(May 7, 2026) Bengaluru has a bar that is older than its traffic, older than its tech parks, older than the nickname “Silicon Valley of India” that the city wears like a badge. Chin Lung opened in 1956 — back when this city was still called Bangalore, and when a cold beer after work was not a lifestyle choice but simply what you did. For nearly seven decades, it was the place where friendships were forged, romances began, and tired Bangaloreans found their second home. That is the legacy Prajwal Lokesh was born into. What he did with it is an entirely different story.
The young entrepreneur grew up knowing what Chin Lung meant to people, went to King’s College London, came back to Bengaluru, and instead of simply maintaining what existed, reimagined the entire thing — modernising it, expanding it, and making it relevant to a generation that was not even born when Chin Lung first opened its doors. “It resonated with the way I think, imagine, and create. What started as proximity slowly evolved into a sense of responsibility. It reached a point where it no longer felt inherited, but something I truly wished to nurture and shape in my own way,” he tells The Global Indian.
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A city that was always going to be the beer capital
Bengaluru is officially recognised as the Pub Capital of India and the Beer Capital of India — home to the highest concentration of pubs, bars, and microbreweries anywhere in the country. India’s craft beer market is racing toward one billion dollars by 2027, driven by exactly the kind of urban, quality-conscious drinker that this city produces in abundance. Every new brewery opening in Indiranagar or Koramangala is chasing a trend that Bengaluru helped create. Chin Lung, quietly and without fanfare, was among the very first.
Carrying the legacy forward, and building far beyond
What Prajwal inherited was one beloved bar with nearly seven decades of goodwill behind it. What he built is something far larger. Starting from a single outlet in 2017, he has grown Lokesh Hospitality into a fifteen-outlet group across Bengaluru — without taking a single rupee from outside investors, which in this city of startup funding rounds and pitch decks, is a rare and deliberate choice. The group today runs Chin Lung Brewery at Indiranagar and its massive new flagship at Marathalli, four Chin Lung resto bars, three Native Bar and Kitchen outlets, Pizza Brew House, the Andhra restaurant Lepakshi, the legendary Kalinga Bar and Kitchen, Bumblebee Tap Room, two Liquorr Bazaar retail stores, and the 48-room Grand Kalinga Hotel. Its the journey of one family, one city, fifteen brands and zero outside funding.
A pull that led his entrepreneurial journey
Hospitality was not something Prajwal consciously chose at the start. “It resonated with the way I think, imagine, and create,” he says. “What started as proximity slowly evolved into a sense of responsibility. It reached a point where it no longer felt inherited, but something I truly wished to nurture and shape in my own way.”
The real turning point came when he was studying in Delhi and had to return urgently to handle a situation within the family business. “It marked a shift in my thinking. I realised this was not simply something I was connected to, but something I genuinely felt aligned with and capable of building. From that point on, hospitality became a deliberate and serious pursuit.” He completed his education at King’s College London and returned to Bengaluru with his mind made up. The bar was not a fallback. It was the choice.
His understanding of the industry, he is clear, was shaped not in lecture halls but on the floor. “That kind of exposure offers a depth that no structured learning can quite replicate. At the same time, my formal education grounded me in discipline, patience, and consistency. These values continue to guide how I approach the business each day.”
Keeping the soul intact while the city changes around it
Reviving Bengaluru’s old-school heritage bars and transforming them into contemporary, experience-driven spaces while preserving their emotional and cultural roots is at the heart of what Prajwal is doing, one outlet at a time. He is clear about where the line is. “Chin Lung has always held a distinct place in Bangalore, and the guest experience continues to be at the centre of everything we do. The familiarity, energy, and sense of belonging that our patrons value are carefully preserved. For us, progression is never abrupt; it is considered and gradual,” the entrepreneur remarks. “My exposure to travel and food allows me to bring in new perspectives, while ensuring that the essence of the brand remains consistent and true to itself.”
Travel and food are his strongest personal influences. “I am also drawn to design and the way spaces come together — the movement, the mood, and the feeling they evoke. All of this finds its way into what we create. The aim is always to remain grounded in strong fundamentals while introducing enough character to keep the experience engaging and relevant.”
The biggest bet yet
The new Marathalli outlet is Chin Lung’s largest ever with 15,000 square feet, seating 650 people. Designed by Studio Camarada, it holds casual dining, a premium lounge, and an outdoor beer garden under one roof. Brewing equipment sits behind glass partitions so guests can watch exactly what goes into their glass. The beer menu includes IPAs, wheat beers, fruit-based brews, and seasonal varieties, all brewed in-house. Food pairings are designed around the beer, not just placed alongside it. Marathalli is one of East Bengaluru’s fastest-growing corridors packed with IT professionals and young families who now have a neighbourhood brewery that carries nearly seven decades of trust behind it.
What good hospitality actually requires
Prajwal has strong views on what young professionals underestimate when they enter this industry. “Patience is often overlooked, yet it sits at the core of hospitality. It is a space built on consistency and sustained effort rather than quick outcomes. Equally essential is an understanding of people — sensitivity, awareness, and the ability to navigate different temperaments.
“Strong operations come from getting the smallest details right, repeatedly and with care. Without a genuine inclination towards service and people, it becomes difficult to sustain the demands of this industry,” he remarks.
Chin Lung, Bengaluru
A Bangalore boy, building for Bangalore
Leadership, he says, was never something he actively pursued. “Over time, responsibility brings its own form of leadership. For me, it is about being reliable, making thoughtful decisions, supporting the team, and ensuring that the brand continues to move forward with purpose.”
And on where all of this is headed: “The intention is not tied to a fixed destination but to continuous refinement and quiet growth. Everything returns to the guest. If they leave with a sense of fulfilment and continue to associate us with a memorable experience, then we are moving in the right direction.”
He also says, simply: “I am, at heart, a Bangalore boy. I find great joy in travelling, meeting people, and immersing myself in new experiences. When the basics are right, everything else tends to fall into place with ease.”
Bengaluru’s craft beer story is one of the quiet success stories of modern Indian hospitality. At the heart of it, older than the trend and more deeply rooted in this city than almost anyone else in the business, is a family that has been pouring beer here since 1956 and a young man who came back home after getting educated abroad and decided that was exactly where he needed to be. Seven decades after someone first switched on the lights at Chin Lung, they are burning brighter than ever.
- Follow Prajwal Lokesh on LinkedIn
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