Eateries that opened in Covid-19 time add innovation to the mix

At a time when restaurants were shutting down across the country, opening one was far from easy

Launching a restaurant in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic might seem imprudent. But as Farial Sabrina, owner of Hauz Khas-based café Planterie, puts it: “Entrepreneurs are dreamers.” And passionate ones at that, given how some decided to turn their dreams into reality at a time when reality was biting hard.

Sabrina, for instance, opened Planterie in Hauz Khas, an area of Delhi steeped in history, in September 2021, shortly after the devastating second wave of the pandemic. Dining out was largely a no-no for many at that time. A report released by the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) barely