed for maintanence in late August this year.
• Ajantha, 22 MG Road. Good simple hotel with veggie restaurant. Tel:+91 80 2558-4321.
  
• YMCA, Nrupathunga Road (near Cubbon Park), no-frills hotel. Tel:+91 80 2221-1848
  
• Shree Vaishnav Gujarati Samaj (good, very cheap staying for gujaratis) - just behind "Majestic Area" Nr Sapna cinema, Kempe Gowda circle - a secure and decent place to stay if you are there for a day or two. Costs only 50 rs for a day / bed. A nice canteen just inside the place with gujarati food available. In the vicinity there is another good place available for fast food / lunch named "SLV". Good value for money.
  Ask the auto driver specifically to take you this place, cause they usually will not take you there, as they are paid commission by hotels for the customers they bring. Hotels in the vicinity charge anything from 400 - 600 per room.
  

Mid-range
Hotel Vrindavan - Located just off M.G. Road.very near to M. G. Road/Brigade Road junction (Also called cauvery handicraft junction). Nice hotel for lodging & great south indian food.

Splurge

• Grand Ashok Hotel, Kumara Krupa High Grounds. Tel:+91 80 22-2404-2211 (9 lines). Email: mailto:grandashok@nivalink.com
  
• Taj Residency Hotel, 41/3 MG Road. Tel:+91 80 5660-4444. Email: mailto:residency.bangalore@tajhotels.com
  
• Chancery Pavilion, Residency Road. Nice business hotel, good service and food. About $200 US
  

Super Deluxe

• Park Hotel, 14/7 MG Road. Tel:+91 80 2559-4666. Email: mailto:resv.blr@theparkhotels.com
  
• ITC Windsor Sheraton Hotel, Sankey Road,
• Oberoi Hotel, 37-39 MG Road. Tel:+91 80 2558-5858.
  
• Taj West End Hotel, Race Course Road. Tel:+91 80 5660-5660. Email: mailto:westend.bangalore@tajhotels.com
• Leela Palace Kempinski, Tel:+91 80 2521-1234. Email: mailto:bangaloresales@theleela.com

Luxury Deluxe Budget

• JustBookIt.com, Tel:+91 80 6530-5153, +91 99801 45913. Email: mailto:contactus@justbookit.com

Speak kannada, Learn kannada, Eat kannada, and Improve kannada

Talk
Being the capital of Karnataka, the official language in Bangalore is Kannada. English is the common denominator.
One common expression probably peculiar to Bangalore would be the "By two coffee" meaning a coffee shared between two people. Mostly overheard at the stand-and-eat darshinis.

Confused which code numbers to add to your dearest one phone number then see this column

Contact

The dialling code for Bangalore is 080. When calling from overseas, dial +91 80 XXXX XXXX. If you have a non-working phone number with only 7 digits try to add a "2" in front of it.
If you don’t have an Indian phone number it is strongly recommended that you get a pre-paid calling card if you planning on using your phone frequently. By government regulation you need a photocopy of your passport (visa and the id-page) and a color photo to be able to buy a pre-paid card. Pre-paid card are sold in most shops that sell mobile equipment.

Stay Safe

Bangalore is a relatively safe city. But it is not advisable to walk along deserted alleyways or lanes after dark. Rising incomes has brought an influx of people from outside the city, leading to extreme disparities in earnings between localites and expatriates (people from other states) which arguably has resulted in a substantial increase in crime rates.
Avoid using an autorickshaw if the driver is not alone.

