Auckland favourite Cassia has a stylish new home in the heart of the city.
Celebrated restaurateurs Sid and Chand Sahrawat have just opened the doors to a sleek new two-level space, marking an exciting new chapter for the modern Indian restaurant.
The restaurant first opened on Fort Lane in 2014, but was forced from its premises following the Anniversary Weekend floods in 2022. A stint at SkyCity followed, then a recent 10-week residency at Grey Lynn’s Ozone eatery, as the Sahrawats looked to Cassia’s future.
Now, that future looks bright. Designed by Gerrick Numan of Millé, the new two-level, 120-seat restaurant is lighter and brighter, with floor-to-ceiling windows and warm lighting. The elegant space steps up the polish of the popular restaurant, while keeping its beloved dishes pleasingly familiar.
“For us, it’s a new beginning, finally coming home again, but with a fresh start,” says Chand Sahrawat of the restaurant the team have been referring to as ‘Cassia 3.0’. “We’re taking Cassia back to what it was at the very beginning – owner-operated, hands-on, in the heart of Auckland and close to our guests.”
The new menu includes a Tandoori chicken xacuti, inspired by the flavours of Goa and served with Cassia (cinnamon) and black vinegar. The Goan-inspired aromatic curry pairs smoky tandoori chicken with fragrant xacuti, featuring a blend of cassia, black pepper, star anise, and dried red chillies to create a balance of smoky, spicy, and warming flavours, along with a hint of tanginess from black vinegar.
Fans of Cassia’s iconic pani puri, Mughlai lamb chops, crisp eggplant sev puri and Massimo’s burrata with pickled chilli salan, will be relieved to know they all return in the restaurant’s new era.
“It was important to us that Cassia 3.0 still had the dishes people know and love,” says Sid Sahrawat of the Indian cuisine favourites. “The pani puri and lamb chops have been with us for so long and are such a big part of Cassia – people would probably never forgive us if we took them off the menu! “The move also allows us to evolve and introduce something new, ” says Chand.
“The tandoori chicken xacuti draws on the flavours of Goa, where I spent my summers as a child. On our first holiday to India as a couple, I took Sid to Goa, and he fell in love with the unique Portuguese influence on Goan cuisine. The coastal ingredients, spice, and tang from black vinegar stayed with Sid, but we’ve given it our own Cassia interpretation.
“That balance between familiarity and discovery is what I want this next chapter to be about,” says Chand.
The restaurant now features three private dining rooms, perfect for hosting a larger celebration or group.
Returning alongside Sid and Chand is Matthew Aitchison, Cassia’s original restaurant manager and now General Manager of both Cassia and The French Café. Recently awarded the MICHELIN Guide Sommelier Award, Matthew is leading the front-of-house team and has overseen the creation of a new wine list to complement the menu.
Cassia is open seven days a week, with longer hours to include lunch on Thursdays and Fridays.
The new Cassia is at 58 Albert Street, Auckland.
