Bombay has a huge variety of cuisines. Many travelers get overwhelmed by the huge, crowded city; it’s clear that everything is better in Mumbai when you have a local friend. The nightlife is amazing and the restaurants are even better. My girl, Niki, a Bombay native is sharing her all time favorite places to eat in Bombay (some of which I love to eat at when I’m in Bombay for a party weekend).
10 Best Restaurants in Bombay
(plus a few bonuses)
1. Kofuku // Bandra West.
Japanese restaurant whose name means “happiness” serves up Bombay’s best sushi, along with famous dishes like fried pork and veg tempura.
Info: 2nd Floor, Kenilworth Shopping Arcade, Level 2, Linking Road, Bandra West. Open Daily, from noon to 3pm and from 6.30pm to midnight
2. Ellipsis // Colaba.
This is the best place to have a cocktail in the city (and maybe bump into some Bollywood stars) with a happy hour from 7-9 pm. They have a brunch with items like fried chicken and waffles, BBQ tacos, pork belly, an enchilada omelet, as well as a huge selection on the dinner menu. Did I mention the kick-ass bakery? They’re instagram is making me drool.
Info: B-1 Amarchand Mansion, 16, Madame Cama Road, Colaba. Open Daily, from noon to 3pm and from 6.30pm to 1.30am.
3. Neel // Mahalaxmi.
Modern Indian food- kababs and biryani to die for. They put a twist on the traditions.
Info: Mahalaxmi Racecourse, Gate 4 & 5, Keshva Rao, Mahalaxmi, Worli. Open Daily, from noon to 3pm and from 6.30pm to midnight
4. Aurus // Juhu, Aer // Worli, & Sea lounge // Colaba.
For the best views of the city. Aurus is known for lamb sliders & sundried tomato risotto. Aer has selection of Spanish food plus more, and Sea Lounge is a fancy spot in the Taj of Colaba; a great spot for tea. You may need to make reservations at all these places ahead of time.
info: Aurus: No.12,Nichani Kuttir Building, Juhu Tara Rd, Santacruz West. Open from 7.30pm to 1.30am. Aer: 114, Dr. E. Moses Road, Worli. Open from 5.30pm to 1.30am. Sea Lounge P J Ramchandani Marg, Apollo Bandar, Taj Hotels, First Floor. Open from 7.00am to midnight.
5. The Tasting Room // Lower Parel.
Perfect in the evening or high tea in the chilled out European cafe of Good Earth (a hip interiors shop). Try to watermelon feta salad after you’re done with your shopping.Use your GPS as it’s a bit hard to find.
info: 1st Floor, Raghuvanshi Mill Compound, Senapati Bapat Road,, Lower Parel West. Open Daily, from noon to 3:30pm and from 7.30pm to 11.45pm
6. Indigo Deli // Lower Parel & Colaba.
Both locations serve up amazing lunches and breakfast. Sandwiches, burgers, and pizzas never disappoint. They have amazing home made bread and ice creams & you can buy their spreads and sauces to take home with you.
info: location one- 1st Floor, Palladium Mall, High Street Phoenix,, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel. Location two- Ground Floor, Pheroze Building, Apollo Bunder, Chhatrapati Shivaji Mahrishi, Marg, Colaba, Apollo Bunder. Open from 9.00am to 1.30am.
7. The Pali village // Khar West.
Westernized Dhaba experience with killer desserts & must-try pannacotta.
info: Western Express Highway, Ghodbunder Road, Mira Road. Open from 12.00pm to 12.30am.
8. Pali Bhavan // Bandra West.
From the same owners of Pali Village but more Indian dishes, this is place is perfect for your big night out, complete with a massive antique chandeliers.
info: 10 Adarsh Nagar, Next to Costa Coffee, Pali Naka, Pali Hill, Bandra West. Open Daily, from noon to 3pm and from 7.00pm to 11.30pm.
9. Swati snacks // Tardeo.
Your street food fix.
info: Karai Estate, Opp Bhatia Hospital, Tardeo Road. Open daily from 11.00am to 11.oopm.d,
10. Gajalee // Vile Parle East & Highway Gomangtak.
The places to go for local Maharashtra food; great coastal food.
info: Gajalee: Kadamgiri Complex,Hanuman Road, Vile Parle East. Open daily from 11.30am to 4.00pm and 7.00pm to midnight. Highway Gomangtak: 44/2179, Pranav Co Op Housing Society, Gandhi Nagar, Bandra East. Closed on thursdays. Open from 11.00am to 3.15pm and 7.00pm to 10.00pm
Nikki is a painter and graphic artist, born and raised in Bombay. With a passion for food and travel, she helped curate a list of places you can’t miss while in the city. Currently a designer at Good Earth, she also works on freelance projects. You can get in touch with her at nikitakalsi (@) gmail (dot) com, or follow her on instagram.
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These all look so good, especially the Gajalee! I didn’t make it to any of these in Bombay, now I have yet another reason to go back! :)
There’s always a good reason to come back to India.. and food is one of the best!
Wow, this all looks amazing! And I should not have read this on an empty stomach! So sad that I live far away from these amazing food spots :-)
It’s true, but then again each city has it’s own charms if you search hard enough!
What a cool post! I’m not planning on visiting India anytime soon, but when I do I MUST visit Aer – the view looks absolutely insane! :)
Yes, I am a sucker for drinks with a view.
Mmm, I love the idea of modern Indian food at Neel. I could really go for some Indian food right about now …
I agree! I might just go to the place down the road from me tonight.. it’s like having pretend Indian grandparents cooking for me.
I literally just scrolled through this post, drooling. The sushi pic, oh my!
It looks good to me too- and I don’t even like sushi!
Oh wow, those look amazing! I’ve been dreaming of travelling around India for ages, and your blog is certainly providing some inspiration! Keep up the excellent work!
Thanks Rachel! India is such a great place to explore
Ah, we went to The Tasting Rooms when I was in Mumbai, this brings back some great memories! We were more there for the unlimited sangria than the food, but did try a couple of the cakes and they were delicious! Wish I’d tried some more of these places, they all look and sound amazing :)
I love going up to Bombay for a long weekend.. just to eat!
Hello Rachel,
I look forward to checking out some of these restaurants. On an unrelated note, I have been combing your blog for about two hour looking for any recommended accommodation in Bombay. My flight arrives at 12:40 am, and was way under my budget. Since I saved money I am willing to splurge a little on a room somewhere around $20-50. Figure I should treat myself my first night in India since most other nights will be budget accommodations.
Thanks,
TJ
Hey, bombay is tough because most are really cheap like the YMCA but others are like 200 bucks. I would check makemytrip.com and just read the reviews of the place before booking.
Enjoy! and I’ll look into that one.