Nara Thai has stepped into North India with the opening of its first restaurant in Gurugram, setting the stage for a wider national push under Aditya Birla New Age Hospitality. The launch marks a significant milestone for the Bangkok-born brand, which now operates 35 restaurants across Asia and the Middle East and has crossed sixty global outlets when including its extended group portfolio.
The move also signals a broader ambition from Aditya Birla New Age Hospitality, which entered the premium dining segment only last year. What began as a Mumbai-specific franchise has now evolved into a nationwide mandate after the company convinced Nara’s founders about the opportunity in India’s tier-one markets. The group currently manages two Nara Thai locations in Mumbai, and the Gurugram restaurant becomes its first in the North.
The next phase is sharply defined. Ten new Nara Thai restaurants are planned over the coming three years, with Delhi, Noida and Bengaluru at the front of the queue, followed by Hyderabad and Pune. Each outlet will span roughly 2,500 to 3,000 square feet and seat around eighty to a hundred diners. The company estimates that every restaurant generates fifty to sixty direct jobs, taking the three-year employment potential close to six hundred roles.
Nara Thai maintains a stringent culinary playbook. Core ingredients, sauces and pastes are sourced from Bangkok to preserve the flavour profile built over two decades, while fresh produce is procured locally. The India team spends time training with Bangkok’s culinary leads, and the brand’s global executive chef makes regular visits to ensure consistency.
With Taiwan currently its strongest market with twelve restaurants, Nara’s founders believe India has the potential to surpass it over the next decade. The partnership with Aditya Birla New Age Hospitality spans ten years, giving the brand time to deepen its reach as premium Asian dining continues to grow in urban India.