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Cope

Groceries

Besides the local trader found on most main roads and in most residential areas, there are a few supermarkets in most areas. Prominent among them are Foodworld with outlets in Basavanagudi, Jayanagar 4th Block, Malleshwaram, M.G.Road and new ones coming up in prominent areas. Other chains with a less prominent presence include Nilgiris(M.G.Road), Dmart(D.V.G Road), etc.,

Body and Soul - Near Purvankara-Riviera (Marath halli) - expensive and not good

Fabmall - One stop shop for quality groceries, present all over the city. Bamburies- Essential for the expatiate. Cold cuts, frozen meat and fish. Good place to buy beef. 39/1 Richmond Road, Bangalore Ph:25301949

Hospitals
List of Major Hospitals and healthcare centers:

High end

• E.P.M.C's women's clinic and surgery-9th block, Jayanagar
• Manipal Hospital - Airport Road
• Mallya Hospital - Vittal Mallya Road
• HOSMAT Hospital (Sports and Orthopedic Medicine) - near MG Road
• Sagar Apollo Hospital - Bannerghatta Road, Tilaknagar
• Wockhardt Hospital - Cunningham Road
• Columbia Asia Hospital - Bellary Road, Hebbal
• MS Ramaiah super speciality hospital,NEW BEL Road,Mathikere(the new ramaiah hospital)

Low end

• St. John's Medical College & Hospital - Sarjapur Road, Koramangala
• M S Ramaiah - New BEL Road, Mathikere
• Indira Nursing Home - Banashankari IInd Stage
• Shekar Nursing Home - Hanumanth Nagar
• Sai Baba Hospital - Whitefield Road
• Bangalore Baptist Hospital - Bellary Road, Hebbal
• Plus a whole lot of smaller hospitals in every area.
• Divakara nursing home- JP Nagar
• Pushpa Nursing Home - Whitefield

Laundry

Band Box on Brigade road . Snow white on Mission road Also You can find almost one laundry shop in every major road.

Shoe Repair
Mochis on Brigade Road and the forum mall. You'd find the regular cobbler on every street corner.

Pharmacies

Pharmacies are dime a dozen and you should not have any problem locating one. You do not need any prescription for Modern Medicine Over the Counter drugs and ayurvedic medicine(proprietary and traditional), which are available for most common ailments like fever, headache, etc., But you will need prescription for other medicines, which are categorised as Schedule H drugs. Cash Pharmacy on Residency Road should get you most allopathic drugs.

But don't worry we also have 24 Hours Pharmacy

24 Hours Pharmacy Phone Numbers ( +91 - 80 )

Agadi Centre for Physical Medicine & Neuro Rehabilitation 22271384
Apollo Pharmacy - Srinivasa Nagar 26796899
Apollo Pharmacy - Vivek Nagar 25701226
Apollo Pharmacy - Malleshwaram 23310065
Apollo Pharmacy - Rajaji Nagar 23526466
Apollo Pharmacy - Mahalakshmi Layout 23598275
Apollo Pharmacy - Koramangala 25630194
Apollo Pharmacy - Jaya Nagar 9th Block 26557377
Gayathri Hospital 23355201 / 23352085
HOSMAT 25593796
KIMS Hospital 26673056 / 26624870
Mallige Medical Centre 22267662
Mallya Hospital 22277979 / 22277997
Manipal Hospital 25266646 / 25266441
Metri Medicals 26704534
Panacea Hospital 23235577 / 23228649
Sagar Apollo Hospital 26536700 / 26536701
Trinity Hospital Pharmacy 26563995
Yellamma Dasappa Hospital 22225642

* All Phone Numbers are excluding last moment change in telephone numbers.

Photos to Know Bangalore

The above Photo from Shivana samudra.
A Photo from Nandi Hills

A Photo taken from Bannerghatta National Park

'

Scenic spots

Scenic spots

• Chunchi Falls - are beautiful waterfalls located in Bangalore Rural. However, be content with only looking at the cascading water. Besides the crocodiles that inhabit this area, the water is also heavily polluted with Bangalore's sewage, so it strongly advised not to get into the water.
  
• Muthyala Maduvu is a picnic spot about 44 km (27 mi) from Bangalore, has an enchanting waterfall and a small temple.
  
• Kokkare Bellur - a village famous for its rare birds
  
• Savana Durga - a monolithic rock situated at around 70 kms from Bangalore
  
• Chennai - also known as Madras, is the capital of the southern state of Tamil Nadu in India
• Mekedatu (Goats Leap) is a place where the waters of the Cauvery River are squeezed through a narrow ravine. It is located in Bangalore Rural, about 98 km (61 mi) from Bangalore city.
• Mysore - famous for its palace and sandalwood, Mysore is an elegant city and popular tourist center.
  
