An Ambitious Indian Fine Dining Restaurant From the Bay Area Opens in Santa Monica

A Bay Area restaurant group responsible for some of Northern California’s most notable Indian cuisine ventured into Southern California for the first time on Monday, December 9, 2024. Fitoor , which translates to “passion” in Hindi, debuted one block away from the Viceroy Santa Monica in a modern space preparing traditional wood-fired Indian cuisine. As the second California location, Fitoor lead chef Surya Kumar and executive chef Vaibhav Sawant take coastal cues with the menu, including pan-seared Hokkaido scallops with a peanut butter salad; Maryland soft shell crab over bok choy, green beans poriyal, and tomato chutney; and asado branzino full of Indian herbs and mustard paste.

Large plates offer crowd-pleasers like masalas, seasonal curries, dal butter makhani, lamb shank rogan josh, and jackfruit with chestnut korma. They also introduced pizzas and kulchas, a soft, round flatbread found mostly in Northern India topped with truffle mushrooms or chicken tikka and jalapeños. When asked if these offerings are similar to Pijja Palace , AVB hospitality co-founder Vikram Bhambri responded with the following: “We are Indian, and that’s where the similarity ends.



I think we need more, not less, of all kinds of restaurants. More power to Pijja, but there’s room for everyone to survive and to elevate Indian food in America.” Elephante and Funke veteran Joseph Mar put together Fitoor’s inventive cocktail menu along with Vikram’s wife and co-founder, Anu Bhambri.

Opt for the Sakura with brandy, guava, Maraschino cherries, bitters, and egg whites, or the Batanga with tequila, coffee, cola, and salt. Design firm Manu Studios put together the former Herringbone space, and it features an opulent 11-seat bar, gold hues, and walnut fixtures and flooring. The emerald green private dining room boasts stunning custom hanging lights.

They’re also planning live music during weekends and fire dancers every Friday and Saturday in the lounge. Fitoor’s parent company is AVB Hospitality, founded by Anu and Vikram Bhambri. The wife and husband team started their careers at Microsoft and are behind Northern California’s Michelin-recognized Rooh , with locations in San Francisco, Palo Alto, Ohio, and New Dehli.

They also own and operate Pippal in Emeryville and Alora on Pier 3 in SF. Fitoor’s entry into Southern California’s Indian and South Asian cuisine feels similar to Downtown’s Baar Baar , which opened in 2023. Fitoor is open Monday through Thursday and Sunday from 5 p.

m. to 10 p.m.

and until 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Book reservations through OpenTable . Chicken seek masala. Related Sign up for our newsletter.

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