Dine under the stars at this Mediterranean-style rooftop escape in Royapettah, Chennai

If dining under the stars with a balmy breeze sounds like your idea of a perfect evening, then LAVA – Grill @ the Roof at Taj Club House, Royapettah, deserves a spot on your list. Perched on the 9th floor, this contemporary rooftop restaurant offers sweeping views of Chennai, with iconic landmarks like the LIC Building and Spencer Plaza adding to the cityscape charm. As the sun sets, gentle lighting, lilting music, and the aroma of food on the grill come together to set the mood for an easy, unhurried night out.

Rooftop dining, cocktails and city views at this restaurant in Chennai

There’s also an indoor dining area, and walking in feels like you’ve briefly ditched Chennai for the Mediterranean, thanks to the white-washed walls, blue accents, and rustic details that instantly transport you to a Greek island, all while keeping things warm, cosy, inviting, and Instagram-friendly.

We kicked off the evening with cocktails, starting with the Strawberry Creme Royale, sheer poetry in a glass. Made with Bacardi, sherry, strawberry purée, condensed milk, and cream cheese, it arrives crowned with froth. As you sip past the foam, the gentle sweetness of strawberries hits just right. Alongside, the Botanical Babe blooms with wild charm lives up to its name—a garden-fresh mix of Beefeater, hibiscus syrup, egg white, and lime juice that felt refreshing and elegant.

As is customary at Taj, focaccia bread landed on the table first. The Smoked tomato soup arrived later, which was thick, comforting, and perfectly paired with focaccia croutons. We also tried the Tom Yum Soup, which leaned mild but fragrant, with lemongrass, kaffir lime, and galangal doing all the talking. A fun learning moment came with the edamame sprinkled with togarashi. We skipped the lemon squeeze, as it felt a bit overpowering, and enjoyed the beans as they were.

From the sharing platters, the Signature Prawn Tempura with wasabi mayo was light and crispy, but the real stars were the Vegetable Futomaki and Crispy Prawn Uramaki. Not being big sushi fans ourselves, this one surprised us. Perfect crunch, well-balanced flavours and dangerously moreish, so much so that stopping at one was not an option.

The Chicken Katsu Bao followed, featuring panko-crusted chicken and tonkatsu sauce tucked into pillowy-soft baos. This was comfort food at its best.

For mains, we went with the Cheese Burst Tortellini in pomodoro sauce. Handmade pasta stuffed with ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, parsley and garlic, was rich, indulgent and worth every bite, even when you’re already full.

And then came dessert, because there’s always room. While the Cranberry Sorbet, Baklava, Moist Chocolate Cake, and Sticky Toffee Pudding were all solid contenders, the Gulab jamun cheesecake stole the show. Gulab Jamun in a cheesecake sounds wild, but it worked well for us. A fitting end to a rooftop dining experience.

Meal for one: `2,500 ++

Dinner: 7 pm to 11 pm.

At Taj Club House, Royapettah.

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