Tried & Tasted: Delhi's Newest Bar, Latango, Blends Art with European Flavours

Even as Delhi’s summer heat finds respite in rains, albeit rare and scattered, Nehru Place’s Epicuria is miraculously dry as a bone. Locals of the region claim this neighbourhood rarely gets blessed by the Rain Gods, despite the city crying out of waterlogging. At Latango, though, these weather woes are not a concern. Instead, the tropical palm tree-fringed restaurant has recreated a stone-cut, rustic grotto, reminiscent of the Amalfi Coast’s signature landscape. A cool breeze sweeps through the space, and Latin tunes serenade the scene. With art-inspired drinks and Europe’s elegant nonchalance, this all-day European bar—self-proclaimed as the first of its kind in India—is conceived by Sahil Sambhi, the name behind India's famed restaurants Japonico, Bawri, Berlin, and Vietnom.

The Space

Located on the fringes of the erstwhile ‘it’ hotspot Epicuria, Sambhi hopes Latango will help elevate the area to its former glory. I, for one, don’t think that will be much of a challenge once it opens to the public on July 9, 2025. After all, few restaurants in Delhi can promise outdoor seating devoid of humidity.

“I have no doubt that Indian flavours can compete on a global scale. But the culinary scene in places like Dubai is made better by the ambience. I wish to bring that [ambience] to India,” says Sambhi in an exclusive chat with Robb Report India.

Designed by Vivek Guha of Orphic Designs, Latango’s décor is one of contrasts. While the outdoor seating has cascading waterfalls and guaranteed cool breeze (courtesy of evaporative coolers, I’m told), the indoor seating is sheltered by raw concrete and corten steel ceilings. On one end, a stacked-glass bar rises, with emerald green ‘waves’ inspired by the Emerald Grotto, or Grotta dello Smeraldo, in Conca dei Marini on the Amalfi Coast in Italy, completing the look. A private mezzanine, too, allows for panoramic views of the restaurant below. Interestingly, the layout is such that it blurs the lines between inside and out.

But what truly steals the show is the effortlessly European vibe. The rusticity could well be placed alongside London’s signature neighbourhood pubs, while the music will take you through the streets of Spain or Portugal, cleverly drowning out the chaos of the next-door Nehru Place metro station.

The Food

It is commonly believed that one eats with their eyes first. At Latango, this phrase is translated into every dish. The menu celebrates European flavours and fuses them with the Japanese artistry. Each dish is a literal work of art—visually, and in taste!

Led by Italian chefs Roberto Blondi and Giuseppe Stanchi, the culinary programme draws from decades of lived experience. Blondi, shaped by kitchens of Eleven Madison Park in New York and Maropía, brings a quiet precision to the classics; Stanchi, trained at Naples’ legendary Starita a Materdei, brings authenticity rooted in tradition and craft. The result, thus, is a 16-page menu spanning tapas (hot and cold), dim sum, shokupan, pizza, pasta, breads, and more.

The fresh Spinach Salad is simple yet packed with flavours of mustard and Parmesan. The Beetroot Tartare is a melange of textures. Think soft beetroot cubes and goat cheese, crunchy peanuts and chives, and a creamy dressing. The Octopus Salad, I learn, mirrors this with slightly char-grilled edges, fried capers, garlic chips, and a hearty green sauce. The Tenderloin Carpaccio, sliced fine, also celebrates similar freshness.

The Stracciatella Cheese is velvety, while the Kappa Roll Takosu is refreshing. The re-imagined, infamous avo-toast is given a new lease of life with the Crispy Rice and Smashed Avocado, full of flavour and freshness in equal parts.

The umami of the King Trumpet Mushrooms deserves a special mention, especially for those who gravitate towards earthy palates, much like I do. As for my companion for the evening, the Grilled Pork Belly is “hands-down, the best ever.” Had I not been bursting at the seams, I would have happily polished the Grilled Broccoli, which comes with a creamy dressing.

One cannot ignore the quality of bread baked in-house, an unmistakably Italian accompaniment. The uber soft, almost melt-in-mouth Milk Bun Bread is paired with an herb garlic butter for vegetarians (so herbaceous that I devoured it unaccompanied, too!), and salmon roe butter for non-vegetarians. The pizzas, another Italian signature, continue this expertise in bread. They are golden brown on the outside, firm but not hard, and light.

Truth be told, I’m fussy about my Tiramisu. The delicate balance of coffee and mascarpone is difficult to master. The one at Latango, however, was indulgent. Served in an iced bowl and encased in a metal tin, this version of the Italian classic dessert is airy and espresso-loaded. But the surprise is in the pearls resting on top.

Visually resembling caviar, these ‘pearls,’ the staff tells me, are made using coffee. “We enjoy having science experiments in the kitchen!” they reveal candidly. It is delightful how an otherwise creamy dessert plays with textures so skillfully, and brings in a chewy mouth feel to the experience, one that is, surprisingly, not distracting. Compliments to the chef!

The Drinks

If Latango’s food is art, the drinks are a whole gallery! Conceived in collaboration with Vikram Achanta and brought to life by Italian mixologists Giovanni and Terry, Latango’s cocktail programme, dubbed Liquid Letters from Europe, is presented as letters exchanged between artists from the West to those of the East. “We wanted to bring a little bit of the two worlds together,” says Sambhi.

Think Kafka writing to Rumi, or Frida Kahlo drunk-dialing Confucius under Shanghai’s neon sky! The Cubist Negroni (tequila with bitter orange) is an homage to the unapologetically geometrical form of art by Picasso, wherein the Campari is served as a lollipop, resting atop a cube of ice. The Dali Bloom brings the Spanish surrealist artist’s technical skills and whimsical colours to life through butterfly blue tea, elderflower, and tequila. The Edvard Munch-inspired Expressionist Elixir is splashed with colours and infused with whisky, citrus, and nuts. The Nudist Picante strips it all back in a colourless concoction of tequila, crisp apple, and kaffir lime. A lesson in restraint!

RR Verdict

The cocktail curation at Latango is reason enough to visit the space, with drinks that one can savour without feeling heady. Storytelling underlines every dish, making it a culinary experience that I would love to return to on more occasions than one. The hospitality of the restaurant is just as noteworthy, with the staff welcoming you to their ‘home’ right at the entrance. While the neighbourhood may not instantly click as one for a fine dining experience, Latango’s charm more than makes up for it.