Sunday Brunch by the Flame: A Slow, Soulful Afternoon at Hearth in Churchgate

There’s something about Sundays in South Mumbai that feels cinematic. The light hits differently. The pace softens. And as my sister and I walked into the Art Deco elegance of the Eros Cinema building in Churchgate, it felt like we were stepping into a slower, more deliberate afternoon.

Tucked within this heritage address is Hearth — a restaurant that doesn’t shout for attention, but gently draws you in. It isn’t built on trends or theatrics. It’s built on memory, fire, and instinct.

A Fire-Led Restaurant in Mumbai That Feels Personal
Co-founded by Chefs Dhriti and Sabby, Hearth is anchored in flame — not as spectacle, but as language. Fire caramelizes, chars, deepens, and sometimes even leaves things imperfect. And that imperfection is intentional. It gives the food character.

At Hearth, cooking doesn’t begin with a rigid concept. It begins with a feeling. Sometimes it leans towards Bombay. Sometimes it draws from a memory. Sometimes it’s simply what the chefs were craving that week. But every dish that leaves the pass is shaped by technique and restraint.

Their culinary journeys read like a map of some of the world’s most respected kitchens — from Burnt Ends in Singapore to Masque and Ekaa in Mumbai, and even Relae in Copenhagen. Yet the menu here doesn’t imitate. It reflects. Rooted in Indian sensibilities, shaped by global exposure, and unified by fire.

For a Sunday brunch in Mumbai, it feels refreshingly grounded — no over-styled plates, no unnecessary drama. Just significant moments of flavour and a lot of quiet joy.

A Chef-Interactive Brunch Experience
What makes Hearth stand apart in Mumbai’s restaurant scene is its chef-interactive experience. The kitchen doesn’t feel like a closed-off world. The chefs move from flame to table, presenting dishes themselves, sometimes adjusting, sometimes explaining, always engaging.

During our brunch, this openness made the experience feel intimate. It wasn’t scripted. It wasn’t performative. It felt like being invited into someone’s home kitchen — and that kitchen happened to be run by chefs who’ve worked across global fine-dining spaces.

The hospitality here is instinctive. No rehearsed lines. No forced upselling. Just thoughtful attention that reads the table.

And for a sister-date Sunday, that matters. We weren’t rushed. We weren’t hovered over. We were simply welcomed.

The Team Behind It
Behind the scenes, the restaurant is co-founded alongside Gayatri and Ankit Chona, and Amishi Parekh and Chaitanya Rele — a team blending food entrepreneurship, nutrition, design, and business with a shared focus on craft and culture. The result is a restaurant that feels considered without feeling calculated.

The Space: Where Art Deco Meets Open Flame
Designed by Architect Faizan Khatri, the interiors echo the restaurant’s core philosophy. Wood — in multiple typologies — appears not just in the kitchen but in installations and lighting. The warmth is tangible.

The Art Deco heritage of the Eros building is preserved with minimal intervention. Soft lighting at the bar, intuitive furniture placement, and a visible relationship to the open flame create a space that feels connected — to the food, to the past, and to the present moment.

It’s warm without being rustic. Elegant without being intimidating. Perfect for a long Sunday brunch conversation that drifts from childhood memories to future plans.

What We Ordered

Stracciatella Salad
We began with the Stracciatella Salad, a dish that immediately set the tone for the meal — restrained, ingredient-forward, and quietly confident. The stracciatella was creamy and fresh, its delicate texture offset by seasonal produce. It was the kind of salad that doesn’t feel like a “starter” — it feels intentional. Clean, balanced, and the perfect opening to a leisurely Sunday brunch in South Mumbai.

Pork Sausage & Pepperoni Skewers (House-Made Meats)
One of the standout elements at Hearth is that all the meats are made in-house, and it shows. The Pork Sausage & Pepperoni Skewers arrived with a beautiful char — caramelized edges, smoky aroma, and that satisfying snap that only properly cured and crafted meat can deliver.
There was depth here. Spice, smoke, salt, and a gentle sweetness that came from the flame. Nothing tasted mass-produced or rushed. The in-house pepperoni had personality — a reminder that when chefs control their ingredients from scratch, the results feel layered and precise.
For meat lovers looking for one of the best pork dishes in Mumbai, this is a must-order.

Half-and-Half Pizza: Hot Chorizo & Pepperoni and Pesto Puttanesca
Because Sunday brunch with a sister demands compromise, we went half-and-half — Hot Chorizo & Pepperoni Pizza and Pesto Puttanesca Pizza on one base.
The pepperoni side carried that same house-made integrity as the skewers. The slices blistered slightly at the edges, releasing oils that mingled with the tomato base and melted cheese. Each bite was smoky, savoury, and deeply satisfying — a classic done with craft. The pesto side offered contrast — herbaceous, nutty, and vibrant. The basil-forward freshness cut through the richness of the cheese, while the crust — kissed by flame — remained light yet structured.
What stood out most was the dough. Cooked with precision, it had just enough char underneath to remind you that this is a fire-led kitchen in Mumbai, not a conveyor-belt pizzeria. Together, the two halves mirrored the spirit of the restaurant — comfort rooted in technique.

Guava Picante
To drink, we chose the Guava Picante, a cocktail that felt especially right for a warm Mumbai afternoon. Bright guava sweetness met citrus sharpness and a gentle chilli kick. It was refreshing without being overly sweet, layered without being complicated. The spice lingered just enough to keep you going back for another sip — a playful nod to Bombay’s love for sweet-heat flavour combinations.
If you’re looking for unique cocktails in Churchgate, this one deserves attention.

Mocha Bread Pudding – The Smoky Dessert
We ended brunch with the Mocha Bread Pudding, described as a smoky dessert — and it delivered on that promise beautifully. It felt nostalgic and contemporary at once. The kind of dessert you don’t rush through. The kind you share bites of, even if you initially pretend you won’t.

Final Thoughts
Hearth is for those who live to eat — not to document, not to tick boxes, but to truly experience.

It’s where hospitality feels instinctual, where chefs cook with their hands and serve with intention. Where fire is not just a technique, but a philosophy. And where a simple Sunday brunch with your sister turns into a slow, unhurried celebration of memory, flavour, and togetherness.

In a city constantly chasing the next big thing, Hearth offers something quieter — and perhaps far more lasting.