Delhi Court Bars Bengaluru Restaurant From Using 'Carnatic' Tag After Trademark Dispute

Delhi’s Carnatic Café won a court order stopping Lemonpepper Hospitality in Bengaluru from using “Carnatic”, protecting its trademark and brand identity. (Image: Instagram- carnaticcafeindia)

In a major trademark victory, Delhi’s Carnatic Café has won a court order stopping a Bengaluru-based restaurant from using the word “Carnatic” in its name, branding, or website.

The order was passed by District Judge Neelam Singh at Delhi’s Saket court, which ruled in favour of Carnatic Café — a popular South Indian restaurant chain founded by Pavan Jambagi. The court found that the Bengaluru restaurant, run by Lemonpepper Hospitality Pvt Ltd, had been using the mark “Carnatic” and even operated the website carnaticrestaurant.com, creating confusion among customers.

The judge noted that the establishment has owned the registered trademark “Carnatic Café” since 2012, and the Bengaluru outlet’s use of a similar name amounted to trademark infringement and passing off.

The court said the Bengaluru company had failed to file its defence despite repeated opportunities, prompting the judge to issue an ex parte order under India’s Civil Procedure Code.

What the Court Ordered

The order permanently restrains Lemonpepper Hospitality and anyone acting on its behalf — including its partners, agents, and franchisees — from:

• Using the word “Carnatic” or any similar name in their restaurant brand or promotions.
• Operating any website or social media page containing “Carnatic” in the domain or handle.
• Using any logo, tagline or imagery that might confuse customers with the Delhi chain.

In addition, the court awarded ₹50,000 as damages and ₹10,000 towards legal costs to Carnatic Café.

Why It Matters

The ruling is being seen as a reminder to businesses about respecting trademark rights in India’s fast-growing food and hospitality industry, where similar names often cause consumer confusion.

For Carnatic Café, which has built a strong reputation across Delhi and the NCR for its authentic South Indian menu, the verdict safeguards its brand identity after years of expansion.

For the Bengaluru restaurant, the decision means a mandatory rebrand — and a warning for others to ensure originality before using a name that’s already trademarked.