The Whitefield Arms – Bangalore’s Quintessential British Pub
Staycation at The Waverly Part II
[You may access Part I here]
Named after the inn in Whitefield where Winston Churchill courted Rose Hamilton, the Waverly Hotel & Residences combines style, elegance, and luxury ~ where contemporary English décor perfectly blends with the traditional warmth of Indian hospitality ~ offering effortless access to the best Whitefield has to offer; making it popular among leisure and business travellers alike.
My husband and I were recently treated to a rather well-deserved break at the property, and in this post, I will be sharing our experience on day two of our staycation.
Away from busy city highways, towering offices, and endless interruptions, there are few destinations better suited to indulge in much-deserved personal time; the Waverly Hotel & Residences is one such. We were provided with a Suite {The Loft}, which was spacious, offering lovely views of the surrounding area along with a super-comfy bed that afforded a deep restful sleep. After all the festivities of the previous day, Vikram and I woke up rather late on that lazy Sunday and decided to order a light breakfast-in-bed, as we were to brunch at The Whitefield Arms later that day.
Following breakfast, Vikram chose to spend some time at the property’s fitness centre ~ The Tribe ~ which is equipped with both Nautilus-style and free weights, and is open early morning until late evening providing complete flexibility to its guests to work out at a convenient schedule.
Brunch at TWA – The Whitefield Arms
A quintessential neighbourhood watering hole, The Whitefield Arms at VR Bengaluru is a charismatic colonial style English pub that instantly gives you a warm, pleasant, and unpretentious feel about the place. Equally popular with the regular locals and hotel guests, the pub has a spacious indoor seating area with plush sofas for those who prefer a more relaxed seating to enjoy their drinks and conversations; and charming outdoor seating reminiscent of English alleys, complete with wooden benches and lampposts to add to the allure of the place. We were met at our designated seating area by the amiable F&B manager asking what we would like to order. Gormandising followed.
Entrée
First to our table was the highly innovative chef’s special ~ TWA Chips and Cheese. Who would have thought you could mix crispy fries with Dal Makhani and Cheese, and like it? Absolutely delicious, these irresistible fries were served with chopped jalapenos, green chillies, and onions.
Next up was the Spitfire Wings ~ Chicken lollipop tossed in a homemade spicy sauce and served with an exquisite blue cheese dip. The ultimate messy food; these were tangy, meaty, perfectly seasoned, and so unctuous that it was hard to stop at just one!
We were then served the Cavalry Special ~ unbelievably tender chicken marinated in garlic and chillies, cooked in a tandoor, and served with coriander relish and cucumber labneh. I found these to be deliciously seasoned nuggets of goodness!
But the entrée that really stood out was the Special Grilled Honey Chilli Beef ~ grilled beef marinated in honey, soy and chilli. With the hoisin sauce part of the marinade, the beef was sweet but the green chillies and curry leaves created quite a unique combination of ingredients resulting in a fantastic dish. We would not really have opted for these unlikely contenders but I was certainly glad the chef convinced us to try it all.
Main Course
Cottage Cheese Butty ~ Cottage cheese buns served with onion chaat made up this dish, where the reigning flavour was spicy and hot; but really the apple chutney elevated it. Try this once and you’ll be guaranteed to add this to your favourites.
Classic Fish ‘n’ Chips served with frizzled onion, tater sauce, and malt vinegar with a tomato mustard relish. Nicely balanced flavours and just the right percentage of coating to protein make these a big win, and the malt vinegar and tartar sauce hit all the right notes.
Half Fried Chicken served with garlic mashed potato, summer young veggies, and gravy. This chicken had fancy gravy, but aside from that, it was just your basic, delicious, fried chicken. Sometimes the simplest foods are the very best!
Grilled Spice Crusted Chicken ~ Breast of chicken served with mint and onion sauce, spinach and truffle mushroom rice. This dish borrows heavily from Italian cuisine, but one has to applaud the sweet, garlicky flavour that permeates the meat ~ yum yum! And, the sauce was honestly the best part. It’s this chicken’s better half. The two just need each other.
The serving of Saffron Grilled Prawns with saffron lemon butter sauce, beans foogath, and vegetable couscous was a mildly spiced, subtly sweet, and delicious dish. Whoever thought prawns and vegetables could be food fit for kings?!
The meal was made most memorable by the excellent drinks that bartender Xavier crafted for us.
Cocktails
TWA Spicy Margarita
{Ingredients: Tequila, lime juice, Cointreau and sweet & sour with fresh chillies}
TWA Lavelle
{Ingredients: Vodka & gin, butterscotch and honey}
Mocktails
Orange Cooler
{Ingredients: Orange juice, red-orange syrup, sweet & sour and an orange slice}
Blue Jazzy
{Ingredients: Pineapple juice, caramel syrup, lime juice, and blue curacao}
TWA Punch
{Ingredients: Mixed fruit juice with sweet & sour and fresh cream}
Tanya Fontes with Sabrina Sajjad
Tanya Fontes with the fabulous crew at TWA
{L to R: Ajith, Raghavendra, Mona, Xavier, Amit & Hissay}
Address: The Waverly Hotel & Residences, Whitefield Road, Mahadevapura.
