A basement gives a bar one immediate advantage: night arrives whenever the door opens. At Qode, beneath an outhouse in Gandipet on Hyderabad’s western edge, the light might dim, but the mood never does. Commissioned by Golkonda Hospitality, the Studio Nilasha-designed venue occupies 4,500 sq ft: a largely enclosed 3,000 sq ft basement and a further 1,500 sq ft outside. Entry begins in a corner of the café above, where a green-marble spiral staircase winds underground. Walnut encloses its outer curve and a mirror lines the inner face, cutting off the room above as guests descend. ‘Qode allows visitors to discover it gradually,’ says Nilasha, principal designer of her eponymous firm.
Wallpaper* dines at Qode, Hyderabad
The mood: marble underground
The central bar is the basement’s organising device. Black Marquina runs from the floor onto the counter, joined by deep-green Verde Guatemala marble and antique brushed brass. Above it, perforated brass and fluted glass form a tiered ellipse that works as lighting and bottle storage. Studio Nilasha designed the installation with lighting studio SPK Valo; from here, a three-dimensional ceiling spreads across the room, concealing pipes and wiring within its geometry.
Booths follow the perimeter in a loose, curved plan, creating pockets for groups without dividing the bar into separate rooms. Fluted walnut, black textured stone, antique mirror and tropical wallpaper make a suitably dense backdrop; emerald, topaz and burnt-sienna upholstery brings colour at seat level. Even the washroom joins in, with a monolithic Black Marquina basin, green tiles and a beaten-metal ceiling.
A set of doors changes the register entirely. Outside, the palette contracts to grey and green Kota stone, pale neo-cement, black-stained timber and stone-topped tables. Built-in seats gather around the existing trees, with branches and open sky replacing the basement’s geometric ceiling.
The food and drinks: Camembert, lamb and late hours
Qode’s menu covers Asia, the Mediterranean, Europe and India. The kitchen narrows the field to two recommendations. Start with baked Camembert, served with spiced honey, rosemary and roasted garlic for the table to share. Then order the Mediterranean braised lamb, pairing slow-cooked shanks with aromatic Arabic couscous. It has the substance required for dinner in a venue otherwise geared towards drinks and small plates. The bar does the same with Sakura San and Persian Jasmine, its two recommended cocktails.
Qode, The Golkonda Resort, Sagar Mahal Complex, Gandipet, Hyderabad, Telangana, India