A Toronto-based restaurant specializing in modern Indian cuisine is getting ready to open a location in Hamilton. 

Tamasha Bar + Indian Kitchen has signage up at 286 James Street North on the restaurant space that held the longstanding Portuguese restaurant Wild Orchid. 

Taking vibrant Indian flavours and traditional recipes and giving them judicious modern twists, Tamasha’s Toronto menu features bar bites like masala peanuts and peri peri fries; shareable appetizers like momos and Chicken 65; and main dishes like fragrant curries in meat and vegetarian varieties, biryanis, and more. 

Indian-inspired signature cocktails and desserts round things off, making for a food & drink program that appears to elevate classic Indian fare in a sleek, moody, contemporary setting. 

A firm opening date has yet to be shared for Tamasha Bar + Indian Kitchen in Hamilton, but locals can follow them on social media for updates!

Lead image: Michael Kras

An Indian restaurant with an innovative twist is coming to Plano: Called Jashan Indian Fine Dining, it will be an upscale experience that takes an omakase approach, and is opening at Legacy North, in the former Farm + Feed space at 7401 Lone Star Dr. B120.

Now in the final stages of construction, it’s set to open in September.

Jashan, which translates to “celebration” in Hindi, is from entrepreneur Prasanna Singaraju, who worked in the tech field before transitioning into food and beverage. This will be his first restaurant.

His goal is to do Indian food but with the same level of diligence and focus that Japanese restaurants take with omakase-style dining. He’ll offer a tasting menu with 12-15 courses.

“Each dish is storied; I went to four different regions of India to celebrate the royal cuisines and we’ll share that here,” Singaraju says.

There will be three to four menus showcasing four regions of India: Chola, Nizam, Awadh, and Vijayanagara. Details aren’t finalized, but there’ll be dishes like crab cakes with curry leaves and mustard seed; paneer tikka; and a flatbread topped with beef curry.

They’ll use traditional cooking methods such as dum (slow cooking) and tandoor to keep things authentic. Spices will be sourced from India, and the produce and meats will come from partnerships with local sustainable farms.

Though Singaraju wants to keep the details of the culinary team under wraps, he shares that the executive chef has a Michelin star and was recognized by the Indian Culinary Forum.

The beverage program will be equally ambitious, with a mixologist leading the bar program featuring innovative Indian-spiced cocktails such as a saffron spritz.

The restaurant will be an 8,200 square foot space, with design by B. Russo Design.

Singaraju is opening a second concept at Toyota Music Factory in Las Colinas called Tashan in early 2026. It will be a social lounge and restaurant with a more approachable menu featuring dishes such as keema bao buns filled with spicy ground lamb, and a chicken Caesar salad with Indian spice.

“This is sure to be as much a social butterfly’s paradise as the intimate space for that date night, aided by a layered design that prompts both naturally,” Singaraju says.

Opening a restaurant felt like a calling, and to further his knowledge, he recently enlisted in culinary school.

“I’m an aspiring chef,” he says. “It’s all about giving people something they can connect to in a flavor they’re not familiar with.”