Looking for inspiring Italian restaurants in Mumbai? Call off the search. A great Italian stallion of a restaurant, Celini is so relaxed it’s almost horizontal; indeed, it’s the perfect spot for a lazy afternoon with friends or a newspaper.

The restaurant’s design is stylish but simple with a central show kitchen designed by Molteni of France. Homegrown Italian cooking is the order of the day here, and the smells coming from the wood-fired pizza oven, rotisserie and charcoal grill would have even the strictest dieter falling off the wagon: supplement your lunch with a slice of pizza – it’s the best in Mumbai. Chef Alessandro Persico’s cooking is divine and is a perfect antidote to spicy, Indian fare. Expect an business crowd for lunch during the week.