Pizza, tiramisu, croissant: How these Mumbai expats are mapping Italian and French food for Mumbaikars

Italian-origin Mumbaikar Giulia Raffaello, who calls Mumbai her home, has been discovering Indian food in the country since 2018. In fact, just last year, she did a series on Indian street food and many people loved it. With a growing interest in food in India, it didn't take long for the Human Resource professional-turned-content creator to tap into her Italian roots but in Mumbai. She shares, "I noticed an increased interest from my community in Italy, its food and culture. I thought it was time to start reviewing Italian food in India, beginning with Mumbai, my home in India. I wanted to explore and share how easy it is to find authentic Italian cuisine here, helping me enjoy the flavours of home when I miss it." With that, she set out to document not only the best places for pizzas but also tiramisu and coffee in Mumbai on her Instagram account @onlyonegiulia opening with ‘We are Italians in Mumbai' in a six-part series.

Mumbaikars love their Indian food but enjoy experimenting with other kinds of food. Undoubtedly, Italian cuisine is one of the most popular and pizzas, are one of our favourite dishes to enjoy. While earlier it was the commercial options of Dominos, Pizza Hut and more, the city's evolving palate has led to more restaurants serving the Italian delicacy on their menu. Over time, this has led to more restauranteurs not only start pizzerias but also speciality restaurants serving Italian food that beyond pizza to serve coffee, pasta and even tiramisu - all of which are some of the most popular dishes from the cuisine. Interestingly, while Raffaello decided to discover Italian food in Mumbai, Ellie Flory Fawcett of British-French ancestry decided to look for the perfect croissant in Mumbai. With a dearth of authentic French restaurants in Mumbai, the croissant is a start, as it is not only popular in the fancier places but also the local bakeries in a variety of Indianised versions.

Italian and French sojourn in Mumbai
It did not take long for her to start her journey to find the best croissants in the city, which materialised into a 16-part series on her Instagram @elliefloryfawcet last August. She shares, "My inspiration to start the series was my desire to find the best croissant along with the awareness of a growing number of bakeries doing croissants in Mumbai and starting to serve them with more and more variations and flavours. The filled and flavoured croissants were going viral from London to New York, so it was fun to see that wave arrive in Mumbai too."

It was even more interesting because Fawcett was never a food blogger but somehow it translated her love for food into a whole new vision for the Mumbaikar who moved to the city eight years ago, and now works as an actor and voice artist h¬ere. It did not take long for the videos to go viral and how could it not? The city boasts of some really good places for croissants, and it is always nice to have someone like her to point us in the direction of the most authentic versions. "This was the most specific series I ever embarked on. I think people enjoyed it, as through it, they discovered new places, and also shared my love for delicious Viennoiseries," she adds.

While she jumped to discover them on her own, Raffaello on her visit to Mumbai in February met up with fellow Italian and city-based DJ Olly Esse over coffee and told her about this idea that had been brewing in her head. It didn't take long for the latter to be convinced, and she also shared her favourite places for coffee in the city and not before long they went about discovering pizzas, tiramisu and coffee in March and the result was delicious. She shares, "Throughout the series, I visited incredible spots offering authentic Italian cuisine. From the best pizza to delightful tiramisu, each episode showcased the best places bringing a taste of Italy to Mumbai. This journey has made me feel closer to home and allowed me to share my love for food while celebrating the blend of Indian-Italian culture." The response has been incredible for her because while she was discovering it herself, there were also many suggestions in spots and tips while trying new places for Italian food in the city.

Mapping pizza, tiramisu, coffee, and croissants in Mumbai
In the process of looking for the best Italian food and croissants, they discovered a variety of different things about the city. Raffaello notes, "I discovered a remarkable commitment to authenticity among the city's restaurants. I was touched by the passion and effort everyone put into creating the most authentic pizza with the best ingredients. From handmade pasta to wood-fired pizzas, I found that India's Italian restaurants take pride in their craft, following traditional recipes and techniques. Their dedication reflects a genuine representation of Italian culinary traditions." On the other hand, it led Fawcett to get to know many excellent pastry chefs in the city, who were not only professionally trained but also self-trained.

So, what is the perfect croissant, according to her? The actor explains, "The perfect croissant should be a rich golden brown in colour, flaky and make a crunchy sound when you squeeze it but have buttery soft layers of pastry inside." Being one for authenticity and not "Indianised" versions, Fawcett believes some of the best croissants are from delivery-only cloud bakeries. "For me, the most perfect flaky butter croissant came from Sivako, and House of Amel and Twenty-Seven Bake House for their sweet and savoury viennoiseries. Although there are not many, a few restaurants are doing French cuisine in Mumbai like Paul's, Slink & Bardot and Suzette," she shares.