To conclude: Vikram and I had the best weekend, and headed home feeling thoroughly pampered and already itching to go back. It could have to do with having a change of scenery, visiting a part of our city we don’t often head down to, or just taking time out to completely unwind ~ whatever it was, I would definitely recommend it!
Disclaimer: This review was done on an invitation from The Waverly Hotel & Residences. Due judgment and care have been applied by the author to remain objective and unbiased in the review.
This is a fantastic read, and the visuals are ridiculously good! Excellent colours with your magical lines… There aren’t many things more British than ‘the pub’. Thank you for sharing.
My pleasure, Joyita. We couldn’t have asked for a better Sunday what with live music and a scrumptious brunch!
Thanks, very nice blog! Btw, I’m obsessed with the lettering on British pubs, inns, and storefronts. I collect a huge image bank of fun and beautiful finds on my phone when I need a dose of inspiration. 🙂
On a side note, I look forward to seeing you regularly in the blogosphere.
Thank you for sharing, Hadas.
Head north from Marathalli and turn right at VR for the perfect British Pub experience! 😀 These images are amazing, as is your writing, Tanya!
Start your day with some amazing beers on repeat, delicious food, and end with a yummy dessert! 🙂
Thank you so much, Shakshi.
Ooh – they have the perfect looking pub garden! Looking forward to visiting in the not too distant future to experience the unique flavours of the dishes, sip on fresh brews, and listen to a live band! ✨ I’m always so inspired by your work!
They do. 🙂 Sounds like a plan!
Thank you, Siddhi.
This is an inspiring write up, Tanya! I always come here to get inspired and find ways to improve myself because you are amazing in both photography and content writing. Can’t wait to check when possible next!
So sweet of you, Sayali. Thank you very much for such lovely words!
You look so chic! ✨ Very powerful and stunning shots, too. So glad I came across this gem! Looks like you had an amazing time there… Can’t wait to try out the place for myself!
Thank you, Puneet. The Whitefield Arms takes pride in keeping Anglo Indian culinary traditions alive… So, go ahead and savour the flavour of the good ‘ol days!
I’ve always admired your authentic and raw writing… Well, I love the rustic seating area, and that spread looks like the most delicious pub food! Keep inspiring.
Take a back seat ~ have a drink and something beautiful to eat… This place is wonderfully unique in character.
It all looks delicious and super filling… The Whitefield Arms seems to have captured the appreciation for our city’s rich history via an amalgamation of Indian and English culinary traditions in their menu. Something to look forward to…
The food is really delicious, and it’s such a gorgeous little place! What’s more, the bartenders have put together handcrafted cocktail mixers to perfectly compliment the food and lift your spirits!
Love this post! Today is a perfect day for some comfort food… I’m going to head on down to this Pub for some fish ‘n’ chips, bangers ‘n’ mash, and a burger! And take some draft beer home with me! 😀
My husband’s thoughts exactly! 😀
Looks like such a cool place… Perhaps a traditional British pub in a box, is more like it. 🙂 And whether it’s savoury such as a TWA Chips & Cheese, or sweet such as a Classic Custard Pie, they seem to have got it all… paired with chef-recommended brews.
The place oozes character and charm… Excellent food and service not withstanding.
Beautiful light and a well chosen photographer for the project, Tanya. On a side note, every time I walk past this pub I want to take a picture, and every time it turns out strongly “meh”. Now, I can take inspiration from your post! Can’t wait to visit.
It gets busier each time I visit but it’s still a very pleasant way to spend a few hours on a Sunday afternoon….
It is ever more inspiring to come across women of strong mind and spirit who nail it creatively or with their efforts in business! Kudos ✨!
With regard to TWA, I’m definitely missing good ole English pub food! I guess, with zero expectations one can have the most amazing experiences of one’s life!
Aw ~ that’s such a heart warming and beautiful comment. Thank you!
Visit. You won’t regret it, Himanshu!
Why choose when you can have it all?! 😀 #TheWhitefieldArms certainly lets you bid adieu to the bane of decision making with that #BrunchSpread that has all my favourites!! Lovely shots too ~ the food, the building ~ just everything! ❤️
Head to #TWA to #BrunchAway the weekend, Mrigank!
What a beautiful blog! Perhaps the coming weekend, I can take time out to revive myself with The Whitefield Arms ‘Sunday Brunch’! ✨ Wish there were more places like this… And yes, just exploring is the best! ❤️ Thank you for sharing.
I do love wandering without a plan… 😀 Thank you for your kind thoughts, Arnav!
Whitefield’s most sought-after crafted beers and delectable bites at a one-of-a-kind spot for my next catch-up session… Putting this one in the saves for my next Whitefield visit! Here’s to spending even more money and time at Bangalore’s finest! Cheers xx
Sounds like the perfect plan… Choose what floats your boat, and celebrate the day!
Love this… The Whitefield Arms is giving me the perfect excuse to get swept away by all that foodie goodness, with a spread so diverse, that I would not have to choose anymore!
By the way, which era would you most have liked to be a bar fly on the wall? 😀
Head their way this Sunday and be ready to get your best brunch memory replaced with an even better one!
Would love to compare the roaring 20s last century!
‘Tis the season to cosy-up in your favourite pub… And with a brunch like theirs in the picture, all the other meals are sure to be overridden! Here’s to heading into a weekend that’ll give me a story worthy brunch! ✨
You will love this place, Rudra ~ it wears its character on every brick!