Illustration by Fig & Ginger, drawn from the review. The venue's own photo is on its way.
Italian-leaning Mediterranean by Chef Basmah Marouf in Shuwaikh Industrial, Kuwait
Cantina
Pasta in an industrial lot
Cantina sits in Shuwaikh Industrial, a district of workshops and warehouses where nobody expects a ranked restaurant. MENA's 50 Best placed it at number 18 in 2026. Chef Basmah Marouf opened it in November 2023, and the pitch is approachable but refined, which sounds like every press release and for once is accurate.
Start with the whipped ricotta and crispy pasta sheets, a dish that sets the tone: simple, fun and carefully made. The pasta is the backbone. Pappardelle bolognese, and a pici cacio e pepe that shows what a cook with patience can do with cheese, pepper and water. The tagliata, a 240 gram hanger steak with a balsamic baste, handles the meat course. Finish with panna cotta and fresh strawberries.
The Italian lean is the headline, but the food has a Mediterranean and Palestinian streak that the same kitchen shows off at breakfast. That is a cook with a point of view. I would drive across town for it, which is not a thing I say about many restaurants. Book ahead, since a table in a ranked room in a small city does not stay open. The staff cook and serve with the confidence of people who know the plates are good. Let them recommend a wine-free pairing from the soft drinks list and trust the answer.
- Order this
- Whipped ricotta with crispy pasta sheets, Pappardelle bolognese, Pici cacio e pepe, Tagliata
- The damage
- $$$
- Go
- Dinner, booked ahead
- Find it
- Street 28, Shuwaikh Industrial, Kuwait City
- Website
- cantina-kw.com