Geist Brewing Factory, Old Madras Road, Bangalore

Restaurant Name: Geist Brewing Factory, Old Madras Road, Bangalore
Phone: +918867707102
Address: No. 23 / 3, 21st KM Stone, Old Madras Road Nimbekaipura, Bidarahalli, Hobli, Bangalore, Karnataka 560049 India
Time: 12:00 Noon – 11:00 PM
Meals for two: Rs. 1,200
Cuisines: American, Pizza, Italian, Fast Food, North Indian, Desserts, Beverages
Facilities: Home Delivery, Takeaway Available, Outdoor Seating, Pet Friendly, Table booking recommended, Desserts and Bakes

Geist Brewing Factory, Old Madras Road, Bangalore:

We drove to Geist Brewing Factory on Old Madras Road, on an evening when the traffic was worse, much worse than we’ve come to expect. So, you know how bad it was. Fretting would not help. You simply had to take deep breaths and resign yourself to moving at no more than a crawl. I say this not to dissuade you from going to this beer garden and restaurant, but to encourage you to go. For when we reached the place, there was a glorious full moon to be viewed from the tables set outdoors; the happy buzz of people having a good time was palpable. All the irritation of the long drive fell away and I was ready to enjoy the evening.

On my previous visits here, the seating was entirely al fresco, under the shade of ancient trees. Now, most of it is covered – Bengaluru has witnessed unusually heavy rains of late – but it still has an open, breezy feel. The place was packed, but service was commendably quick and efficient. The freshness and the sheer quality of the beers alone is a good reason to go to Geist. My Witty Wit with its citrus notes was sharp and crisp; my companion ordered the &Uncle Dunkel, known for its banana and spice aromas. The brew bites are a tempting array of mostly Indian dishes given a Geist twist. The Bun Maska is pull-apart bread served with chorizo butter or pav bhaji butter. The Smoked Buff Bhel is bhelpuri with loads of oomph. My companion being a chickenetarian we ordered the Angara Tikka. I have often ranted about the mediocrity of this popular dish in many places. The Geist version was utterly delicious; the meat was beautifully infused with the tandoori masala and cooked to get lovely charred edges. The Paneer Kharara Dhaniya was slices of paneer sandwiched with a green chutney and fried to acquire a crisp crust. Again, an ingredient that is often of poor quality or mistreated, handled so well here.

It was a post-dinner catch-up and we didn’t eat main course. But I’m definitely going back for the Mutton Kheema Pav or the Geist Fish & Chips, plus the Geist Falooda which intrigues with its inclusion of malt jelly. Go to Geist for a great setting, fabulous beer and food that’s far superior to that in any bar or brewpub. It’s worth braving the traffic for.