Makaan, a new vegetarian restaurant celebrating Gujarati cuisine and hospitality, opened in Mumbai’s Juhu on October 20, 2026. The restaurant is a collaboration between Karan Shah, known for helming Swati Snacks, and Samyukta Nair, the restaurateur behind LSL Capital.
Inspired by the warmth and generosity of a Gujarati household, Makaan brings the experience of home-style dining to the restaurant setting. The concept centres on communal dining, generous servings and the tradition of welcoming guests with food, reflecting the role of hospitality in Gujarati culture.
The restaurant takes its name from the idea that a house becomes a home when people fill it, with its dining experience designed to encourage conversation, sharing and a sense of belonging.
“Makaan is our way of giving Gujarati hospitality a home of its own in Mumbai. Food is an expression of affection in our homes, and that spirit shapes everything here, from the cooking to the way we welcome our guests. We want people to settle in, share generously and leave feeling well fed and looked after,” says Karan Shah, Founder of Makaan.
“Makaan feels like a homecoming in more ways than one. I spent my early school years in Juhu, welcomed into Gujarati friends’ homes where there was always room for one more at the table. Returning to India and building Makaan with Karan, whose family has long been close to mine and a friendship that grew through our shared love of food, brings that story to a full circle. Together, we hope to share that same warmth and generosity, making every guest feel like a part of the Makaan family,” says Samyukta Nair, Co-Founder of Makaan.
Makaan’s vegetarian menu explores the breadth of Gujarati cooking, from familiar favourites to regional dishes that guests may be discovering for the first time. The kitchen’s approach is straightforward: prepare them with care and preserve the flavours that make them loved.
Highlights include Locho, the soft, steamed Surat speciality served with butter, spices, sev and onion; Pudla, a savoury gram-flour pancake; and Panki. These sit alongside Dahi Batata Puri, Fada Khichdi, Satpadi Roti with Gatta Shak, and Vatana Muthiya with Pudina Roti. To finish, soft serves in Shrikhand and Kesar Pista flavours bring a playful touch to familiar sweets.
Designed by Esha Pandya x Design Practice, Makaan draws on the warmth and texture of a lived-in Gujarati home. A terracotta palette moves from pale clay to deep earth, while bandhani accents reference Gujarat’s textile traditions, reinterpreted in muted, earthy tones.