If you were in search of the best Italian food in Mumbai, then Raffaello says she has discovered her favourites through this series. For pizza, they include Gustoso and Queen's Margherita, and more particularly Aubergine Parmigiana from the former option. "Overall, I was impressed by the quality of the ingredients. I know how hard it is to source them, so kudos to everyone," she adds. On the other hand, for tiramisu, it wasn't easy either. "Si Nonna's and Gustoso's tiramisu reminded of my Nonna's version, so I guess that means they were really good. But then, both Cecconi's and Queen's Margherita added their own touch to it." With more places opening up for coffee, Raffaello says Subko is currently her favourite, and she also loved the affogato at Affogato by Javaphile. Overall, it is Americano for Italian food, even though she hasn't tried the pizzas there just yet.

Is there room for Indianised versions?
Ask her if she has favourites in Indianised versions of Italian food and the Mumbaikar is open to experimenting, and maybe that comes from her connection to India. Having always being fascinated by India and its culture and diversity, since she read about it in school, it was almost poetic that she met her husband Shrey from Indore, after she moved to work in Berlin. "It's almost like I manifested this!," she exclaims. While they both now split their time between the two countries, they were drawn to Mumbai because of its magnetic pull of energy and vibrancy.

She shares, "It's infectious! I love the food scene here; it is incredibly diverse. I can find mouth-watering authentic South Indian food in Matunga, but also pani puri, misal pav, and don't get me started on the Bombay Sandwich and falooda. The variety and depth of Indian cuisine here never ceases to amaze me. On the other hand, I also find comfort in the abundance of restaurants offering all types of international cuisines, including authentic Italian restaurants. It's like having a piece of home wherever I go."

It isn't surprising then when she is open to bringing together the best of both worlds. She adds, "I have seen a lot of joints offering the Indian version of pizza, and I think what makes Italian food palatable for Mumbaikars is the way it has been adapted to Indian flavours and preferences that resonate with local tastes." The key factor that she has noticed is the use of spices and ingredients familiar to the Indian palate. While the pizza slices are slightly smaller, she says, "Pizzas might have toppings like paneer tikka or tandoori ingredients, adding a spicy kick that Mumbaikars love. The sauces are a bit spicier or have a hint of Indian masalas, making the dishes more relatable and appealing to Mumbaikars who are generally used to bold and flavourful food."

However, Raffaello still has a hard time when she sees people using ketchup to eat pizza as that isn't something she would want to add to her pizza ever. However, now that she has started eating more Indian food, the Mumbaikar has begun to understand and appreciate the unique flavours and spices that make Indian cuisine so special. "This has made me more open to exploring the Indianised versions of Italian dishes. While I would, of course, still recommend trying authentic pizza, I do enjoy having the Indian version sometimes," she adds, saying that anything with makhani sauce can be an ideal Indo-Italian fusion dish.

If one knows the range of Indian street food, then it is easy to understand that it is not more limited to Indian cuisines but has also taken shape in the form of fusion food and Raffaello is no stranger to that. She shares, "I've discovered that there are quite a few places in Mumbai selling Italian food as street food, and it's fun to explore and watch. The Indian twist on Italian cuisine is creative, with some combinations that have surprised me. In places like Matunga and Ghatkopar Khau Galli, for example, I found stalls that serve quirky items like chocolate pizza, pizza dosa, and Manchurian pasta. It's amazing to see how they've taken classic Italian dishes and given them an Indian makeover." Open to all things Indian and Italian, now the Mumbaikar finds joy in discovering these very dishes and how the vendors have put their spin on Italian cuisine. "The creativity and flavours are something special, and it's always an adventure to see what new fusion dish I'll find next," she adds.

On the other hand, even though Fawcett does enjoy Indian food like chaat, dosa, dal, paratha and more, some things like her croissant are unalterable. It is no surprise then when the actor says she isn't a fan of Indianised versions. She states, "I will never go near a croissant with Paneer in it (laughs). If I see those two words in the same sentence, I generally will avoid croissants from that place altogether. It is the same with chicken tikka or mithai-filled croissants. No. Just no, for me." While she does appreciate the local touch to the croissant to suit the Indian palate, she was sure of only going to review places that aspired to make the authentic version and she wasn't disappointed.

A year later, now inspired and hungry, Fawcett is busy discovering more food in Mumbai but through its cafes. She explains, "After heavenly viennoiseries and pâtisseries, my second love is simply discovering cute cafes and restaurants that have an atmosphere and an ambience, so I started a more all-encompassing series called ‘Bomb Eats of Bombay', where I have a whole lunch or dinner at a cafe or restaurant." So, would she continue the croissant series? "The croissant series is not over, and I would like to take it to other cities in India too. I see amazing places in Bengaluru, Chennai and Delhi," shares the Mumbaikar, who came to meet a friend in Bengaluru from London, and stopped by Mumbai during some backpacking for three days, and fell in love with the city because of its vibe.

It is no different for Raffaello who wants to take her Italian food series to other cities in India. "While I love experimenting with different series on my channels, the Italian-Indian food series has a special place in my heart. There is so much more to explore and share. I already have a lot of exciting things lined up, so stay tuned. You can expect more delicious discoveries, new favourite spots, and maybe even some fun twists on classic Indian-Italian dishes," she concludes.