Where to eat… this July

There’s always a brand-new bar, a hot new chef, a splashy new dining spot, a pop-up to reserve, a sauce to taste, or, even at your usual place, an exciting new menu to try. Check Please, our monthly rundown of food news, is just the kind of edit for those who may not eat out every night but love to be in the know.

From traditional Odia dishes in the heart of Mumbai to 10 courses of seafood in Koregaon Park via Panjim, there’s a veritable buffet of options to nosh on in what’s supposed to be slow season. An Asian chain with over 200 outlets worldwide—a favourite of travelling desis—finally comes to an iconic cinema house in Mumbai. Hyderabad gets yet another enormous spot offering hearty, full-flavoured south Indian dishes with a touch of flair. For one day only, Goa gets to try egg custard on sourdough pizza. Gurugram gets a mezedes menu from a country made up of over 6,000 islands. In Pune, a bungalow becomes a pizzeria that we want to spend all day in with a good book. And at Bengaluru’s new-ish naan spot, a limited menu of monsoon mulled wine and pear-ginger punch alongside kheema pao. If this is July, what’s December gonna look like? 

OPENINGS

Cafe Lento, Goa

In what looks like a long-abandoned space in Saligao, with cracked tiles and wild creepers, Dishant Pritamani of The Second House has built a space for coffee, congee, and quiet conversations. This is Cafe Lento’s origin story: Two years ago, when Luna Hospitality’s The Second House opened, the team began nurturing a local Goan creeper that would form the backbone of its neighbouring café, Lento, providing a frame but otherwise letting it grow wild. Over two monsoons it took shape as the cafe we see today, helped along a little by Ayaz Basrai of The Busride Design Studio. The idea, according to Pritamani, was to let nature take the lead. On to the food: chef Jyoti Singh’s Sunrise Congee is a vegetarian take on Indonesian bubur ayam, made with slow-cooked idli rice, mushrooms, pickled cucumber, and coconut sauce (but he’ll add your favourite protein if you ask nicely). The McPav is an ode to his first McChicken, its juicy house-made chicken patties tucked into pillowy Goan pav. His Chicken Soup for the Soul blends Naga flavours and family memories into a slow-simmered bowl topped with avocado. The coffee comes from Salawara Estate, a 360-acre plantation run by coffee growers and planters since 1880. And as we learn, a Pune outpost of Cafe Lento is imminent. 

Una Hacienda, Bengaluru

A striking long bar in earth tones, a sky light, and anticuchos, ceviches, and tiraditos—with Una Hacienda, Bengaluru is catching on to the Nikkei craze and making it its own. A skim of the menu has dishes that go beyond strange sushi and fruity ceviche. We have on our list the king oyster braseado (grilled oyster mushroom, sesame crema, cauliflower puree, tororo kombu) and the Repollo Nikkei (charred cabbage, aji amarillo, burnt garlic puree, ito togarashi), alongside a cool and tingly El Pastor 2.0 (house agave, lime, cordial verde, habanero tincture, Tajin, fresh jalapeno). It’s from the same folks behind the award-winning Bar Spirit Forward; by now you know that any Arijit Bose cocktail list is worth spending time on.

Baan Phadthai, Bengaluru

The six-time Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded restaurant from Bangkok is now in Bengaluru. Baan Phadthai is a 30-seater Thai restaurant specialising in pad thai, of course. Here it’s made with a secret sauce containing 18 ingredients. But that’s not all. There is also a tight menu of other Thai night-market favourites, like crab omelette with a kaffir lime tom yum reduction, kai tawt (brined and fried chicken wings with tamarind naam jim), and sai krok (fermented pork sausages with garlic and fresh chilli), as well as substantial plates such as moo hong (Phuket-style braised pork belly in aromatic spices) and phad krapao with holy basil. Plus, there are plenty of veg options, including a vegan fish sauce. 

Organic Bistro, Delhi

No diets, no dietary restrictions; just clean, delicious food using ethically sourced ingredients. That’s what Organic Bistro does in Delhi’s buzzy Khan Market. What does this even mean? In OB’s case, it’s a preservative-free, additive-free kitchen serving intriguing dishes like jackfruit haleem, ricotta shami, purple potato dahi vada, grassfed mutton sukka, chooza khaas makhani, Awadhi chicken biryani, and hand-stretched organic pizzas topped with four cheese or spiced chorizo.

