India, March 27 -- A few days before I packed my ever-ready suitcase and headed for this then-unopened cafe-bar in Amritsar, I felt a strong sense of anticipation for what awaited. More than anything, the excitement for Tepah, Amritsar's latest restaurant and bar with a distinctly modern international outlook, stemmed from my conversation with Shreya and Shorya Nayyar, the siblings behind this venture.

The young Nayyar siblings are well-travelled, having lived in Australia for five years. During their time Down Under, a key part of their social lives involved outdoor hikes, and the various restaurants and cafes that dot these hiking destinations in countries like the United States and Australia.

"We returned to India in 2021, but ever ...