TheySee (desi), on road no.13, Jubilee Hills, opens in a wash of cherry, ruby and burnt reds — a 65-seater lower-deck space that has an easy, outdoorsy mood. Nothing here feels accidental. From the colour palette and stone textures to the artwork and landscaping, every element is deliberate. There are subtle nods to a contemporary take on Raja Ravi Varma-inspired visuals — a statue of a woman with a guitar among them. At the entrance, matchbox-style installations double up as a photo corner, almost insisting you stop and click.

Come evening, the space settles into warm, flattering hues. Lenticular Rekha coasters add a playful detail to the tables, while mist fans do their best against the summer heat, though the real relief comes from the drinks.

The bar leans experimental, with elements like gongura dust and white chocolate making their way into cocktails. I tried Nazar Na Lagey, a sweet, crisp mix of pineapple, coconut and basil, followed by Brew Code, a coffee-forward cocktail with vodka and orange cold brew that felt balanced and familiar.

The food, much like the space, plays with memory and identity. Ingredient-forward and unapologetically Indian, it is filtered through a contemporary lens — their motto says it best: desi cheezein, videsi nazariye se (Indian things, foreign perspectives).

Curiosity led me to Bugs Bunny, a vegetarian starter — carrots dusted with tandoori masala, playful and unexpected. Oh So Corny followed. What sounds like a riff on loose corn turns into a chaat-style dish — a clever take on a cornflakes mixture, layered with textures, where corn appears in more ways than one.

Co-founded by Niharika Gollapalli and Darshan Ramchandani,TheySee brings on board chef Suryansh Singh Kanwar, whose journey spans The Bombay Canteen to years as a private chef for Hardik Pandya, Nagarjuna Akkineni, Suniel Shetty, Mahesh Babu, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, KL Rahul, Marcus Stoinis and Nikhil Kamath, among others. That exposure, he says, furthered his understanding of how India eats. “Cooking for well-known clients showed me how tastes shift between private and public spaces. At TheySee, those lessons translate into the menu.”

From the non-vegetarian starters, Anda Currypatta stood out — a Hyderabadi khagina reworked with dumplings. The tomato and curry leaf base adds depth, making it a must-try if eggs are your comfort zone. Pankh Rock — wings paired with minced meat — is indulgent, while the Kali Mirch Sheekh stays familiar, delivering what you expect from a classic kebab.

The menu is peppered with playful names — Shetty Anna’s Murg Party, Smokey AF Butter Chicken. I went straight for the latter, served with naan. “It is half a tandoori chicken on a plate — Punjabi in spirit, dil khol ke khelo (play your heart out),” says Suryansh. “It was Hardik Pandya’s go-to cheat meal on the road, and that loyalty becomes the identity of the dish here.”

The flavour notes are sweet and creamy — if that is not your preference for meat, you are better off trying dishes like lamb Natu Natu or duck vindaloo.

Niharika Gollapalli, co-founder, says, “Every brand I have built has been about creating spaces where people feel genuinely seen. I have spent years observing how people respond to experiences, and I like building brands that pay attention. We are being honest about Indian food. The most interesting shift isn’t in fine dining, but in how a new generation is reshaping it on its own terms.”

For dessert, The Not So Chilli Cheese Toast is a playful nod to Hyderabad, filtered through chef Suryansh Singh Kanwar’s take on shahi tukda. It layers white chocolate rabdi with bread soaked in a tres leches-style liquid, topped with nutty brunoise cheese. What begins like a bar snack lands as dessert — think of it as a more indulgent, textural cousin to sandesh.

To fully enjoy TheySee right away plan to visit on a day when the city isn’t sizzling hot. The vegetation dishes had more to offer in terms of flavour.

Table for two with drinks is ₹2000 upwards.