In November 2018, Soho House opened its first location in Asia: an 11-story building in Mumbai’s Juhu, overlooking the Arabian Sea. On the ground floor, open to the public, sat Cecconi’s India, bringing 40 years of Northern Italian dining tradition to India’s entertainment capital.
As described on the Cecconi’s India website, the restaurant is “overlooking the Arabian Sea, inside the same building as Soho House Mumbai,” open for lunch and dinner every day, plus breakfast on weekends. Guests can sample handmade pasta and cicchetti in a greenery-filled outdoor space or sit inside with Northern Italian design influences.
The location couldn’t be more perfect. Juhu Beach, where Bollywood stars have homes, and the city’s creative class gathers, provides the backdrop for a restaurant that merges Italian sophistication with Indian seaside energy.
The Soho House India Vision
Led by founder and CEO Nick Jones and director of Soho House Design Linda Boronkay, the architecture was inspired by Indian culture, according to Business Traveler. The interiors feature colorful block-printed fabrics from Rajasthan, locally sourced furniture, and Indian antiques. Each of the 38 bedrooms above Cecconi’s has eco-friendly sisal carpet flooring, antique timber and bone inlay furniture, and lampshades created from antique sari fabrics.
The Soho House Mumbai art collection comprises over 200 works displayed throughout the building, including in the bedrooms. It was Soho House’s 23rd house globally and first in Asia, representing a significant expansion for the brand.
The Menu: Local Meets Legacy
Cecconi’s India brings a modern take to classic Italian dining, serving handmade pasta, seafood, cicchetti, and dishes from Northern Italy, as stated on OpenTable. The restaurant serves breakfast every Saturday and Sunday, with lunch and dinner available seven days a week.
What makes Mumbai’s location unique is its approach to ingredients. As Iflauntme explains, “In line with its inherent inclination towards seafood dishes, the Juhu restaurant uses fresh, locally sourced ingredients, including fish and crustaceans. Its flour, however, comes from Italy to give the handmade pasta a truly Italian taste and texture.”
Seafood from Mumbai’s waters meets pasta flour from Italy. It’s a perfect metaphor for the restaurant itself: respecting Italian tradition while embracing local excellence.
The menu includes signatures like spaghetti lobster, crab ravioli, meatballs, wild mushroom pizza, baked gnocchi, calamari fritters, and various pasta dishes. As Iflauntme notes, “From the Southern state of Puglia to Naples to the northernmost, ‘more European’ parts of Italy, the dishes of Cecconi’s come from everywhere.”
The restaurant also offers substantial vegan and vegetarian options. “Cecconi’s menu has a fair section for the vegans and vegetarians among us, and the offerings are no less delectable than the seafood and lamb choices,” according to Iflauntme.
The Setting
Diners can choose between indoor seating with Northern Italian design influences or the outdoor greenery-filled space with views of Juhu Beach and the Arabian Sea. As one Tripadvisor reviewer describes it: “I had a wonderful evening at Cecconi’s, absolutely loved it. The beachside location, lantern lit, old colonial style decor, and cool, easy-going vibe and soundtrack. Plus, the thrilling buzz of airplanes overhead every few minutes!
The reviewer recommends: “Try to get a table in the ‘outside’ bit as it adds so much more to the experience. The gorgeous breezy air, beautiful sea views, and the sound of crashing waves.”
Reviews consistently mention the sea view as a highlight. As noted on Zomato, people say the place is known for “Beautiful Sea View, Seaview, Sophisticated, Worth the Price, Ambiance was Super Cool, Great Vibe.”
The Price and Experience
At approximately Rs. 3,200 for two (about Rs. 3,000 according to Justdial), Cecconi’s India positions itself as fine dining. Reviewers have noted: “The food was fresh, service was good! Really appreciate the service as they allocated the window seats once vacant, as I had previously reserved. Ambiance too was good.”
Another Tripadvisor guest celebrating Christmas Day there wrote: “We spent a very happy 2 hours at Cecconi’s, and left feeling full but not over-stuffed, and extremely satisfied. It’s not cheap, but we all thought it well worth the Xmas splurge!”
The restaurant accommodates various occasions. Features include candlelight dinner options, full bar service, vegetarian-friendly and vegan options, and accepts credit cards, according to Justdial.
The Challenges
Not all reviews are perfect. Some OpenTable diners mention service inconsistencies, with one noting, “The waiters were rude, the staff was rude.” Another acknowledged: “The overall experience was great. The hostess was really sweet and accommodating,” but service speed varied.
The outdoor seating, while beautiful, comes with Mumbai’s climate challenges. As one reviewer noted: “Due to Mumbai’s heat, the sea-view open area will be best enjoyed from December to February.”
Part of Something Larger
Cecconi’s Mumbai functions as the public-facing restaurant within Soho House Mumbai, which offers 38 bedrooms, a floor of members’ space, a gym, a rooftop pool, and a 34-seat screening room. Members get full access during their stay, with room rates ranging from Rs. 13,000 to Rs. 41,000 per night, according to Business Traveler.
The building also houses The Allis, a lounge and café serving hot drinks, juices, and small bites. The House Gym features Technogym and Watsons equipment, a group fitness studio, steam rooms, and a House Press juice bar. A multipurpose event room called the Paisley room accommodates up to 70 guests.
The Legacy Continues
Cecconi’s Mumbai represents the global reach of a concept that started in 1978 in Mayfair. As Iflauntme eloquently states: “Inspired by Venetian culinary arts and shaped in London’s upscale Mayfair district, Cecconi’s scores a perfect ten in all areas in which one might want to rate a restaurant. It has a rich legacy of having served celebrities and members of royalty right from its early days in London, and continues to live up to the same.”
Seven years after opening, Cecconi’s Mumbai continues serving Northern Italian cuisine with Arabian Sea views, maintaining the standard Enzo Cecconi established nearly five decades ago while adapting to Mumbai’s unique character, climate, and cosmopolitan palate.
