Music, craft beer, global cuisine, and architecture come together in an intimate setting at Windmills Craftworks. Known for its immersive experiences in Bengaluru since 2012 and in Texas, the brand has now arrived in Hyderabad, setting up its newest outpost in Knowledge City, Madhapur.
A design-led space, Windmills Craftworks seamlessly blends live music, global cuisine, craft beer, and architecture to create a refined yet immersive experience. Founded by architect and music enthusiast Kamal Sagar, the space is built on a music-first philosophy, presenting both homegrown and international artists with depth, authenticity, and artistic integrity across jazz, blues, world music, Indian classical, and contemporary genres. With its warm, book-lined interiors, global flavours, and intimate jazz theatre, the venue offers an experience that is both sophisticated and soulful.
Ashish Saxena, CEO of Windmills Craftworks, shares, “We see it as a ‘third place’ — after home and work — where guests can spend time with friends and family, relax, and feel a sense of belonging. The idea is to create a space people can call their own.” He adds that the Hyderabad project took nearly one-and-a-half years to build, with the city’s rich cultural heritage and growing demand for live music experiences making it an ideal market. The team believes Hyderabad offers strong potential for a venue that combines music, food, and craft beer.
The Hyderabad venue is divided into four distinct concepts. The theatre and main seating area accommodates around 180 covers, while Oota Hyderabad adds about 80. Oota Telugu will offer another 140 covers, taking the total capacity to nearly 400. An outdoor landscaped area with around 150 covers is also set to launch as the fourth concept; for now, the Windmills Craftworks menu will be served in this space.
“The menu features several iconic Windmills dishes alongside new additions,” says Ashish. Signature favourites such as Karare Paneer and Dahi ke Kebab remain unchanged, while new offerings include Soy Glaze Chicken, Salmon Fillet, Ratatouille Lasagna, and Zucchini Fritters for vegetarians. Beyond its culinary offerings, the brand is equally known for its craft beers. “Windmills is recognised for its core lineup of five beers: a German-style Hefeweizen, Golden Ale, West Coast American IPA, Stout — often with variations — and Blond Ale. Seasonal brews are also introduced throughout the year, such as Mango Hazy IPA or special holiday lagers, to offer variety,” he explains.
What sets Windmills apart is its commitment to authenticity. The beers follow original recipes without being overly sweet or ‘Indianised’, with ingredients such as hops, yeast, and malt carefully sourced — often imported from the US and Europe — to maintain global standards. The result is brews, particularly the IPA, that are robust and true to style.
Speaking about expansion plans, Ashish reveals that a new space has already been signed in Mumbai, though it will take a few years to develop. The team is also exploring opportunities in Delhi–Gurgaon and Kolkata. Alongside Windmills Craftworks, the brand is expanding its regional dining concept, Oota, which celebrates local Indian cuisines. The aim is to introduce multiple Oota formats across cities, each representing a different regional food culture. While Windmills Craftworks will follow a selective approach — one venue per city — concepts like Oota may have multiple outlets depending on demand.