Chef Ritu Dalmia Puts Indian Cuisine On The Global Design Map At Salone Del Mobile 2025
Ritu Dalmia’s Indian restaurant Cittamani brought the vibrant flavours of India to Milan in a proud moment of recognition at Salone del Mobile 2025.
Chef and entrepreneur Ritu Dalmia showcased her Indian restaurant, Cittamani, at the Salone Del Mobile 2025. It was located at Ponte dei Mari within the Fiera Milano complex and was one of the many food offerings at the fair. Cittamani is a distinguished Indian restaurant in Milan’s vibrant Brera district, founded by renowned chef Ritu Dalmia. Its presentation at Salone Del Mobile 2025 was indeed a prestigious moment for the chef and the restaurant. As design enthusiasts met under the same roof for everything design and art, this year at the Salone Del Mobile was extra special for Indian gastronomy.
Situated in the heart of Milan, Cittamani, first opened in 2017, offers a refined dining experience that transcends typical Indian cuisine. Dalmia’s menu showcases authentic regional dishes from India, prepared with locally sourced Italian ingredients and traditional Indian spices. This approach results in a harmonious fusion of flavours honouring Indian heritage and Italian culinary excellence.
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The ideology behind naming the restaurant ‘Cittamani’ is based on a Buddhist philosophy. Cittamani is derived from Cittamani Tara, a respectable figure in Buddhist Tantra symbolising wisdom and method. This philosophy is rightly reflected in the restaurant’s ethos of enlightenment through culinary artistry. Cittamani is not just a restaurant; it’s a confluence of diverse culinary traditions, where Indian spices meet Italian ingredients to make multi-cultural modern recipes.
Cittamani is not Chef Dalmia’s entrepreneurial debut. With over twenty years of experience around the globe, Chef Dalmia opened her first restaurant, Diva, in New Delhi in 2000. The flagship restaurant served authentic Italian cuisine in India in the early 2000s. Chef’s Indian restaurant in Italy now completes a full circle of her culinary journey, from serving Italian food in India to opening an Indian restaurant in Italy.
The interiors at Cittamani were designed by architect Paolo Cossu, an award-winning London-based architecture and design studio. Inspired by traditional Indian houses with wooden accents and rattan-infused furniture, Cittamani is akin to a home away from home. The restaurant’s interior design reflects a blend of Indian and Italian aesthetics, reflecting both the cuisine and location, featuring elements like Venetian terrazzo flooring, powder-coated walls, large mirrors, and antique pots. The extensive use of metal and wooden accents adds warmth and texture, while the numerous African pots displayed on heightened shelves add cultural elements and a traditional touch to the modern space. Ritu Dalmia herself has added personal touches to the interiors of the restaurant by choosing crafts like earthen pots.
The layout of the restaurant includes a central bar area with a marble countertop and gold-accented stools, which creates a focal point. The dining area is characterised by minimalist wooden furniture, plush seating, and soft lighting, offering a comfortable yet upscale atmosphere. Large arched windows allow natural light to flood the space, enhancing its airy and inviting ambience.
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Chef Dalmia brings the flavours of the Indian subcontinent to Milan through a menu that comprises aromatic spices, traditional Indian ingredients, and inventive culinary techniques.
At Cittamani, there is a multicultural collaboration that suits the palates of all its guests. The food is a combination of delicate as well as bold flavours prepared from locally sourced ingredients. The lunch menu at Cittamani includes the option of a Vegetarian Thali or a Non-Vegetarian Thali. The a la carte dinner menu at the restaurant ranges from Punjabi tandoors to Momos and Pao Bhaji. This fusion of cuisines gives a wide range of options for the guests to choose from.
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The team at Cittamani shares how much of a vital role Andrea Vaiani, event management and trade co-ordinator at Salone Del Mobile, played in the coming together of this collaboration between Cittamani and Salone. Vaiani’s love for a fusion of cultures and Cittamani’s vision for excellence in food culminated in this stunning collaboration.
Through her culinary journey, Ritu Dalmia aims to elevate the perception of Indian cuisine and position it as an integral part of global cuisine. Her creation, Cittamani, offers a testament to the possibilities that arise when tradition meets innovation, creating experiences that are both exquisite and unforgettable. On a design front as well, Cittamani successfully merges traditional Indian aesthetics with contemporary Italian sensibilities, providing diners with unique and immersive dining experiences that celebrate both cultures.