Fireback, Mumbai

Earlier this month, Fireback brought its regional rustic Thai-food-with-a-riff from Goa to Mumbai. Head over for chef David Thompson’s loaded green curry, a trippy entrance to a warm and comfy dining room, a kitchen with a show window that lets you get up close to the action at the grill, and tropical cocktails that are gorgeously crafted even when they come in coconut shells. Fireback Mumbai is above Comorin at Nilaya Anthology, and feels fancier than its Siolim sibling, but don’t let that daunt you. A meal for two is still about ₹3,000. 

Latango, Delhi

Step inside Latango and you are transported to the Amalfi Coast. Inspired by Italy’s Emerald Grotto, the 165-cover space, designed by Vivek Guha of Orphic Designs, shimmers in aquatic blues. The interiors echo the sea cave that sparked the imagination of Sahil Sambhi, the man behind VietNom, Bawri, and Japonico, when he undertook a month-long trip through Europe. For his new eatery, he brings with him Italian chefs Roberto Blondi and Joe Stanchi, who bring decades of lived experience to the table with a special menu of pizzas and pasta and even some Japanese staples but filtered through a European gaze.

(Read the full story by Geetika Sachdev here.)

Noctis, Delhi

You won’t find Noctis on Google Maps, but a call (via their Instagram) will lead you to the super-secret spot in the capital’s Panchsheel Park. Inside, the space is filled with Prohibition-era glamour, retro curios, and drinks that pay homage to cheeky bathtub bootleggers.

(Read the full story by Geetika Sachdev here.)

Kikli, Delhi

A restored haveli in Delhi’s Connaught Place is now home to chef Amninder Sandhu’s new restaurant, Kikli, an ode to cooking that is honest, unhurried, and full of heart. Rooted in Sandhu’s family archives, the menu intentionally bypasses the expected—by design, there is no butter chicken or dal makhani. Instead, it shines a light on dishes commonplace in Punjabi homes but rarely given space on restaurant tables. Take pathiya sekiya kukkad, a smoky chicken dish from Granthgarh, traditionally cooked over cowdung cakes, or seasonal produce like chibar (wild cucumber) and mungre (rat-tail radish), slow-cooked in earthen kundas sourced straight from Bathinda.

Patiala Shahi Raan

(Read the full story by Geetika Sachdev here.)

Wagamama, Mumbai 

Thirty-three years after it launched in the UK, and nearly two years after we heard whispers of it arriving on our shores, Wagamama is finally in Mumbai, opening to the public on July 24. We’re glad it didn’t open at the international airport, as originally announced. Instead, the friendly, warm, approachable pan-Asian chain’s first outlet is in a far more charming neighbourhood, one floor up the gorgeous Art Deco-Victorian Gothic Cambata Building (aka Eros Cinema) in Churchgate.

If you’ve been to any of Wagamama’s 250-plus outlets around the world, you’ll know what to expect: plenty of natural materials, wood and stone on the floor, clean lines, open assembly kitchen (the prep and cooking happens in the main kitchen behind it), trellis-like patterns on panels, partitions, and ceiling lights. Prices are comparable too; it’s not too far from your average casual dining tab in the city. Appetisers start at ₹325 and bigger bowls at ₹395; the priciest item on the menu is the ramen in coconut seafood broth, at ₹745, which, if you’re converting, is about half the price of the seafood ramen at Wagamama in London.

If, like us, Wagamama induces a Pavlovian response in you, know that all your favourites are on the menu: the firecracker chicken, the donburi bowls, the katsu curry, the tantanmen ramen, the baos, gyozas, and their heaping toss-em-yourself salads with dressing on the side. There is something for every age and appetite, with plenty of vegetarian options, and many dishes—like the fully desi Suri’s Curry (named after a chef who developed the recipe for Wagamama)—are available in vegetarian and non-veg versions. We chose the tilapia, in its thick, grainy sauce, but Suri is also available in chicken or sweet potato.

On a first visit to Wagamama Mumbai, though, with cravings waiting to be sated, it would be best to stick to the classics and bestsellers. We asked for a cupful of the ramen broth to taste, to compare it to our other Wagamama meals, and it’s safe to say that it hits the spot. My non-food-writer dining companion took one bite of the teriyaki chicken bao and his face lit up: “It’s great—spicy, sweet, and umami—you have got to try it!” He was right, and we agreed even as people who don’t choose bao before gyoza. The junior diner at our table went straight for the katsu kids’ meal and stayed focussed on it until his plate was clean.

