Bangalore: My 2 Favorite Neighborhoods and 7 Great Places (2024)

Last updated: September 3, 2024

Don’t go to Bangalore, India for the food.

And don’t go for the official tourism spots. Are there any??

Instead, you should go to Bangalore, also called Bengaluru, for the people.

And maybe for the startup scene.

I’ll show you all the nicest, smartest people that I met in Bangalore during my June 2024 trip.

I spent 11 days walking around the neighborhoods of Koramangala, Indiranagar, and Cubbon Park.

Now you’ll meet my new friends, learn about the best neighborhoods, and see my favorite places in Bangalore.

Nick’s note: This is a first draft. I’d like to come back and add photos and more notes. See links at the end for more of those.

Introduction

I’ve spent a lot of time in India, mostly Bombay and Pune, but never Bangalore.

I never went to Bangalore because Bangalore back in the day was just Infosys and Wipro and Tata and outsourcing. It was corporate guys doing corporate jobs.

But now something big is happening in Bangalore. And I could feel that through the digital pipes of the Internet.

I had a hunch that the city was filled with makers and doers and people working on some very interesting things.

Today the indie hacker and startup scene in Bangalore is bustling.

I also have several readers of my book, The 2-Hour Cocktail Party, who live in Bangalore and host events using some of my methods. More on that later.

For now, let’s start with the neighborhoods.

There are two main neighborhoods in Bangalore that you need to know: Indiranagar and Koramangala.

There are other areas of Bangalore, but I found that most everyone I wanted to meet lived in these two areas.

Indiranagar, Bangalore

Indiranagar, pronounced like “Indra-nah-gr,” is the West Village (NYC) or the Hollywood (LA) of Bangalore. Imagine big, tree-lined streets. It’s a trendy, upscale neighborhood with a creative, cosmopolitan vibe.

I recommend these places:

• Yogisthaan. Cafe. Incredibly chill vibes. Take your shoes off outside. All locals. Shaded outdoor seating. Tea, snacks, light bites. Thanks to Kausshal from Teabox for bringing me here.
• My Third Space (Instagram). The best gym in the central neighborhood. Run by Shwetambari Shetty. I did yoga a few times here, plus a group fitness class.
• Araku Coffee. Cafe. Modern, minimal, sexy interior.
• Blossom Book House. Tens or hundreds of thousands of used and new books. Located on Church Street, a worthwhile little visit especially at night on the weekends when students set up kiosks and small business stands to sell interesting art crap. This isn’t Indiranagar but whatever.

I stayed at these 2 hotels:

• Hyatt Centric Mg Road Bangalore, USD$90/night, small rooms, good Western breakfast buffet. It was a good landing spot for my first 2 nights but I wanted to be more central.
• Bloom Hotel – Indiranagar. USD$40/night, larger room. Indian budget cheap chain hotel. Hilariously sketchy gym in the basement. Amazing location right in the heart of town. If it’s sold out, there’s another Bloom nearby that is slightly less nice. I liked this, but it’s an Indian business hotel, so be prepared for minimalism and barebones.

Koramangala, Bangalore

Koramangala, pronounced like “Kor-mahn-gla,” is the Williamsburg (NYC) or the Santa Monica (LA) of Bangalore. More startups and young professionals stay here because the rent is cheaper. Lots of cafes, co-working spaces, and a Times Square-like street filled with nightclubs and bars open late.

I recommend these places:

• Dyu Art Cafe: Famous locals-only spot. Beautiful cafe with an airy, open design. I had the worst cold brew coffee of my life here. So don’t get that. Maybe just stick to filter coffee. No wifi. But the vibes were great. 
• Small World. They host events almost every day for locals and Indian tourists. Speed dating, friend-making, pottery, sing-a-longs, and more. They also have a hostel-type hotel you can rent on Airbnb.
• Bloom Hotel Koramangala. I didn’t stay here because it was sold out. But I visited it and hung around the lobby for a bit. The location is very central in a busy area close to many restaurants.

Food Photos

OK, I said don’t go for the food, but I lied! Here are a few tasty meals that I enjoyed.

Bangalore Photos

Important Notes

Indian filter coffee is famous, especially in South India.

I wrote a few profiles of people while I was there:

• Shobhit Bakliwal is my Indian guardian angel
• Meeting an Indian Matchmaker: Radhika
• Indian Family Values: Two women teach me about it
• Meeting Alicia: a fast friend and losing a bestie

Next Time Try

This is a list of places I want to check out next time I go to Bangalore:

• Nagarjuna, a restaurant famous for their thali meals.
• Nature nearby, like Skandagiri or Nandi Hills. Hilltops to see sunrise from.
• Rezwan Razack’s Museum of Indian Paper Money, to learn more about the history of India’s currency.

More Information

For additional info about Bangalore:

• My June 2024 Life Recap – I have more photos and notes about Bangalore in here
• The Most Interesting People in Bangalore – all my favorite people from my 2024 visit, with tons of photos
• YouTube: How did Bangalore become a Start Up Capital? – funny
• Plum’s Starter Guide do Bengaluru – too much info, might be a bit outdated, but good resources

THE END for now

Nick’s note: I’ll work on updating this soon with more info, photos, and notes. See my other travel guides here.