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Helmed by Chef Ashwin Singh, with experience at acclaimed kitchens such as Gaggan and Masque, House of Akina blends global techniques with playful storytelling. The menu spans inventive cocktails, refined mocktails, vibrant small plates and soulful mains, each layered with distinct flavours and textures.

Home — whether yours or a friend’s — is the guiding inspiration behind House of Akina, Bandra’s newest fine-dining destination. Designed to feel like a lived-in living room, the intimate space sets the tone from the start. Guests are greeted with a personalised nameplate at the entrance before walking through a long corridor that opens into a warm, inviting dining area dressed in cosy couches and patterned rugs.

The interiors evoke an immediate sense of comfort and familiarity, while the menu takes diners on a flavourful voyage across Asia. Inspired by the fictional wanderings of Akina, the restaurant’s muse, each dish and drink is rooted in imagined culinary stories collected along her travels.

(Left) The House Highball and (right) Shillong Embar Picante |

The bar program, in particular, is worth raising a glass to. Gin lovers will feel right at home with The House Highball — a lightly herbaceous serve of hojicha tea, citrus, gin and a hint of salt that rounds off the flavours. Blanco tequila, chilli tincture and mango liqueur come together in Nights in May, a bright, playful cocktail that reads like a love letter to Japan.

For those who prefer a spicy, fruity concoction, Shillong Embar Picante delivers a light-hearted medley of sweet strawberries and fiery jalapeños. However, Apricot in the Alley outshines the other contenders. The well-balanced mix of cognac, house-made apricot-spiced brine, orange juice and chocolate bitters is served in an elegant coupe with walnuts tucked into a pocket clipped on the rim.