Cantina reveals itself in layers. Taking advantage of the glass wall that runs across its exterior, the first nook is bathed in sunlight during the day, the perfect spot for a lazy brunch. A hand-painted mural with blooming florals unfurls across a rust-hued wall. Further inside, the room settles into a richer palette. Terracotta walls hold a grid of wood-lined shelves packed with wine bottles, vintage posters, and cascading plants, framed around an illustrated artwork of a mid-pounce tiger, unfolding against a background soundtrack that leaps from Red Hot Chili Peppers to Gorillaz to Backstreet Boys before closing on Michael Jackson’s Thriller.
Dining areaCantina
Alongside the red-backed, golden-lit bar, a set of diaphanous sheers hides a private dining space that can be booked for groups. On busier nights, the curtains are drawn back and the space merges with the rest of the restaurant.
The Food
Cantina
Cantina
We begin with the lemon arancini, crisp-shell, soft-hearted, carrying just enough truffle and citrus to linger without overwhelming. The salmon tartare toast suffers from a heavy hand of aioli, the fish disappearing under the oiliness. In contrast, the crab crostini fares better, though still nudged into buttery, garlicky territory. A lighter touch would let the seafood shine. And then, redemption: a house-made whipped ricotta that’s creamy yet cloud-soft, paired with tart cranberry jam and warm sourdough.
The pizza is a 48-hour ferment of Italian flour.Cantina
Cantina
The pizzas land squarely. The Bandra Hot is a food maximalist’s dream: olives, onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms, mozzarella, all tied together with a spicy after-kick…only order it if you like a fully loaded pie! The pepperoni is the opposite, a no-fuss classic. The crust folds without sagging, the base stays crisp, however the hot honey drizzle fooled us into thinking his tomato sauce was too sweet. Skip the drizzle and it’s an easy favourite. The black tiger prawns arrive in a fermented hot sauce butter with chili crunch, but the lemon overwhelms the dish. The prawns tortellini, filled with house-made ricotta and served with shrimp and a lone plump scallop, misses for its pasta a shade too al dente.
TiramisuCantina
Banana lava cakeCantina
Cantina’s dessert menu is the star of the restaurant. The tiramisu, served in a moka pot, releases a dramatic cloud of dry-ice “steam”—a playful nod to the ritual of espresso. Inside, it’s creamy yet light, with a faint wafery crunch that adds an unusual twist. The pistachio crème brûlée, a silky nutty custard, and pistachio gelato exists because, as Burd says, “such good pistachios are so abundantly available in India, I had to do something with it.” The dish that lingered well into the next morning was the banana lava cake, its molten, gooey caramel centre tucked inside a spongy banana cake, with a dollop of hazelnut gelato.
The Drinks
Bar areaCantina
Every drink here is batched in-house with a unique, experimental twist. Wasabi and celery infused Mezcal in the tomato makes for a mean Bloody Mary with a briny, anchovy-ish umami kick, designed to pair with all the seafood. The limon, poured with their own limoncello, which isn’t the saccharine neon yellow syrup we’re accustomed to, drinks zesty and floral, the perfect tipple for a hot Mumbai afternoon.
Dining and Cooking