Eat, Drink & Shop: Here's Everything You Can Do In CBD - Part 1

MG Road runs from Trinity Circle to Anil Kumble Circle and has the MG Road Metro Station and Trinity Station making it accessible for folks from other parts of the town to visit CBD. 

MG Road's shopping spots aren't as big as Brigade Road, but it is home to jewellery stores, the Deccan Herald office, cottage and government emporiums such as Cauvery Karnataka State Arts & Crafts Emporium, and small establishments that sell everything from watches and antiques to electronics and home decor. 

Paresh Lamba Signatures: Head here for custom-made and designer menswear for weddings, best man, and formal occasions. 

Binny Mills Limited Textile Showroom: This decades-old showroom is where you can pick up fabric and material for shirts, pants, coats, and even saree. 

Indiana Crockery: Pick up everything you need for your kitchen to the dining table here at budget-friendly prices. From chopsticks to salt shakers to dinnerware sets and glassware, find homeware starting at INR 50. 

HMT Factory Store: If you love HMT watches then you must drop by this factory store located inside Barton Centre to pick up HMT watches for you, your parents, and friends. Prices start at INR 400. 

Vijayalakshmi Silks: This popular silk store is known for its South Indian wedding wear collection as well as silk sarees. 

FabIndia: The store needs no introduction, so happy shopping. 

MG Road's food scene is very limited but you do have options such as Starbucks, Fab Cafe, and Chianti for a meal. Apart from these, check out these spots as well.

Bar Stock Exchange: The watering hole will fix you up with some deep discounts on all your favourite tipples, lots of bar nibbles and substantials. 

Lakeview Milk Bar: The iconic dessert parlour that opened in 1930 is still a beloved spot for old and new Bangaloreans alike. Order their sinful sundaes and Hot Chocolate Fudge. 

13th Floor: Opened in the 90s, the 13th Floor was and is one of the best places to be if you’re looking for a drink with a stellar view of the city. Also, check out Ebony while you are here. 

Tandoor: This legendary North Indian restaurant is a pioneer of the cuisine in Bangalore and their paneer tikka and kebabs are to try out at least once. 

Bombay Sandwich: Located on the footpath at the beginning of Brunton Road, the tiny stand is popular with office-goers in the area. Order simple sandwiches starting at INR 40. 

Rangoli Metro Art Centre: While there's not a lot you can do here in terms of activities, visiting the Rangoli Metro Art Centre is a must-do. The park built after the construction of the metro is a nice spot to sit down with friends and catch up. The art centre also showcases theatre acts and art shows during the season. 

Higginbothams: One of Bangalore’s oldest bookstores, Higginbothams is a must-visit for every bibliophile. Browse through an expansive collection of every imaginable genre and definitely check out when they host events and such in the courtyard. 

One of the most commercial spots in the city, Brigade Road is where you can head to pick up shoes, apparel, beauty & make-up products, and even fresh fruits. It starts at the MG Road Junction and ends at Shoolay Circle or Vellara Junction.

Brigade Road is home to your international brands such as Nike, Xstep, Asics, Adidas, Reebok, Under Armor, Skechers, U.S. Polo Assn., and Crocs. There are also clothing brands such as Levi's, Louis Phillipe, Van Heusen, Arrow, Rare Rabbit, and Biba. But because this is an LBB Hood Guide, we're giving you something different to shop. 

LaBamba: LaBamba stocks t-shirts, boxers, and jammies that feature superheroes, cult figures from TV shows, and pop culture phenomena. You can also find first copies of football, basketball, and cricket jerseys. 

Wise Guy: Wise Guy is where you head to pick up printed t-shirts of your favourite bands. You can find everyone from Aerosmith to Metallica, Slayer to Nirvana and even Slipknot, AC/DC, Coldplay, Korn, and Megadeth. 

Kolhapuris: If you are looking for good, old-fashioned juttis and chappals then this small store will fix you up with options starting at INR 500. 

Faye: This kids' store has a collection of dresses, gowns, and casual clothing such as skirts and pants, for girls whether they are toddlers, teens or tweens. 

St Angelo: This menswear store on Brigade Road won't burn a hole in your wallet when you want formal shirts, Nehru jackets, trousers, and casual shirts. 

Bangkok Plaza: Just off Brigade Road, on Rest House Road, this shopping plaza offers streetwear options from clothes and footwear to bags and accessories on a budget. 

Classy: This lingerie store on Rest House Road will fix you up with bras, bralettes, negligees, baby dolls, and swimwear of all kinds. 

Decathalon: You don't have to drive out of town (read Whitefield or Yelahanka) to get your sports gear. Find everything from football to swimming gear here. 

Wardy & Co.: Head here for handcrafted leather shoes for men such as boots, loafers, and dress shoes. 

Lalu Dass: Custom, handcrafted shoes are what the tiny store is best known for. They make formal shoes and boots mainly for men and they can also replicate various shoe designs as well. 

In terms of eating out options, Brigade Road doesn't have a lot of options, but whether you are looking for a quick bite or a full-course meal, you'll find it here. Moreover, Brigade Road is known for some of Bangalore's iconic watering holes and dive bars.  

