The rooms worth a reservation in Mumbai, from neighbourhood bistros to the new classics.
The restaurants worth the trip in Mumbai. bistros, neo-classics, neighbourhood favourites, and the rooms locals book first.
Trishna in Kala Ghoda has poured butter, pepper and garlic over jumbo crab since 1965. The room is small, the bill is steep, the crab is the city benchmark.
Signature: Butter pepper garlic crab, Squid koliwada, Hyderabadi fish tikka
Order: The butter pepper garlic crab with butter naan.
Tip: Reserve at least two days ahead and call to confirm crab availability.
Britannia has poured Iranian zereshk berries over mutton pulao at this Ballard Estate room since 1923, three generations of the Kohinoor family running it.
Signature: Berry pulao, Sali boti, Caramel custard
Order: The mutton berry pulao with a side of sali boti.
Tip: Cash only; arrive by 13:00 weekdays or risk the berry pulao running out. Closed Sunday.
Floyd Cardoz, Sameer Seth and Yash Bhanage opened The Bombay Canteen in Kamala Mills in 2015 and reframed regional Indian cooking as a tasting-format menu.
Signature: Eggs kejriwal, Ghee roast chicken seekh, Gulab nut
Order: Eggs kejriwal at brunch, ghee roast chicken seekh at dinner.
Tip: Sunday brunch books out a week ahead; the Canteen Experience tasting runs 3754 rupees.
S C Karkera opened Mumbai's first dedicated Mangalorean room in Fort in 1977. The pomfret hits the tandoor whole and the fish gassi runs with thick coconut.
Signature: Tandoori pomfret, Crab butter pepper garlic, Neer dosa
Order: Tandoori pomfret and a side of neer dosa.
Tip: Order solkadhi to follow the meal; the kokum drink settles the spice.
Khyber on MG Road has been a Mumbai Mughlai institution since 1958. The murals run the length of the room and the raan still arrives at the table on a board.
Signature: Raan, Kabab e khas, Murgh malai kabab
Order: The raan for two with mint chutney.
Tip: Lunch sees less wait than dinner; book the upstairs section for groups.
Gajalee in Vile Parle East serves Malvani coastal cooking with the koli catch that morning. The thali runs prawns, surmai and crab with sol kadhi.
Signature: Malvani prawn curry, Bombil fry, Surmai tikka
Order: Bombil rava fry and Malvani prawn curry with rice.
Tip: Order sol kadhi to drink after; it cuts the coconut gravies.
Sameer Seth, Yash Bhanage and Floyd Cardoz opened O Pedro in BKC in 2017 to put Goan and Portuguese cooking on a tasting-format menu in the corporate.
Signature: Pork sorpotel, Bombay duck recheado, Bebinca
Order: The pork sorpotel and a chilled Feni cocktail.
Tip: Sunday Goan brunch runs 12:00 to 16:00 and is the easiest reservation.
Hakkasan Group's Yauatcha in BKC pours dim sum and Cantonese small plates all day. The patisserie counter at the entrance does mango macarons and chocolate.
Signature: Har gau, Crystal dumplings, Mango macaron
Order: Har gau, prawn cheung fun and a mango macaron at the patisserie.
Tip: Lunch dim sum is half the price of dinner and easier to book.
Bademiya has run kebabs on charcoal behind the Taj since 1946. The street stall on Tulloch Road still pulls midnight queues for baida roti and chicken.
Signature: Seekh kabab, Baida roti, Chicken tikka roll
Order: Mutton seekh in a baida roti and a chicken tikka roll for the road.
Tip: The street stall is open until 03:00; the indoor sit-down branches close at midnight.
Jimmy Boy is a three-generation Parsi room off Horniman Circle, serving the wedding-table dishes daily: patra ni machhi, sali boti, dhansak and lagan nu.
Signature: Patra ni machhi, Sali boti, Lagan nu custard
Order: Patra ni machhi and a Pallonji's raspberry soda.
Tip: The Sunday Parsi wedding thali is the order; book ahead for it.
Chef Alex Sanchez opened Americano in Kala Ghoda in 2019 with twenty-foot ceilings, large fluted windows and a menu that runs from burrata to wood-fired.
Signature: Burrata with strawberry, Hand-cut pasta, Wood-fired short rib
Order: The burrata and a hand-cut pasta of the day.
Tip: The bar pours its own cocktails to a different list than the dining room; ask for the bar list.
Chef Niyati Rao runs a tasting-menu room on the first floor of a 1890s neo-colonial building in Fort. Ekaa landed on the Asia 50 Best 51 to 100 list in 2024.
Signature: Tasting menu (sensorial), Bombil with kokum, House-fermented kanji
Order: The full sensorial tasting menu.
Tip: Book at least two weeks ahead; the bar at Ekaa pours a separate, shorter snack menu.
Papa Pancho on Pali Naka does dhaba-style Punjabi cooking: sarson da saag, butter chicken, makki rotis and lassi in steel tumblers. Open since 1997.
Signature: Sarson da saag with makki di roti, Amritsari fish, Pindi chole
Order: Sarson da saag with makki di roti and a sweet lassi.
Tip: Cash and card both accepted; the pork pickle is a counter favourite to take home.
Hakkasan's Bandra room mirrors the original London room: latticework, mood lighting, modern Cantonese plates and a cocktail program with kitchen hours.
Signature: Crispy duck salad, Peking duck, Stir-fry black pepper rib eye
Order: Half Peking duck and the crispy duck salad with pomelo.
Tip: The lounge area runs a shorter dim sum menu for after-work drinks.
Rahul Akerkar's Indigo Deli runs all day off Colaba Causeway, two minutes from the Gateway: eggs benedict at breakfast, burger at lunch, sticky toffee any.
Signature: Eggs benedict, Indigo burger, Sticky toffee pudding
Order: Eggs benedict at any hour and a sticky toffee for the table.
Tip: The bakery counter sells loaves and danishes from 11:00; arrive earlier for the croissants.
Pinki Dixit's Soam in Chowpatty has poured Gujarati and Maharashtrian home cooking since 2005. The khichdi runs seven different grains and the undhiyo.
Signature: Saat dana khichdi, Faraali undhiyo, Bhinda nu shaak
Order: Saat dana khichdi and a glass of chaas.
Tip: Cash and digital both accepted; weekends crowd hard, arrive at 12:00 sharp.
Swati Snacks in Tardeo has run the family-style Gujarati menu for three generations. Panki on banana leaves, faraali pattice and seasonal aamras-puri.
Signature: Panki, Faraali pattice, Aamras with puri (in season)
Order: Panki on banana leaves and a faraali pattice.
Tip: Aamras season runs March to May; that is the time to make the booking.
Cafe Madras at Kings Circle has poured Chennai-style filter coffee since 1940. The idli is steamed in cotton batter; the masala dosa is the benchmark.
Signature: Filter coffee, Idli, Mysore masala dosa
Order: Two filter coffees, one set of idli, one Mysore masala dosa.
Tip: Mondays are closed; Sunday breakfast queue starts at 07:00. Cash and card both accepted.
A Rama Nayak's Udipi Shri Krishna Boarding has run the unlimited South Indian thali in Matunga since 1942. Banana leaves, ghee roast, sambar refills.
Signature: Thali, Mangalorean ghee roast, Filter coffee
Order: The unlimited thali; come hungry.
Tip: Lunch only here; book the upstairs hall ahead for groups of six or more guests.