Mumbai’s new restaurants, bars and cafés, with a detour to Pune

Mumbai’s eating country shows nary signs of slowing down. From Japanese-inspired restaurants and ingredient-led cocktail bars to all-day cafés, gourmet retail concepts and beloved favourites expanding crossed the city, these caller openings bespeak however hospitality is becoming progressively experience-driven, localised and story-led. Here’s what to adhd to your eating radar this month.

House of Akina

Aspect Hospitality, known for names similar Opa Kipos, Radio Bar and Nom Nom, introduces House of Akina, a caller modern eating destination successful Bandra rooted successful Japanese civilization but expanding good beyond it. The abstraction is designed to consciousness much similar Akina’s idiosyncratic location than a emblematic modern restaurant, combining an expansive culinary imaginativeness with the intimacy of being hosted.

The paper moves beyond geographic labels, with dishes and cocktails inspired by the ambiance and memories of circumstantial places. Signature cocktails see Nights successful May, layered with citrus and mango; Windflower Waltz, rooted successful the monsoon breezes of the Philippines; and The Silk Route, built astir saffron, dates and ginger.

The nutrient paper is arsenic well-travelled. Standout dishes see the refreshing Goi Buoi Bhel, inspired by Vietnamese effect salads, and the Konkan mushroom teriyaki with kokum and pineapple salsa. Other highlights see Gondhoraj salmon ceviche, wherever salmon meets greenish pome and a spicy gondhoraj dressing, and the wonton lamb birria taco. Thecha hakka noodles bring unneurotic acquainted Indian vigor and wok-tossed Asian flavours.

Golden Palace, Turner Road, Bandra West, Mumbai

Adam & Eve

At Adam & Eve successful Khar, the cocktail takes centrestage. Conceived by Pratik Gaba of HOMM and developed by bartender Pankaj Balachandran, the intimate 25-seater builds its paper astir the thought of 1 ingredient, 1 story. Positioning itself arsenic a “discovery bar” inspired by the conception of archetypal misdeed and the biblical communicative of Adam and Eve, the abstraction encourages guests to research acquainted ingredients successful unfamiliar ways.

Drinks gully from pantry staples and culinary ingredients specified arsenic ponzu, enoki mushrooms, moringa honey, yerba mate and adjacent beeswax, which forms the ground of what the barroom claims is India’s archetypal beeswax-led cocktail.

The attack is thoughtful alternatively than gimmicky. A clarified herb cocktail cleverly reimagines a Bloody Mary, portion an enoki-and-truffle whisky portion delivers subtle umami depth. Elsewhere, ponzu lends savoury brightness and moringa chromatic softens smoky agave spirits. The food, from Kerala fried wings to grilled prawns and hearty atom bowls, is designed to enactment alternatively than vie with the drinks.

Shop No. 1, Zindagi CHSL, Pali Road, 15th Road, Khar (W)

Breve 2.0

In a metropolis progressively crowded with speciality java shops, Brevé Café’s caller Bandra flagship stands retired by offering thing beyond caffeine. Founded by Usman Bhadelia, a triathlete, and Farhaz Bhadelia, an experienced java roaster and barista, the 36-seater has evolved from a café into a genuine assemblage hub, anchored by its fashionable Running Late by Brevé tally club. The abstraction is designed to accommodate everyone from post-run regulars and distant workers to leisurely brunch-goers.

The paper reflects this lifestyle-first approach. The customisable Breakfast Board is simply a clever addition, allowing diners to physique their perfect greeting spread, portion dishes specified arsenic the Middle Eastern halloumi bowl, miso prawns with soba and the avocado chickenhearted sandwich onslaught a equilibrium betwixt wholesome and satisfying. Coffee remains the star, peculiarly the pistachio acold foam acold brew and Brevé signature coconut coffee. Pet-friendly and community-driven, Brevé succeeds due to the fact that it understands that today’s café civilization is arsenic overmuch astir transportation and regular arsenic it is astir what is served successful the cup.

Shop G-2, Mount Apartment, St John Baptist Road, Reclamation, Bandra West

Gong

As Indian diners make a deeper appreciation for Japanese cuisine, restaurants are responding with greater nuance. The Japan National Tourism Organization reports that Indian question to Japan crossed 315,100 visitors successful 2025, a 35.2% summation implicit the erstwhile year. “My woman and I person visited Japan thrice since 2023, and each clip we’ve travel backmost with an appreciation for the food,” says Avik Chatterjee of Specialty Restaurants Limited.

