BIG, BIGGER, BIGGEST IN BENGALURU

The city's appetite for Staggeringly large pubs is only growing. How did it all start, and where is it going?

- Shrabonti Bagchi

According to Fifa, the dimensions of a standard football field are around 76,900 sq. ft. So when Oia, a new pub named after a Greek village, opened in Bengaluru in April and was revealed to be spread over 87,000 sq. ft, it became the talk of the town, especially when images showed the place looked more like an apartment complex built on a grand scale than an eatery.

Actually, Oia is not even the largest in the city, where one keeps hearing of a massive new pub or microbrewery setting new local records. They share a few common features besides being over at least 20,000 sq. ft in built-up area-think water bodies like koi ponds and fountains; tiered seating indoors and outdoors; and hundreds of members of staff. Entering one can be an overwhelming sensory experience with eye-catching design features, loud music, more guests than at an Indian wedding and a constant flow of activity.

The individuals and companies behind these properties all consider their size a big selling point. If Oia, situated in Hennur, styles itself as "Asia's largest pub", Ironhill, a microbrewery that spans an insane 130,000 sq. ft, opened in 2021 with the announcement that it was the world's largest, a position previously held by Byg Brewski Hennur-at 65,000 sq. ft, it now feels almost modestly sized.