Everything comes out as soon as it’s made, and order numbers are scribbled on each diner’s disposable paper placemats, so everyone gets exactly what they’ve ordered—and fast. Naturally, the noodles are always steaming (mind your tongue), the toppings are lively, and the crunch on the katsu is always audible—even to fellow diners—whether you’re having it as a main course or as dessert. Wagamama’s signature bestselling sweet of banana katsu with ice cream and caramel sauce is available in India as well, and it’s glorious: crackly and creamy, hot and cold, and fun all over. Once the bar licence comes through, expect sake and other spirits on the menu. As of now, there is kombucha, fresh juice blends, bubble teas, and lemonades with kaffir and yuzu.

The best part is that the staff looks really happy to be working at Wagamama, generous with grins, welcoming, happy to describe each dish to you, shake your edamame pods between two bowls to distribute the chilli-garlic seasoning tableside, and check if everything is okay, but not annoyingly often. The restaurant is not even open yet, and our friends and families have started making plans. We suspect we’ll see many more Wagamamas in India soon.

The Lakehouse by Amanora, Pune

From the 15th of July, Puneites will be able to head over to a Hadapsar lake home for a meal out. The Lakehouse is a 10,000-sqft standalone restaurant overlooking Amanora Lake, on its private island no less. It’s been designed to peace out in a pretty place, quiet luxury on point. To this end, it’s built with reclaimed wood, native brass, and lime-plastered textures on curved walls. There are alfresco decks for long late lunches, and glowing nooks to settle into at dusk, even solo. The menu focuses on fresh ingredients, seeing how The Lakehouse also has a herb garden. There are broths and woodfired breads, as well as more indulgent things like butter chicken with roomali roti chips, lobster and chive dumplings, and gnocchi with gorgonzola. At the bar—which we hear almost disappears into the light off the waters—a smoked negroni, lemongrass vodka sour, and a clarified cold brew Old Fashioned, are on the menu among others.

Robata Kuuraku, Mumbai

Kuuraku, the Japanese chain with restaurants across India and the world, is debuting a sibling brand in Lower Parel. Robata Kuuraku, which focuses on robatayaki—the centuries-old Japanese “fireside cooking” method—has chefs grilling vegetables, meat and seafood over charcoal grills right in front of diners, on order. 

Miss Margot, Mumbai

Kishore DF has an unbroken, decades-long record of successful restaurant and bar concepts, from Lemongrass and Pot Pourri to Bombay Bronx and WTF to The Tanjore Tiffin Room. His latest is Miss Margot, an ode to Mumbai’s unhurried lounge era, with partner and bar maestro Dimi Lezinska. Expect drinks with names like Only Fans (vodka passionfruit, vanilla sparkling wine) and Swaggermaster (Flor de Caña 12 YO, sherry, Luxardo Morlacco cherry liqueur, Luxardo Amaro). Also on the table: hay-smoked salmon and tom yum gambas. More on this from us soon. 

Tuya, Hyderabad

A massive car-service centre shapeshifts into a south Indian restaurant in Jubilee Hills, with terracotta accents, rattan chairs, breezy sunlit frames, and a kitchen with a show window. Tuya’s tagline is “the south, retold” and chef Suresh DC (former chef at Hosa Goa) offers fun takes on tradition, such as mutton ghee roast with benne dosa, pineapple kasi halwa, Rajahmundri frozen shake, jackfruit gassi, and karam podi eggplant. 

(Read the full story by Nishat Fatima here.)

La Casetta, Pune

Pune’s latest eatery La Casetta, a “pizzeria, pasticceria and trattoria”, brings old-school Italian comfort classics to a charming tchotchke-filled bungalow that feels like you’re noshing at nonna’s home. 

Baroke, Mumbai 

A vinyl-only listening bar with 220 handpicked records, from Brubeck to Bryan Adams, all played on Klipsch La Scala II speakers, alongside fancy drinks by award-winning mixologist Jishnu AJ... Mumbai’s Brand new Baroke is positioning itself as a “sonic sanctuary”. Jishnu, who previously helmed the bar at Ekaa, brings cocktails like the khus-infused Vetiver Gimlet, and the Mango Chilli, served as an exploding sphere, which match an eclectic menu of tapas-style plates featuring totapuri mango salad, Korean fried chicken, Kerala mutton with paratha, and rosemary and pink salt popcorn. Collectors, take note: there’s a vinyl shop in here that lets you take some of the music home. 

