Restaurants in Mumbai (Bombay)
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A
Cream Centre
An excellent ice-cream parlour in a bright, slick interior. Oh, and real food, too: a pure-veg hodgepodge of Indian, Mexican and Middle Eastern.
reviewed
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B
Basilico
A très sleek, Euro-style bistro, Basilico whips up creative fresh pastas, salads and couscous that will make you melt. Vegies will flat out die – from either the wholesome green salad (mixed lettuce, corn, asparagus and sprouts with feta, lime and olive-oil dressing; Rs225) or the homemade mushroom and goat-cheese canelloni (Rs340). The coup de grâce? It’s also a bakery. The Bandra branch ([tel] 67039999, open noon to midnight) is on St John Rd, next to HDFC, Pali Naka.
reviewed
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C
Swati Snacks
This bustling old-timer has been revamped as a modern cafeteria for discerning grown-ups (all stainless steel and smooth wood). Try the delicious bhelpuri, panki chatni (savoury pancake steamed in a banana leaf) and homemade ice cream in delectable flavour combinations like rose-coconut-pineapple. Don't leave Mumbai without snacking here.
reviewed
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Theobroma
Theobroma calls its creations ‘food of the gods’ – and they are. Dozens of perfectly executed cakes, tarts and chocolates, as well as sandwiches and breads, go well with the coffee here. The solo hazelnut mousse cake (Rs80) or the genius pistachio-and-green-cardamom truffle (Rs25) will take you to the next plane.
reviewed
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E
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Bade Miya
As Mumbai as traffic jams, this street-stall-on-steroids buzzes nightly with punters from all walks of Mumbai life lining up for spicy, fresh grilled treats. Grab a chicken tikka roll to go, or sample the boti kebab (lamb kebab) or paneer masala (unfermented-cheese and tomato curry) on the footpath.
reviewed
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G
New Kulfi Centre
Serves the best kulfi (firm-textured ice cream flavoured, often with pistachio) you’ll have anywhere, which means it’s the best-tasting thing in the entire world. When you order, the kulfi is placed on a betel-nut leaf and then weighed on an ancient scale – which makes it even better.
reviewed
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H
Indigo Delicatessen
Indigo’s less expensive sister is just as elegant as the original, with good jazz on, warm but sleek decor and massive wooden tables. It has breakfast any time (Rs145 to Rs265), casual meals and desserts, teas, wines (Rs360 to Rs710 per glass) and a selection of breads and imported cheeses.
reviewed
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Peshwari
Make this Indian northwest frontier restaurant, conveniently located just outside the international airport, your first or last stop in Mumbai. You will not regret forking out for the sublime leg of spring lamb and amazing dhal Bukhara (a thick black dhal cooked for over a day.)
reviewed
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Tea Centre
A great place to try out some of India's premium teas, as well as sample some excellent light meals and snacks, this is a serene, colonial-meets-contemporary place with severe AC.
reviewed
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New Laxmi Vilas
A budget eatery that serves great southern specialities in comfortable, modern, AC surrounds. Dosas are the speciality. The thalis (Rs43) are also high calibre.
reviewed
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Pizzeria
Serves up pizzas and pasta dishes along with Indian wines, but the ocean views are the real draw.
reviewed
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Kailash Parbat
Nothing fancy, but a Mumbai legend nonetheless thanks to its inexpensive Sindhi-influenced vegetarian snacks, mouth-watering sweets and extra-spicy masala chai. Kailash Parbat Hindu Hotel across the street is its also good, more playful, cousin.
reviewed
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Culture Curry
As the Culture Curry folks rightly point out, there’s a lot more to southern food than idli and dosas. Exquisite dishes from all over the South, ranging from Andhra and Coorg to Kerala, are the specialty here. Vegies are particularly well served: the Kooru Curry (kidney and green beans in coconut gravy; Rs179) is extraordinary. The same owners run Diva Maharashtracha, down the street, and Goa Portuguesa, next door, specialising in fiery Goan dishes. Guitar-strumming musicians and singers wander between the two connected spaces.
