A Guide to Kolkata’s Growing Obsession With Italian Food

Hiding among the puchka stalls, momo carts and Chinese restaurants in Kolkata is a veritable Little Italy. For those who know where to look, Kolkata’s Italian dining scene is vibrant and thriving, with a cult following of its own. Shraddha Chowdhury takes us on a tour of the restaurants serving some of the most authentic Italian fare in the country.

There is a slice of Italy to be found in Kolkata. Though little-known, it features restaurants serving Italian fare, with ingredients sourced straight from their country of origin, served with the warmth of Italian grandmothers who love to feed.

Take Serafina, for instance. The Italian fine dining classic from New York boasts addresses in nine countries, including three in India — Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru. The menu at Serafina has special focus on Northern Italian ingredients and is particularly famous for its truffle pizza and pasta. Then there’s La Cucina, possibly the first upscale Italian restaurant in Kolkata. For 22 years, La Cucina has been known for its Spugnole e Polenta (ricotta-stuffed, wine-sautéed morels, soft polenta cake with parmesan truffle fondue), and Tiramisu Firmato La Cucina (a raw blend of coffee and mascarpone cheese, layered with savoiardi lady fingers) among other dishes. Ottimo Cucina Italiana at the palatial ITC Royal Bengal crafted its menu in homage to Sicily and Tuscany.

Beyond these, there are some of the best Italian restaurants in Kolkata that will have you reaching for second (or third helpings)!

Fabbrica-Originale

Truffle oil-loaded tagliatelle tartufo, bruschetta con burrata drizzled with rich extra virgin olive oil, rigatoni cacio e pepe and melt-in-your mouth pizzas… Fabbrica will transport you to Italy’s little family-run restaurants.

Fabbrica was founded by “…just a few kids right out of college wanting to open a restaurant, without having any formal education or experience in the industry.” The restaurant boasts Italian classics made using traditional recipes. Their vision for the brand was very different back then. “I remember being critiqued brutally during our first year,” says creative director, Naman Dhandhania. “Pizza Napoletana was very nascent in India at that time, and we were the first ones to introduce this style to Kolkata. I remember a group of customers coming in and comparing it to a naan bread, sarcastically suggesting we serve it with dal makhani. It took us almost a year to put forward the legitimacy of the product to our customers.”

Interestingly, they don’t serve ketchup.

Dhandhania often travels to Italy to find inspiration for the menu. Dhandhania picks their classic Margherita DOP as the one true signature dish that “personifies Fabbrica.” DOP stands for Denominazione di Origine Protetta (Protected Designation of Origin), a certification that ensures that the ingredients used are locally grown and packaged. The Margherita DOP is made with homemade buffalo mozzarella, a dough that’s very light and fermented for 48 hours and San Marzano tomatoes that come from Mount Vesuvius in Italy.

Located on Park Street & Salt Lake

Sorano

Tucked away in the old Harrington Mansion, off Kolkata’s central Park Street, is an Italian adventure born out of love and passion for all things handmade. Sorano crafts every element of their meals in-house — from their 150-year-old sourdough starter sourced from Tuscany, which forms the base of their brick oven pizzas and bread, to their house-made burrata, mozzarella and ricotta cheeses. “By sourcing the right produce and ingredients and combining them with time-honoured techniques, we guarantee a culinary experience that’s as close to Italy as it gets,” shares founder, Saket Agarwal. Sorano was conceptualised in February 2021. Agarwal, a passionate food enthusiast, travelled to Rome to explore authentic Italian techniques, recipes and culture. He recommends their wild mushroom tagliatelle, ravioli quattro formaggio and seabass a la cartoccio.

Located at Harrington Mansion, Ho Chi Minh Sarani

Veneto

A distinctive Italian spot in one of the city’s foremost malls, Veneto’s authenticity is at the heart of its menu. “We conceptualised the restaurant by staying true to traditional Italian cooking techniques while infusing modern elements,” shares co-founder, Vanita Bajoria. “We source premium ingredients directly from Italy, such as artisanal cheeses, cold-pressed olive oils and San Marzano tomatoes, to ensure that the flavours remain as authentic — as if you were dining in Tuscany or Rome.”

True authenticity requires first-hand experience of the local cuisine and culture. Veneto was born out of immense love for Italy’s culinary heritage — and much persuasion! “During my travels, I spent countless hours in Italian kitchens, learning from locals. One unforgettable memory was convincing a fifth-generation Italian nonna to share her secret ravioli recipe —it took three days of endless espresso and stories,” she says.

The Jackson Pollock Burrata remains co-founder Amit Bajoria’s choice of dish. “It’s a creative masterpiece blending creamy burrata with a vibrant palette of sauces, inspired by the artist’s abstract style,” he says.

Located at South City Mall, Prince Anwar Shah Road

Fire and Ice

The heart and soul of the authentic Italian experience at Fire and Ice lies with its owner, Annamaria Forgione. She first opened Fire and Ice in Kathmandu, Nepal, in 1995, and brought it to Kolkata in 2005. Fire and Ice opened in Kolkata on the request of the Italian ambassador at the time, and Forgione’s involvement with the Italian Diplomatic Office’s Mozzarella Project. “At the time, there was only one Italian restaurant here, so I knew there was a real need for authentic Italian food in the city,” she recalls.

“As a child, the prospect of a family dinner at a pizzeria was pure magic. The anticipation of sharing a table, the excitement of multiple pizzas arriving, and the thrill of pulling a slice closer were moments etched in my memory,” she reminisces. “Inspired by this childhood joy, we’ve imprinted our pizza boxes with the phrase ‘Big Enough To Share’ as a reminder of the communal spirit that lies at the heart of a great meal.”

Fire and Ice uses imported Italian ingredients, in-house mozzarella cheese and pesto and local produce. “Our signature dishes here are our pizzas, most notably our Paesana and Ettore,” she recommends. The paesana is loaded with parmesan, mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce, topped with zucchini, spinach, bacon and chicken. The ettore is made with minced chicken and porcini mushrooms.

Located on Middleton Street, Park Street Area

Annamaria Forgione, owner of Fire and Ice.

Romaania

The seeds of Romaania were sown while co-founders Jyoti and Ramesh Agarwal were on a trip in Italy. “We were sitting at a small trattoria in Tuscany, where I had the most incredible plate of handmade pasta. I turned to my wife and said, ‘We need to bring this back to our city.’ And that’s exactly what we did.”

They spent months scouting for the perfect location till they found their spot in the heart of the city. Classic Italian dishes carefully crafted from traditional recipes, imported Italian ingredients such as extra-virgin olive oil, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and San Marzano tomatoes, and house-made pastas and sauces crafted using traditional Italian techniques and recipes are some of the factors that make Romaania authentic Italian, says Jyoti. “Our menu is inspired by the diverse regions of Italy, but we add our own modern twist using fresh, seasonal ingredients.”

She recommends Romaania’s spinach and ricotta ravioli, goat cheese bruschetta, three-mushroom risotto, penne alla vodka, spaghetti aglio olio, tiramisu and panna cotta. “Our tiramisu is highly appreciated by our guests,” she says.

Located at Platinum Mall, Elgin Road