A new restaurant inspired by the historic cafés of Kolkata is set to open in Jesmond later this month, bringing a distinctive take on Bengali cuisine to the North East. 

Tantara, described as a Bengal bistro, will open its doors on Osborne Road on Monday the 23rd of March, introducing what its founders say is the region’s first dining concept dedicated to the food culture of Bengal.

The restaurant takes its inspiration from the cabin cafés of old Kolkata, neighbourhood institutions that once defined the city’s everyday dining scene. Informal yet deeply rooted in tradition, these cafés blended Bengali cooking with European and colonial influences to create a style of dining unique to the city.

The Osborne Road venue has undergone a full refurbishment to reflect that heritage, with the aim of creating a warm and intimate bistro atmosphere reminiscent of the historic cafés while offering a contemporary dining experience.

Tantara’s menu draws from across Bengal, the historic region that today spans both India and Bangladesh. Dishes range from delicately spiced fish and slow-cooked meats to house specialities such as Bungalow Lamb Curry, reflecting the layered flavours of Bengal’s urban culinary tradition.

Some European dishes that became embedded in Kolkata’s café and club culture also feature on the menu. Chicken à la Kiev, for example, reflects the city’s colonial-era dining influences that were gradually adapted into local food culture.

Leading the kitchen is Tantara’s executive chef from Kolkata, whose experience of the city’s culinary heritage underpins the restaurant’s concept.

The restaurant has been created by the Shah brothers from South Shields, who say the project is also a tribute to their late father, whose work in hospitality shaped their understanding of service and community.

Speaking on behalf of the family, Shah Lalon (pictured above) said the idea behind Tantara was to introduce diners to a lesser-known aspect of Indian cuisine.

He said: “For years people in Britain have enjoyed Indian food as part of everyday life, but the story of Bengal, and particularly the cabin cafés of old Kolkata, hasn’t really been told in this way.

Those cafés were a huge part of the city’s dining culture. They blended Bengali cooking with outside influences and created something distinctive. With Tantara, we wanted to bring that story to life and create an experience that reflects that heritage.”