• Nandi Hills - 60 km (37 mi) from Bangalore is a beautiful hill station.
  
• Shivanasamudram - site of waterfalls
  
• Srirangapatna - a former fortress capital of the region controlled by Hyder Ali and his son Tipu Sultan.
  
• Supa Dam Canoeing on Supa Reservoir. This dam is located close to Bangalore.
  
• Tirupati - The hilltop abode of Lord Venkateshwara also known as Balaji.
  
• Yelagiri Hills - a peaceful hill station in Tamil Nadu, 160 km (99 mi) from Bangalore.
  
• Bannerghatta National Park is 21 km (13 mi) from Bangalore. This 100 km² national park consists mostly of dense forest and scrub land, and is home to wild animals like bison, leopard, wild boar as well as being an important corridor for elephants migrating between the eastern and western ghats. Other attractions here are a crocodile farm, serpentarium and a newly added butterfly park. In addition, a portion of the park is used as a sanctuary for wild rescued animals.
• Chamrajsagar Reservoir is 35 km (22 mi) from Bangalore and is an excellent picnic spot near the river Arakavati.
  
• Hesaraghatta Lake is 29 km (18 km) from Bangalore with a wonderful climate. It is a delightful artificial lake spread over 405 ha (1,000 acre) and provides facilities for sailing. A livestock breeding and poultry center have been established as a part od a Indo-Danish project.
• Janapada Loka is 53 km (33 mi) from Bangalore and is spread over 6 ha (15 acre). The center was established for the preservation and promotion of folk culture and traditions. An art gallery, open air theatre and museum are also located here.
  
• Kanva Reservoir is 69 km (43 mi) from Bangalore and is an excellent picnic spot and has facilities for fishing.
  
• Nrityagram, Hessaraghatta, Bangalore Rural, (28 km from Bangalore City). This unique experimental village is dedicated to gurukula tradition of dance, music, choreography and painting.
  
• Ramnagara is about 49 km (30 mi) from Bangalore. apart from being famous for toys, the place is a treat for rock climbers. The forests around this place are now proposed as a wildlife sanctuary to not only protect the wildlife of the scrub jungle but also to protect the massive prehistoric rocks and boulders that are present all around.

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Temples

• Gavipuram Gangadeshwara Cave Temple
• Bull temple
• Ghati Subramanya, 55 km (32 mi) from Bangalore is a famous pilgrimage center and houses a Lord Subramanya Temple. It is 52 km from Bangalore.
• Savandurga, 60 km (37 mi) from Bangalore, is famous hilltop pilgrim center has temples dedicated to Gangadeshwara, Hanna Devi and a cave spring called Pattala.When viewed from a distance, the outline of the hill looks like the figure of a bull (Nandi) on the east, Lord Ganesha from the west, A cobra from the north and a Shiva linga from the south.
• Vasanthapura, 12 km (7.5 mi) from Bangalore, is a small hillock with an ancient temple dedicated to Sri, Vasantha VallabharayaSwamy.
• Magadi is 46 km (29 mi) from Bangalore and is the birthplace of Kempe Gowda. The place has the remnants of a fort and four temples of unspoilt charm.
• Nandi Hills is 60 km (37 mi) from Bangalore. Apart from being a scenic area it also houses two 10th century Chola temples with Vijayanagara style mantapas. The temples are in excellent condition. One temple is at the foot of the hill and the other at the top. The location is famous for Kannada film shootings.
• Sangama is 103 km (64 mi) from Bangalore. Here the river Arakavati joins the Kaveri inside the Chilandavadi forest. A temple built during the Chola period can be found here.
• Whitefield at a distance of about 20 km (12 mi) from Bangalore is the ashram of Sri Satya Sai Baba. The ashram gets devotees from all over the world.
• Just Dial Services If you like to get any information about Bangalore - Restaurants, Taxi services, Travel Agents, Movie Places Anything - their contact details can be collected by just calling a number - +91 80 2333 3333, tell your name, contact number, e-mail id and take the information from them.
  

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