Soraia at Mahalaxmi Racecourse, A Slow Arrival Into a Garden-Led Dining Experience

There’s a particular moment at Soraia at Mahalaxmi Racecourse when you realise you’ve stopped checking your phone. It happens quietly. Somewhere between walking past the foliage-lined entry and settling into your seat as the light filters through glass and leaves. The city is still there, technically, but it feels softened. Distant. As though Mumbai has stepped back to give you space.

Set within the greens of the Royal Western India Turf Club, Soraia doesn’t announce itself the way new restaurants often do. It reveals itself slowly. Indoors and outdoors blur into one continuous rhythm. Tables sit comfortably apart. Conversations stretch. The air feels lighter, cooler, unhurried.

Designed by Gauri Khan, the space leans into a European garden aesthetic without ever feeling themed or precious. Vine-draped pillars rise gently through the room. A fountain murmurs at the centre, not as a focal point, but as a presence. Glass walls catch the daylight, while natural wood, stone, and greenery do the heavy lifting.

It feels less like a restaurant you’ve arrived at, and more like one you’ve discovered.

Dining at Soraia, Neo-Botanical Cuisine That Lets Time Slow Down

We sit down thinking we’ll order lightly. That idea dissolves quickly. The menu at Soraia restaurant in Mumbai unfolds in elemental chapters, but it’s the pacing that stands out first. Plates arrive without urgency. There’s no sense of being rushed through courses. Instead, the table fills gradually, the way a long lunch should. The kitchen is led by Chef Hitesh Shanbhag, whose neo-botanical approach to contemporary Indian-European cuisine feels instinctive rather than intellectual. You can sense the discipline, but what stays with you is the touch.

A Shiso Leaf Chaat arrives crisp and fragrant, tasting like the garden just beyond the glass. It’s familiar, but lighter, cleaner, more considered. The Gucchi Silk with Sattu follows, quietly indulgent, comfort dressed in restraint.

As the table fills, flavours move between continents without announcing their passports. A Forest Mushroom Risotto brings Indian earthiness into Italian technique, layered and grounding. Honey Nut Brie wrapped in phyllo melts into itself, sweet, savoury, gently spiked with chilli and crunch.

Dessert doesn’t try to steal the show. A Sitafal Tres Leches lands softly, custard apple lending its perfume to a dish that feels nostalgic and new at once.

Nothing here shouts. Spice is softened by citrus. Cream is balanced by grain. Each plate feels composed for the moment it’s eaten in, not for spectacle. You realise, midway through the meal, that conversation has slowed too. That the food isn’t pulling focus, but holding space.

The Omakase Cocktail Bar at Soraia, Drinking Through India’s Landscapes

If the kitchen at Soraia listens to the land, the bar interprets it.

At the heart of the space sits Mumbai’s first omakase cocktail bar, led by Beverage Director Fay Barretto. We take seats at the counter, unsure of what to ask for, and are gently told not to worry about that.

Here, the evening is guided.

Each cocktail is rooted in a region of India, not just its ingredients, but its mood. The air. The soil. The silence. Drinks arrive one by one, explained softly, never overworked. A pour inspired by the mountains carries a chill, subtle dairy notes, and quiet depth. Another, drawn from the plains, leans into grain and warmth. Coastal flavours arrive tropical but restrained, smoke hovering rather than dominating.

This isn’t mixology for novelty. It’s geography in liquid form.

What stays with you, though, is the intent behind it. Each regional chapter supports women-led initiatives from that very landscape. Every drink contributes back to the land it draws from, turning indulgence into something quietly meaningful. By the time the last glass is cleared, the bar feels less like a feature and more like the emotional centre of the room. A place where stories move easily, where time stretches without effort.

And once again, you realise you’re not checking your phone.

Why Soraia Feels Different

Soraia is not trying to be the loudest table in town. It is comfortable with silence. With pauses. With meals that find their own rhythm. The design supports this. Warm espresso tones, soft velvets, and tactile upholstery replace gloss. Daylight shifts naturally through the space. Evenings glow through chandeliers, reflections, and shadow play. The bar acts as the room’s gravity point, open and interactive. The alfresco section feels like a continuation of the dining room, anchored by water, greenery, and air.

The Meaning Behind the Name Soraia

Soraia comes from Sol and Saurya, meaning light and radiance. The name emerged midway through the journey, once the team realised everything had been quietly built around illumination.

Light here does the storytelling. It moves across stone. Settles on plates. Filters through leaves. There are no grand gestures, just thoughtful ones.

Is Soraia Worth Visiting?

If you are looking for noise, theatrics, or trend-chasing menus, this may not be your place. But if you value design-led dining, ingredient-forward cooking, and cocktails with intent, Soraia at Mahalaxmi Racecourse is one of Mumbai’s most compelling new openings. It is a restaurant that does not rush you. One that feels equally right for a long lunch, a slow dinner, or a quiet celebration.

People Also Ask

Where is Soraia located in Mumbai?

Soraia is located within Mahalaxmi Racecourse at the Royal Western India Turf Club.

Who designed Soraia restaurant?

Soraia was designed by celebrity interior designer Gauri Khan.

What kind of cuisine does Soraia serve?

Soraia serves neo-botanical Indian-European cuisine focused on seasonal and nature-led ingredients.

Does Soraia have a bar?

Yes, Soraia features Mumbai’s first omakase cocktail bar with region-inspired cocktails from across India.

Is Soraia suitable for special occasions?

Absolutely. Its calm luxury and expansive setting make it ideal for celebrations, long lunches, and intimate dinners.

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