Malaika Arora's Scarlett House is Where Clean Eating Gets the Celebrity Treatment

Tucked away in the winding lanes of Bandra’s Pali Village, Mumbai, — where old bungalows, art galleries and indie boutiques thrive at every turn — Scarlett House feels like a well-kept secret. Co-owned by Malaika Arora, her son Arhaan Khan, Malaya Nagpal and restaurateur Dhaval Udeshi, it’s become the season’s quietest celebrity hotspot.

Housed in a red-brick bungalow, the restaurant sits just above a ground-floor home, where a senior couple often sips tea on their balcony. “They used to hate me,” admits Udeshi. “They’re in their 80s, their kids live abroad and as I got to know them, I learned so much about the village. We never disturb them, and now they love the food and tell everyone in the neighbourhood to stop by.” Once wary of the bustle, the couple is now among their biggest patrons.

Despite being owned by a celebrity and frequented by many, Scarlett House isn’t celebrity-forward. Its first reel featured Khan, Udeshi and Nagpal — with Arora making a brief appearance only at the end. It does have a large portion of glitz, however, with celebrity neighbours such as Kareena Kapoor Khan and Karisma Kapoor, and with guests like Aditi Rao Hydari and Sidharth dropping by. “For me, this wasn’t a vanity project,” reveals Arora, adding it was about heart, heritage and hospitality. “I wanted the food, the warmth, and the thoughtfulness to speak louder than the brand behind it.”

The star power isn’t lost on anyone though: Udeshi recalls a woman flying in from Australia just to eat at “Malaika’s restaurant”.

Celebrity, With a Side of Subtlety

Having worked with celebrity and non-celebrity partners, Udeshi notes that from the infused waters to the best-selling Paneer Thecha (of which they sell 3,000 portions a month), and the homely-chic interiors (in collaboration with architect Nyishi Parekh), Arora’s stamp is everywhere. “I imagined a space that felt lived-in but also had a quiet kind of elegance — like walking into a beautiful home that tells its own story,” adds Arora.

Udeshi also appreciates having Gen Z partners like Khan and Nagpal, calling their generation fearless. “Their network brings in all age groups. Arhaan contributed great ideas for the breakfast run club, while Malaya has focused heavily on retail and branding. Gen Z’s interest in healthy products also helps them understand the concept better,” he says.

It is Arora’s first venture with her son. She says her instinct has always been to nurture and protect Arhaan. “But stepping into this venture shifted the dynamic — we became co-creators. Watching him evolve into a thoughtful entrepreneur has been the most rewarding part of this journey,” she says.

Udeshi spends 15-16 hours a day at the restaurant, addressing feedback in real-time to avoid any issues snowballing. His own network, strengthened by his involvement in celebrity-favourite picks like Gigi, also helps draw in the high-profile crowd.

While the paparazzi occasionally make an appearance — often drawn by Arora’s presence — Udeshi keeps it low-key. “It helps, but it’s not part of the social media strategy,” he explains. His success mantra? “Don’t chase anyone. Create something that makes them come to you.”

In the Village

Despite visibility being crucial for restaurant locations, they chose the upper floors of a nondescript bungalow with no clear parking or glowing signage. Scarlett House also forgoes a phone number and third-party apps like Zomato, taking reservations exclusively through Instagram. Yet, it’s almost always fully booked. With over 10 years of experience, Udeshi has his finger on the pulse. Because while running a wine-and-cheese bar, a coffee shop and a speakeasy in a 90-year-old Portuguese bungalow sounds like quite the cottage-core dream, it comes with a side of responsibility. “We shut by midnight, and there’s no loud music. We live in harmony with the village, and make sure it benefits them,” he says.

Their cheese program, in fact, is in collaboration with local women entrepreneurs, and they’ve also hired people from the village, offering them some basic training in hospitality.

“The whole point is to generate business for them,” he says, noting that Arora has personally met every vendor. “We got them the licenses and the documentation, bought [the products] from them, jointly labelled it under Scarlett, and are now taking it to supermarkets and generating income

for the women.”

Despite having a celebrity partner, Udeshi ensures the restaurant is priced with the local community in mind. “It’s not expensive so everyone can enjoy it,” he says. “This is an experience you won’t find anywhere else in Mumbai.”

Every new restaurant today, whether it’s a dosa spot, a speakeasy or pasta hub, focuses on experiential dining. Udeshi tells THR India that he could have easily seated 25 in the wine-and-cheese room, which currently seats six, and 40 in the coffee shop, which has just a few tables and a retail space instead. “It’s all about generating experience with revenue,” he explains.

Scarlett House offers a unique experience from the moment you walk in. Passing a chalkboard with daily specials, it feels like a home from the ’90s. The wine-and-cheese room is intimate, adorned with wooden crockery cabinets and a cooler stocked with hydration waters and healthy snack bars. The infused waters target specific needs like bloating and anti-ageing, while the protein bars offer healthy alternatives — some for mid-day energy boosts, others as dessert substitutes. The anti-ageing concoction contains collagen, chlorophyll, clove, cucumber, Italian lime and ginger. A board even suggests the best times to enjoy each.

Making their way up to the speakeasy bar, guests can go behind the bar, put on an apron and make their own cocktails. But the secret lies in not overtly publicising these things, allowing guests to discover it for themselves.

Driven by Nostalgia

Of course, any restaurant earns its stripes with the food. Centered on clean eating — true to Arora’s health-forward image — everything at Scarlett House is cooked in olive oil. The menu is rooted in nostalgia, bringing back comfort classics like Goan Ros Omelette (a chicken-stuffed omelette with onion gravy, coriander and lemon, teamed with pav, the eternal Bombay staple) and Chicken Franko (spiced shredded chicken with coriander and picked onion, and served with cilantro ranch).

Executive Chef Beena Noronha knows it’s a high-stakes table but focuses on the storytelling. While aesthetics matter in a city obsessed with Instagrammable plates, Noronha insists flavour comes first. Whether gluten-free, vegan, keto or clean, she adds, “We do it without compromising on taste”— a key reason the celebrity crowd returns.

Arora wanted the menu to reflect her personal food memories while staying true to mindful eating. Her one non-negotiable? Every dish needed a story and a soul. Speaking of, their ‘Malla’s Special’ is a heartfelt curation — ranging from homestyle Masala Khichadi to the rich, comforting Caramelised Onion Pasta. The team admits to The Rowdy Rooster Sandwich being an instant hit, while the Scarlett Churro puts a savoury spin on tradition.

Every dietary preference is accounted for, with ingredient replacements available across the menu. “All our sauces and pickles are made in-house. Even for coffee, we serve fresh stevia leaves,” reveals Udeshi.

“We’re also introducing wellness powders soon — ginger for inflammation, collagen for skin — so guests can enhance their drinks as they like.”

The speakeasy-style bar follows the same philosophy of comfort and nostalgia. Curated by local mixologist Fay Barretto, the cocktail menu reimagines forgotten classics — think a spiced take on the Picante or a good old gin basil smash.

Admittedly a personal reflection of Arora today, Scarlett House marks a new chapter that’s less about being in the spotlight and more about creating spaces where people feel truly seen, fed and celebrated. With new locations opening in Juhu and South Mumbai this year, and their retail products hitting supermarket shelves soon, this homegrown brand is just getting started.

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