reviewed
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Indigo
Colaba’s finest eating option, Indigo has inventive European cuisine, a long wine list, sleek ambience and an absolutely gorgeous roof deck lit with fairy lights. Daily specials come with wine recommendations. Favourites include the soft basil-crusted Norwegian salmon, with asparagus, beetroot couscous and lemon and orange-caper butter (Rs985); or lemon ricotta tortellini with fennel spinach sauce, porcini mushrooms and walnuts (Rs585). Bookings are essential.
reviewed
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Hotel Ram Ashray
We wouldn’t send you to Matunga – on the Central line, no less – if this weren’t something special. Tucked away in a Tamil enclave near King’s Circle (a stone’s throw from the station’s east exit), Ram Ashray is popular with southern families for its spectacular dosas, idli (round steamed rice cakes) and upma (semolina cooked with onions, spices and coconut). You won’t taste a better coconut chutney anywhere (sorry, Chennai).
reviewed
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Del Italia
The Italian villa decor here – the semi-alfresco terrace with hanging plants, the faux terracotta walls, the wooden pantry on the 1st floor – is a little theme-y but lovely even so, especially at night. Some of the Italian food here (ahem, pizza) is so-so, but most is sublime, for example, the artichoke and bocconcini salad with sundried tomato. Bottles of Italian wine start at Rs1500.
reviewed
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Ideal Corner
This classic Parsi cafe has the style to match its odd little spot in the crook of a funky, rounded building, with a royal-blue and mango colour scheme and wooden stairs leading to a loft space. But the most artful thing here is the fresh, homemade dishes on the daily-changing menu. Even a simple khichdi masoor pappad (lightly spiced rice and lentils; Thursday) is memorable.
reviewed
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Peshawri
Make this Indian north-west frontier restaurant, just outside the international airport, your first or last stop in Mumbai. You won’t regret forking out for the leg of spring lamb and amazing dhal Bukhara (a thick black dhal cooked for a day!). The ITC is also home to Dakshin (open 7.30pm to 11.45pm) – better for vegetarians – serving some of Mumbai’s finest southern food.
reviewed
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Sheesha
With maybe the most beautiful ambience in town, Sheesha’s alfresco rooftop lair has glass lanterns hanging from wooden beams, comfy couches and coloured-glass lamps high above the city and shopping madness below. You almost forget about the food – good Indian fare (Goan fish curry; Rs245) nestling alongside 386 varieties of kebab (Rs130 to Rs220). Reserve on weekends.
reviewed
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Bagdadi
Bagdadi is full of everyday guys who come for the traditional Mughlai food and no-nonsense service. There’s lots and lots of fish, prawns and meat (including beef brain fry; Rs40) on the menu, cooked up in biryanis and daily-changing specials. The best-deal rotis in town are enormous and cost Rs7. But alas, ‘food will not be served to drunken person’.
reviewed
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National Hindu Hotel
Keralan run, this concealed, no-frills and grittily authentic working-man's eatery serves nothing but finger-licking (there are no utensils), all-you-can-eat thalis. Expect a fast-moving line out the door and rows of benches inside. Just find a spare seat, say hello to your neighbour, and wait for wandering staff to fill your banana leaf to the brim.
reviewed
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Samrat
A busy traditional Indian pure-veg restaurant, Samrat is part of a family restaurant at the same location. Relish (mains Rs150 to Rs250, open noon to midnight) is the funkier cousin, with dishes ranging from Lebanese platters to Mexican, while 210°C is an outdoor cafe and bakery (coffees and pastries Rs20 to Rs80; open noon to 11pm).
reviewed
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Khyber
Khyber serves up Punjabi and other North Indian dishes in moody, burnt-orange, Afghan- inspired interiors to a who’s who of Mumbai’s elite. The food is some of the city’s best, with the meat-centric menu wandering from kebabs and biryanis to its pièce de résistance, raan (a whole leg of slow-cooked lamb).
reviewed