Pecos: If you haven't had a drink at Pecos, then you haven't had a drink in Bangalore. The iconic pub has been serving beer to patrons since time immemorial. Go for the cheap booze, the rock music, and the greasy food. 

Le Rock: Head here for live match screenings, a Friday night party with rock music, and beer and bites that won't burn a hole in your pocket. 

Just BLR: Overlooking Brigade Road, this pub hosts karaoke nights, and live music, and has a menu that's filled with finger food and a pint of beer that costs around INR 220. 

Thai House: Our favourite spot in the city for authentic Thai cuisine, you can order everything from Pad Thai to Tom Yum here. 

Anjappar: The Chettinad restaurant offers seafood and classics such as Chicken 65 and Chicken Biryani. 

Select Book Store: One of Brigade Road's and Bangalore's best-kept secrets for finding rare books and used books. The book store was started by KKS Murthy and you can find your hands on rare tomes. 

Lusitania: Lusitania has the answer to your every meat craving. Their fresh meats, cold cuts, and their ready-to-fry specialities are popular among patrons. 

Glasgow Computers: The go-to tech and gadget store for years, the store will fix you up with new and old geeky stuff, be it NVIDIA cards or second-hand console games.

Between MG Road and Brigade Road, Church Street is the most happening lane and home to several bookstores, popular restaurants, and a few shopping spots. It gets its name from the fact that it leads to St. Mark's Cathedral. 

Whether you start from the Brigade Road side or St. Mark's Road side, you need to visit all the bookstores that are located on Church Street. From St. Mark's Side, your first stop is Goobe's, then make your way to Blossom Book House, and after that, you head to Bookworm. Once you are done, head to The Bookhive, then to the second Blossom Book House, and after that to Gangarams Book Bureau. Finally, finish your book crawl at The Book Home. Or if you start from the Brigade Road side, then work your way backwards from The Book Home. 

Church Street's shopping spots are few and limited and you might come across roadside sellers selling everything from magnets to sunglasses. 

Lacoste: Pick up polos, chinos, jeans, and apparel from here. You can also find accessories such as belts and backpacks here. 

Ilahui: The Korean lifestyle store has cute wallets, fluffy travel pillows, stationery, beauty & skincare products, electronics & gadgets, and home fragrances and decor products.

LaBamba: There's another outlet of LaBamba here just below Starbucks in the basement and you can pick up anime action figures and pop culture apparel. 

The Entertainment Store: At Bangalore's favourite pop-culture store, you can get your hands on action figures, graphic t-shirts, comic books, posters, books, toys, and accessories. 

Church Street has plenty of options when it comes to eating. You can find a global fare here ranging from pizza to Andhra meals, and everything in between. Starbucks, Matteo, and Third Wave Coffee are your main coffee spots here for a cup of coffee while Chai Point for everything tea. That being said here are our favourite spots. 

Anupam's Coast II Coast: Ghee roast, Mangalorean food, and alcohol. You can't go wrong with this combo. 

Easy Tiger & Wolfish: Head to Easy Tiger for some budget alcohol and bar bites and Wolfish to keep the hunger pangs at bay with burgers and pasta. 

Somilan Steak House: Apart from serving the usual Chinese fare, they also do yum North East of India cuisine from Nagaland and Assam. 

Brik Oven: The first outlet of one of Bangalore's best pizza places is a must-visit for their pizza and think shakes and open-kitchen plan. 

The Pizza Bakery At Coconut Grove: Head to The Pizza Bakery for their filling pizzas or head to Coconut Grove for a pint over some coastal and Malabar finger food. 

Indian Coffee House: The old school eatery has good coffee and veg cutlet. And an ambience that reminds you of the 80s. 

Bheema's: Head here during lunchtime for their vegetarian Andhra meals. It's brilliant and so are their biryanis and chicken starters such as Chicken 65. 

Church Street Social: Head here for twisted cocktails, music, live screenings, and yum finger food. 

The Konkan: Our other favourite spot on Church Street for Manglorean food. Their Prawn Sukka and Chef's Masala coated fish are must-try. 

Empire: The fact that it's open until 1:00 am is the only reason we love the place after a night of partying and when we need some food. 

Adjacent to Church Street and flanked by St. Mark's Road and MG Road on either end, Museum Road is home to the following restaurants.  

The Only Place: An iconic Bangalore restaurant that everyone needs to visit at least once, head here for their burgers, apple pie, and meaty offerings. 

Dumont: The ice cream parlour serves up interesting flavours such as Jelly, Blueberry Cheesecake, Choco Orange, and classics such as Butterscotch and Dark Chocolate. 

Amintiri: Get your fill of sinful desserts and bakes here with some coffee from Coffee First. It makes for a cute date spot too. 

Zed The Baker: Fresh bakes, desserts, pastries, and coffee are what you head here for. Plus, they also have small bites too. 

It's best to take the metro here and get off at MG Road. Should you come by car or a two-wheeler, you can pay and park (Namma Bengaluru Smart parking prices start at INR 30 for cars and 20 for two-wheelers) at Brigade Road, on MG Road, or some parts of Museum Road. 

Check out the CBD Hood Guide Part 2 on Lavelle Road, St. Mark's Road, and Residency Road here.