Where to eat this May... in Mumbai

The suburbs get a lot of action this month. Andheri has two new spots: a ramen shop that brings Japanese food in a simple, everyday way, and a coffee place that invites guests to slow down with vinyl records and a large menu. Nearby, in Santacruz, a cafe-bar shifts from day to night with matching drinks. In Bandra, a cocktail bar gets technical with cocktails and mischievous with dishes (expect Sichuan-tinged paella and a ricotta recheado that on paper seems hard to imagine). A small, stunning supper club in an old Bandra building makes you want to kick off your shoes and settle in. And in Vikhroli, a bakehouse showcases pastries and long-fermented breads.

Plenty more is coming this summer. You May want to start making plans today.

NEW OPENINGS

Chuim 66, Khar

Tucked away in Chuim Village, 66 Chuim by Phat Fillings brings the popular comfort food brand out of delivery boxes and into its own tiny, olive-green micro restaurant. The menu is very focused, and the small space makes it feel more like a dinner party than a formal restaurant. The food focuses on baked goods. Pot pies are still the main attraction, with options like chicken and cheese or braised buff brisket. Carb comfort continues with sandwiches and their generous, unfussy fillings, like pulled hoisin duck leg and thick house-baked breads. Smaller, lighter treats include madeleines with orange blossom sauce, specialty coffee, and house sodas.

Conçu, Colaba

After 14 years of shaping Hyderabad’s cafe scene and then opening in Bengaluru three years ago, Conçu has now opened in Colaba’s quaint and charming 2nd Pasta Lane with great pastries, strong coffee, and plenty of seating. Conçu started as a small cake studio and has become one of the best-known cafes in coffee-loving Hyderabad. The Mumbai location has the same all-day vibe as the original. Mornings offer eggs, pancakes, smoothie bowls, and pastries. Afternoons bring pizzas, salads, and DIY pastas. Evenings are for cocktails and dessert. There’s matcha, ube drinks, and a big pastry counter next to the made-to-order cakes the brand is known for. The Colaba space has been designed by Essajees Atelier to maximise its tall, triple-height structure. There’s exposed brick, plenty of natural light, varied seating, and the old-world charm of the neighbourhood without it all becoming nostalgic.

La Taqueria by Mezcalita, BKC

La Taqueria, from the team behind Mezcalita, has opened at Jio World Plaza with a take on Mexican food that feels easy and everyday, bringing the vibe of a neighbourhood taqueria to Mumbai. The menu focuses on house-made masa, open-fire cooking, and sharing plates. Obviously, tacos are the main focus, with options like pork belly al pastor and mushroom asado. These are complemented by dishes such as huachinango aguachile, mole madre, and eggplant with mole rosa. Here, the drinks menu balances fruity, fizzy, and fun options with stronger tipples like guava ritas, lychee gimlets, cacao negronis, and bloody palomas. Non-alcoholic options are on point: horchata, agua fresca, and jamaica. Yes, it’s in a mall filled with the fanciest brands, but we’ll attest that it’s casual enough for a relaxed lunch and lively enough for an evening out.

Patio 57, Vile Parle

Vile Parle’s newest cafe-bar is a mix between a South Goa sundowner spot and a neighbourhood hangout. Most of Patio 57 is an open, airy patio with only a small indoor area. The focus is on cocktails, coastal food, and an easy-going vibe. The menu covers a lot of ground, from Konkan thalis and tacos to pizzas, pastas, and hummus platters, but it looks like the kitchen is most at home with coastal dishes like prawn thalis and mushroom sukka. Drinks like mango picantes, guava-chilli coolers, kokum sodas, and citrusy cold brews keep things light and summery.

Gong, Bandra

Gong has opened in Bandra, offering a pan-Asian menu that goes a bit beyond the usual. Sushi is the main attraction. The huge selection here ranges from toro nigiri and hamachi jalapeño rolls to scallop dynamite and omakase-style plates. What’s interesting is that the restaurant brings Chuka (Japanese Chinese) and Itameshi (Japanese Italian) to Mumbai’s dining scene. You’ll find Japanese comfort bowls like dan dan udon and sake duck yakimeshi next to Japanese-Italian dishes such as udon carbonara, chilli olio noodles, and wafu pizzas. The menu also ventures into pan-Asian territory with tiraditos, dim sum, baos, sando, wok dishes, and grills. Cocktails use Asian ingredients like kaffir lime, yuzu, tamarind, and shiitake.

Cutting Cocktails, Andheri East

Mumbai’s newest ‘speakeasy’ is inspired by cutting chai. At Cutting Cocktails, a 35-seater courtyard bar, drinks come in half pours at half the price, so punters can try more. It’s such a clever idea; smaller cocktails allow more sampling. Tucked behind Blend Kitchen & Bar inside T24 Retro hotel, Cutting Cocktails has a cocktail cart, inspired by Mumbai’s street chai stalls, at the centre of the room. Here, cocktails are based on local flavours, so there is a Mirchi Martini, a Jeera Spritzer, and a Pinacolada-ish Colaba Crush. The two-page appetiser menu is desi and Chindian, so there is Mushroom 65, Taipan Chicken, and momos tossed in pepper and soy.

