"Not all journeys begin with a map. Some begin with a craving—for purpose,for peace, for something more."

This is the story of Uyare. But to understand its beginning, we must go back to where it all started—with five friends, one dream, and a tiny restaurant called Tharavadu.

In 2013, we weren't entrepreneurs with grand ambitions. We were, quite simply, trying to make a living. We dreamed of a quieter life—a place to serve the food we grew up with, to earn an honest income, and to spend time with our families. "Let’s open something small," we said. "Something manageable."

But destiny doesn’t always care for modest plans.

From the very first week, Tharavadu exploded with popularity. Queues wrapped around the block. Bookings filled out days in advance. Most restaurants spend months begging for footfall—we were turning people away. One day, a customer told us: "Your biggest flaw is how hard it is to get a table!"

We scrambled to meet demand. Our original 60-seater grew into a 130-cover restaurant within two years. It was thrilling—and exhausting. As the plates flew out and the reviews poured in, one question kept chasing us:

“So, when are you opening another one?”

It always made us smile. Because deep down, we never planned for more. After the expansion, we looked at each other and said, "That’s enough. No more stress."

Then came 2020.

When the pandemic hit, everything stopped. The bustling dining room turned quiet. The sound of laughter and clinking cutlery faded. We found ourselves with something rare: time.

"What if we did it again?" one of us asked.

It sounded mad. But something had shifted. The uncertainty of the world made us think differently. Why wait for the perfect moment when tomorrow isn't promised?

We began looking. Premises came and went. Landlords wavered. Promising deals collapsed last minute. One site was rejected because the landlord feared the “smell of curry.” We laughed—but quietly.

Through it all, one thing remained constant: Leeds.

This city had embraced us, lifted us, and become our identity. "We’re not just restaurateurs," we joked. "We’re the Leeds boys now." So the decision was clear—our next venture had to stay here.

Then, as if by fate, Simon from Redical called.

"There’s a rooftop unit at Victoria Gate," he said. "Want to have a look?" We walked into the closed former Issho site and fell silent. The panoramic view, the open skies, the pulse of the city below—it spoke to us. "This is it," one of us whispered.

The deal flowed smoothly—thanks to an extraordinary landlord and our ever- supportive solicitor, Christina Kettlewell from Ward Hadaway. We began sketching dreams with Sarah, our designer, and brought them to life with Andy, our builder. Uyare started to take shape.

But as with all dreams, not everyone believed.

Some scoffed: “Partnerships never last.” Others whispered: “Eleven years together? It’ll fall apart.” And truthfully, even we had our doubts some days.

But our bond was built not in boardrooms, but over late-night cleanups, shared thalis, crazy drink parties and unwavering loyalty.

We faced pressure. We fought. We faced doubt. Yet we stood together.

And on 21st November 2024, pen met paper. We signed the lease.

That moment wasn’t just the start of Uyare—it was the continuation of everything we believed in: resilience, friendship, and the audacity to dream again.

Today, Uyare stands proudly as Europe’s first South Indian rooftop restaurant—a place where every dish tells a story, and every visit writes a new one.

Because Uyare is more than a restaurant.

It is our second beginning.

“Sometimes the next chapter isn’t written at a desk, but dreamed up over a dosa.”