In August, the high commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, Santosh Jha , visited Delhi’s first Sri Lankan restaurant and talked about savouring the flavours of the neighbouring nation right in the middle of the capital. He posted his experience on X, which piqued our interest and led us to Zetu.
We introduced four water-based cooling units with HEPA filtration to create a more comfortable courtyard microclimate. As for the interiors, it draws on personal experiences and travels in Sri Lanka to create a haven in the heart of the capital. Climate is an important part of Sri Lankan architecture. Anurag shared, “For Delhi, this also required an active approach to cooling.
Zetu is a 175-seater restaurant at 1AQ in Mehrauli, New Delhi, co-founded by Sarah Nikahetiya, Anurag Dania, and Abhishek Mathur, with a focus on introducing contemporary Sri Lankan cuisine to the capital. The design target was approximately 26°C in the seating areas during extreme summer conditions.” The courtyard, therefore, became central to the design.
She absorbed these spaces before she knew she would one day need them. Additionally, Bevis Bawa’s approach encouraged Anurag to consider how local materials could establish proportion, symmetry, and atmosphere, leading them to adopt a limited palette throughout the restaurant, allowing repetition to create a sense of calm. Sarah shared that she wants diners to feel like Zetu is a haven they can go to, full of nature, which is why they built the restaurant around the banyan tree, where diners can sit under. She adds, “It’s restrained, not too busy, relaxing for the eyes, and a place to dine with running water. We were very careful with the acoustics as well. Essentially, with the music volume, we were keen to keep it very low to enable people to have conversations. It’s encouraging people to put down their phones and to think, reflect, and absorb the experience they have gone through, to be present. That’s the kind of feeling that we want people to go away with. “There are details to discover, but the space should also allow you to relax. Light, airflow, temperature, texture and sound all contribute to how you experience the food and the people around you,” he adds.
One of the co-founders of Zetu, memories, landscapes, or spatial experiences from Sri Lanka became the starting point for the restaurant’s architecture, according to Sarah. Ultimately, Anurag says that he wants diners to feel comfortable, curious and connected to their surroundings when they come to Zetu.