That increasing curiosity informs Gong, the group’s newest edifice successful Bandra. Designed by Sumessh Menon Associates, the elegant abstraction pairs understated luxury with a paper that explores Japanese cuisine done chuka and itameshi influences, bringing unneurotic Japanese techniques with Chinese and Italian takes. Standout dishes see the richly flavoured mapo tofu with miso food rice, the comforting dan dan udon and the profoundly savoury involvement duck yakimeshi. Cocktails are arsenic compelling, peculiarly akai koji, with Japanese whisky, tamarind and miso syrup, and Kagero, a bright, layered premix of pisco, kaffir lime, wasabi and honey.

8th Floor, Mansionz One, Linking Road, Bandra, Mumbai 400050; repast for 2 costs ₹3,500 positive taxes

RumBabaa

Andheri’s recently opened all-day café RumBabaa is embracing the summertime play with a paper of refreshing acold brews, matcha-led beverages, salads and nourishing bowls, each served successful a relaxed, vinyl-led mounting designed for lingering done the day.

The seasonal beverage lineup features slow-crafted, fruit-forward acold brews specified arsenic the citrus acold brew spritz, orangish acold brew and spiced acold brew tonic, alongside coolers similar the coconut bluish unreality and coco lime soda. Matcha enthusiasts tin take from a assortment of options, with the mango matcha lasting retired for its operation of fruit, oat beverage and dehydrated mango chunks.

Breakfast offerings see the signature RumBabaa Eggs served with garlic-lemon yoghurt and beet harissa. To implicit the experience, determination is tiramisu French toast and matcha coconut chia. Health-conscious diners tin opt for vibrant salads and bowls specified arsenic the avocado burrata crunch with kale, orangish and pistachios, oregon the K.O.C.O bowl, which combines kodo millet, grains, miso carrot and cashew cream.

For those seeking flavour-packed bites without committing to a ample meal, the tiny plates conception features bajra tacos with jackfruit, kataifi prawns, Peruvian chickenhearted cookware pastry and vegan coconut buns.

Shop No. 9, Ground Floor, Remi Commercio, Shah Industrial Estate, Off New Link Road (opposite Yash Raj Films), Andheri West

A caller Veronica’s

Veronica’s has opened a 2nd outpost, crossing the oversea nexus and arriving successful Lower Parel. The stacked sandwiches, caller bakes, tiny plates and coffees that made the cosy Bandra outpost a favourite present determination into a abstraction that’s larger and livelier.

The caller determination features duplicate bars serving some cocktails and coffee. The enlargement besides brings additions to the menu, including drinks inspired by planetary aperitivo civilization — the Italian pre-meal ritual centred astir bitters and cocktails designed to stimulate the palate earlier a meal.

Ground floor, Trade Tower, Kamala Mills, Lower Parel

Foodstories

Foodstories, a new-age gourmet retail ventures, has expanded to Mumbai with 2 experiential stores successful Bandra and Andheri.

Launched successful 2024 by sisters Avni and Ashni Biyani aft palmy ventures successful Delhi, Hyderabad and Bengaluru, the marque seeks to alteration nutrient from a convenience into an immersive acquisition centred connected freshness, storytelling and culture. More than a gourmet market, the Mumbai stores volition present 2 caller food-and-beverage concepts built astir assemblage and curation. The Grocery Café offers an all-day, community-driven café acquisition designed astir slowing down wrong a retail environment, portion the Bev Bar serves arsenic a beverage-forward destination focussed connected experimentation, find and societal interaction.

110 Hill Road, Bandra West

Café Lento arrives successful Pune

Goa-based Café Lento has opened its archetypal outlet successful Pune. Rather than simply replicating its Goa outpost, the squad has adapted the conception to the city. Chef Jyoti Singh spent clip knowing Pune’s eating habits, peculiarly its stronger vegetarian civilization and penchant for all-day cafés, resulting successful a much vegetable-forward menu.

Highlights see the Bunnywich with roasted carrot and stracciatella, the Fun-Gai sandwich, atom bowls, freshly baked breads, savoury shio cookware and lighter daytime plates alongside Lento’s Goa favourites. As portion of this evolution, the café has besides introduced its archetypal cocktail programme.

Architecturally, the Pune outpost represents a uncommon originative handover betwixt 2 architects who chose collaboration implicit duplication. Rather than copying what worked successful Goa, designer Faizaan Khatri of FK’D Workshop interpreted Ayaz Basrai’s archetypal “Beautiful Ruin” doctrine for a caller geography.

Above The Daily All Day, Lane 7, Koregaon Park, Pune