Azure Hospitality

Azure Hospitality Private Limited is a creative food and beverage company founded in 2009 by friends Kabir Suri and Rahul Khanna. The venture began with the identification of a market gap for casual, all-day Asian dining, leading to the launch of their first restaurant, Mamagoto, in New Delhi's Khan Market in 2010. The business operates a multi-brand portfolio of restaurants, each with a distinct concept, targeting urban consumers across India and internationally.

The founders brought complementary skills to the business. Kabir Suri, with a background in economics and finance from Wheaton College, USA, previously worked in real estate finance and investment strategy in New York and London, including roles at Zuma and Roka restaurants where he focused on global expansion. Rahul Khanna is a graduate of Ecole Hôtelière De Lausanne, Switzerland, with experience at Mandarin Oriental and Jumeirah Group, specializing in conceptualizing design-oriented F&B outlets. Their shared vision was to create unique culinary concepts and build a business focused on staff respect and consistent customer experience.

Azure Hospitality’s business model involves creating and operating distinct restaurant brands, spanning casual dining, quick-service restaurants (QSR), and premium establishments. The brand portfolio includes the flagship pan-Asian cafe Mamagoto; the North Indian Dhaba Estd 1986; the eclectic Sly Storys (comprising Sly Granny and Foxtrot); and QSR brands like Speedy Chow and Rollmaal. The company has also entered the cloud kitchen market with brands like Oki Poki, which specializes in ramen, and Maal Gaadi by Dhaba. A significant milestone was the company's international expansion into the UK with the opening of Pali Hill, a restaurant offering regional Indian sharing plates, and Bandra Bhai, an underground cocktail bar in London's Fitzrovia.

The company generates revenue through its restaurant operations, catering services (Mamapaati), and home delivery. It serves a broad urban market across more than 15 cities in India, including New Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore, as well as locations in Nepal and the UK. Azure Hospitality has secured significant funding to fuel its expansion, including investments from Goldman Sachs and Max Ventures. The company has demonstrated substantial growth, with plans to continue expanding its existing brands and developing new concepts both organically and through acquisitions.

Keywords: restaurant operator, food and beverage, casual dining, Indian cuisine, Pan-Asian cuisine, quick service restaurant, cloud kitchen, hospitality group, international expansion, restaurant investment, Mamagoto, Dhaba Estd 1986, Sly Granny, Pali Hill London, Kabir Suri, Rahul Khanna, F&B concepts, restaurant management, culinary brands, hospitality finance