Named after India’s spiritual capital, Benares marries tradition with daring modernity. You’re greeted at the foot of the stairs, then escorted up past a flower-filled pool and busy bar into the cleverly textured restaurant. The private dining rooms and large lounge make it popular with businesspeople, but this is also somewhere for an intimate evening. Sameer Taneja’s cooking shows confidence, freshness and vitality; the star ingredient of each dish is of exemplary quality; and the kitchen cleverly balances modern techniques with recognisable flavours and spicing.