Swamy and Padmaja Akuthota’s South Indian Satya restaurants have been warming Auckland bellies since 1999, and Satya Chai Lounge is its playful sibling.

Their son Samrudh (Sammy) Akuthota looks after the Karangahape Road bar (there's one on Sandringham Road, too), which serves Indian street food and a selection of over 200 small-batch craft beers.

A self-described “child of the city” who grew up in central Auckland and loves the K’ Road area, Sammy wanted to create a space that brought his family's crowd-pleasing Southern Indian snacks into the thick of it. He also wanted to celebrate his passion for craft beer and channel the “dhabas” of India – laid-back roadside food stalls that are full of character, warm welcomes and arguably some of the best food the country has to offer.

Seating 50, Satya Chai Lounge K’ Road has an eclectic feel with wooden planks and rich rugs on the walls, and hessian coffee sacks strewn along the ceiling. You’ll feel like you’ve been whisked away from Tāmaki Makaurau for the evening.

Tuck into the bite-sized chickpea snack dahi puri, kurryaage chicken (an Indian take on fried chicken) and the slow-cooked lamb nukkad.