Paashh, Mumbai

A Pune cafe and retail space by avid marathoner and fitness enthusiast Vaishali Karad has now made its way to Pali Hill in Bandra, Mumbai. Paashh distinguishes itself as a place for slow-paced afternoons. And so, on chef Vinod Warade’s 100 per cent vegetarian (and often vegan) menu are dishes made with seasonal, organic, locally sourced, traceable ingredients, including heritage grains and A2 dairy products. Also tying into Paashh’s clean-eating ‘soil to soul’ philosophy is a space that is plastic-free, made with raw stone, handwoven textiles, reclaimed wood, plants, and locally sourced materials, as well as a kitchen that eschews non-stick cookware for traditional cooking implements. So, what’s on the menu? Multigrain thalipeeth served with smoked, muddled thecha, loni, and mint yogurt; raw banana and raw mango curry paired with ragi bhakri, coconut and cucumber koshimbir, and raw mango tadka pickle.

Banng, Mumbai

We hear restaurateur Riyaaz Amlani and chef and restaurateur Garima Arora’s Bangkok-inspired Gurugram eatery is opening its second outlet later this month in Bandra, Mumbai. Watch this space!

POP-UPS AND EVENTS

La Panthera pops up at Praca Prazeres, Goa

This Saturday, July 12, Mumbai chef Manuel Olivera travels to Goa to join chef Ralph Prazeres at Praca Prazeres for a one-day collaborative lunch and dinner service offering an edit of dishes from both kitchens while Goa band Trilogy dishes out tunes. Olivera brings cacio e pepe, Bloody Mary ceviche, Neapolitan pizzas, and braised pork with sourdough pancakes, and more. Prazares brings red amaranth salad, gnocchi with Goan sausage, seafood orze, and signature tropical cocktails, among others. Together, their one-off collaborative dish is a most curious mashup of pastel de nata with pizza. Call +91 8459801154 for reservations. 

A taste of Thamel at Across, Mumbai 

Today (July 10), The High Table at Across in Mumbai will feature a limited special menu that is named after a Nepalese neighbourhood known for busy, bustling shops and eateries set in narrow alleyways. On chefs Prakriti and Viraf Patel’s menu are fiddlehead ferns and wild-foraged mushrooms, soupy buffalo momos, heirloom lentils, aged yak cheese, and hand-ground timur. 

ISSO at Terrai, Hyderabad 

The crustacean kings from Sri Lanka are bringing their cuttlefish fritto with tamarind glaze, black tiger prawns cooked in kithul treacle, prawn carpaccio, and Dynamite shrimp salad to Terrai in Hyderabad for two days only. ISSO (known as @prawncrazy on Instagram) means ‘prawns’ in Sinhalese. On July 11 (lunch only) and July 12 (lunch and dinner), diners can have these and more in a multicourse dinner. Dessert is watalappam, and Terrai’s cocktails will be matched to the meal. 

Buland Shukla is guest chef at Tuck’d Away, Pune

Indian food groups are often bombarded with images of chef Buland Shukla’s 10-course seafood tasting menu at For the Record (FTR) in Panjim. On July 11, at 8 pm, Pune can sample some of his wildly creative  plates: cold-smoked sardines with seaweed-shiitake emulsion and house chilli oil on Indrani rice fritters; whole squid cured in fermented rice and cut into noodles; shio-koji cured crisp skin fish served with fermented vegetable emulsion and fresh fruit and raw prawn aromatic olive oil; and a dessert that involves black banana and koji mousse. We’d drive from Mumbai for this one if we could. 

An Odia menu at Hylo, Mumbai

Get ready for some chenna poda, a baked chenna cake that’s known to squeak as you eat it. Chef, TV host, and cookbook author Ananya Banerjee brings a host of traditional Odia dishes for Hylo’s month-long celebration of the eastern Indian state’s rustic but delightful cuisine. Of course there is pakhala bhaat in platter form, served with bodi chura, aloo bharta, saga bhaja, and a choice of aloo potala bhaja or Kandhamal chicken chutney. There’s also dalma, mustard-rich macha besara, and brothy chungudi jhola to be had with ghee-rich kanika, and chakuli pitha rice pancakes. 

Go Greek at Pastiche, Gurugram

All through July, every Friday, Pastiche goes Hellenic with a menu of spanakopita rolls, lamb keftedes, moussaka, baklava mille-feuille and galatopita (semolina custard with yoghurt sorbet and thyme-poached peaches). The three-course menu rotates weekly. 

Monsoon meals at Sawari, Bengaluru

Hennur’s seven-month-old north Indian spot, Sawari, has a warm, hearty, nostalgic menu for the wet season. Expect kheema pao, matar samosa, gudwali (jaggery) jalebi with rabri, and pav bhaji, matched with monsoon mulled wine. See? Certainly more refreshing than chai and pakoda. 

This list was last updated on 31 July, 2025.