Papi, Bandra

Papi opens in Bandra as a bar that puts cocktails front and centre, thanks to in-house techniques like brining, distilling, and fermenting. It offers a mix of savoury, tropical, floral, and spirit-forward options, with some cocktails on tap as well. Made for sharing, the menu draws from coastal, Latin, Mediterranean, and pan-Asian flavours. Dishes include Sichuan paella and ricotta recheado alongside a house-made pasta programme. The space opens with a relaxed outdoor area and leads into interiors filled with skylights and a mix of wood, stone, and textile details.

Nōdo, Andheri

Nōdo has opened in Andheri with one message: Japanese food can be an everyday choice. This ramen and donburi spot is made for weekday lunches or quick solo meals. The place is compact, there are no reservations or formalities, the menu is short and simple, and the space matches the quick pace of the food. The main focus is on the bowls: tonkotsu ramen with rich broths, lighter shoyu and miso options, and donburi with rice and slow-cooked proteins. Small plates, like karaage, miso-butter corn ribs, and cucumber salad, are available too. Notably, none of the dishes have been adapted to the Indian palate.

Laguna, Santacruz

Laguna is a mood-focused cafe-bar in Santacruz that transitions from serving coffee during the day to cocktails in the evening, with a Latin-inspired menu that changes with the time of day and takes inspiration from across the Americas. Light options, like the Green Goddess and Nine Mile bowls, are served earlier, while heartier dishes, such as smoky queso, spinach enchiladas, jambalaya, and Chicago-style deep-dish pizza, are served later. Pastas and pizzas are also available, as are desserts like matcha panna cotta and burnt-honey cheesecake, and cocktails like Granny’s Smith and Mexican from the tequila-forward bar. Inside, the space changes too. It starts with bright, tropical seating and gradually shifts to a darker, more bar-focused area with layered lighting and plush seats.

The Find Atelier, Bandra

When we first visited The Find Atelier, a new 25-seat supper club in Bandra, we picked it to celebrate a milestone birthday. The space is just that gorgeous. Sisters Aalisha Sable, the chef, and Riona Sable, the creative director, have created a club that feels intimate. Set in a restored 140-year-old building, it offers a calm and thoughtful atmosphere, which is a nice change from the city’s busier restaurants. The Sable sisters keep things simple: the club is open only on weekends, features a living room, a dining room with a high sloping roof, a private dining room, and serves a cuisine-agnostic menu that changes every month—from Hokkaido bun to Coorg pepper madeleine. Aalisha doesn’t stick to a strict formula. She blends various influences and techniques to create dishes that feel familiar yet still astonishing. The goal is to make each visit interesting. Riona has designed the space with textured layers, warm lighting, and carefully chosen details, so it feels welcoming without being overwhelming. In addition to dinner, the venue plans to host pop-ups and collaborations, aiming to become a small cultural hub.

Adelina, Bandra

Adelina is a modern Italian restaurant created by sisters Harshita Bhatia (the chef) and Ankita Bhatia, serving handmade pastas made with ‘00’ flour and semolina alongside dishes such as minestrone, gigli arrabbiata, polpette with polenta, and scallops with corn and chilli marmellata. Neapolitan-style pizzas come from a wood-fired oven, and desserts like tiramisu are made the traditional way. The bar follows Italian aperitivo logic, with light cocktails designed to complement food. The interiors are inspired by Italian countryside homes, with modern touches and playful art.

RumBabaa, Andheri

RumBabaa is a new spot in Andheri that focuses on specialty coffee and features a vinyl music programme. The menu changes through the day, starting with breakfast and moving to more filling dishes later. In the morning, you’ll find lighter choices like ‘longevity bowls’, eggs with garlic yoghurt and beet harissa, and tiramisu French toast. Later, the menu expands to include dishes such as kataifi prawns, bajra tacos, Peruvian chicken pot pie, sushi, grain bowls, pizzas, and small plates. Coffee is at the heart of the experience; there’s everything from classic espresso drinks to creative options like black sesame lattes, yuzu cold brews, and dessert-inspired drinks. The idea is to invite guests to slow down and enjoy their time rather than rush through their coffee.

Ringo, Vikhroli

Ringo has opened in Vikhroli as a bakery focused on bread and laminated pastries. Founded by Sagar Neve and chef Niyati Rao, with chef Akshay in charge of baking, it builds on the loyal following of their bread programme at Ekaa, now brought to a bigger, more public space at the Godrej Trees campus. You’ll find classic croissants, danishes, and sourdough made with a long-used starter, along with local twists like Malvani prawn danish and nolen gur tarts. Our favourites are their melting dark chocolate cookies, and teeny thecha khari with a thecha dipping oil. About 30 menu items shift with the seasons and the team's inspiration. There’s an all-day à la carte menu that uses these baked goods in full meals. In the evenings, a small cocktail and wine menu features familiar flavours, with a glass-fronted bakehouse at its centre. It’s designed to be used loosely as a coffee stop, slow meal, or something in between.