Once upon a time in Bangalore, a man with (perhaps too much) time and money on his hands, built his own utopia in a pocket far away from the city. By day, his residence was a parlour of intellectual discussion, where the greatest minds of the time debated the issues of the day; giving way to boisterous galas featuring drinking, dancing, fireworks, installations and delights (and more) by night. With (in)famous names from near and far (think your favorite actress who enjoyed breakfast at Tiffany’s, or your favorite singer who liked to ‘imagine’ a world with no countries), it was rumoured to be the secret lair of a certain Mr. Hefner.

But as time went by, this gentleman decided to seek out newer horizons, and so his dwelling fell into disrepair. Years passed, as did a series of residents through the house - vagrants, drifters, wanderers and more, calling it home for a minute, and gone the next. Until one day, while going through the history books, someone (re)discovered the legacy of the Penthouse and its past - and decided that this icon deserved to have its rightful place on the party map, yet again! And thus, it came to be that, into this wilderness of bits and bytes, and corporate high flyers, your favorite neighbourhood bar/cafe swept in to assume the mantle of being THE place to party and once again rekindle this maze of amaze - yes, you read that right: Sarjapur Social is a go!

Spread across 18,800 sq. feet and two floors, Social’s 4th outlet in Bangalore is one of the biggest undertakings by the brand yet. Sticking to its design ethos of minimal intervention, the newest outlet boasts of a state of the art sound system and has swept away the cobwebs, but otherwise holds on to souvenirs of times gone by to create maximum luxe #feels! Upon entering, a piano whose ivory keys once gave rise to the tunes of yore greets you, from where you’re ushered into a sprawling space sparkling under a beautifully shaped chandelier, where you can easily imagine dancers spinning gracefully across the floor. A sweeping marble staircase leads up to an outdoor balcony that provides sweeping views of the city, while a cosy wooden nook filled with books and warmed by a beautifully shaped fireplace shows where the host may have retired to for a respite from the crowd.

Elsewhere, a pool table holds the tally marks of games long gone by, while a dizzying spiral staircase leads to a tiled Jacuzzi (sadly no longer in use) that speaks of liasons long past. The spirit of art deco resonates throughout, with paintings adorning the walls, beautifully carved sculptures all around, and graceful arches drawing your attention to the ceiling. With an air of splendor, underscored by Persian rugs (that your feet will sink right into), there’s never been a greater place to Gatsby!