A new wave of dining spaces is reshaping how we eat, drink, and spend time in our cities. Across Mumbai and Bengaluru, recent openings reflect a shift away from loud, high-energy venues toward places designed
for intention, comfort, and connection. These are spaces where cocktails are crafted as experiences, wine is poured slowly over conversation, coffee anchors everyday rituals, and food is made to be shared without fuss. The focus is no longer on spectacle, but on thoughtful design, honest flavours, and atmospheres that encourage guests to linger.
From intimate wine-led bars and neighbourhood cafés to evolving Italian kitchens and experimental cocktail programmes, these launches signal a more mindful approach to hospitality. If you’re looking to discover what’s new on the dining map, these fresh addresses capture the mood of how India wants to eat and gather right now.
Raasta, Khar (Mumbai)
At Raasta, the bar is an extension of culture, not an afterthought. Rooted in Afro-Caribbean influences, the cocktail programme centres around rum, spice, citrus, and warmth mirroring the flavours coming out of the kitchen. Each drink is designed to be savoured slowly, over long conversations and relaxed weekends.
A new wave of cocktails now takes centre stage, exploring smoother profiles, dessert-leaning notes, and subtle spice-led heat. These additions bring depth and playfulness while staying true to Raasta’s flavour identity. Paired with smoky, spice-forward dishes and a music-driven atmosphere, Raasta continues to be a go-to weekend destination where bold food, evolving drinks, and rhythm come together seamlessly.
Address: 4th & 5th Floor, Rohan Plaza, 5th Road, Khar West, Mumbai
Phone: 086550 00811
403 Forbidden, Bengaluru
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403 Forbidden presents a quieter, more intentional approach to nightlife—a theatre of cocktails where attention is treated as luxury. Inspired by the HTTP error code 403: Access Denied, the name becomes an invitation to disconnect from distractions.
A standout feature is the by-request-only personalised cocktail ritual, where guests become the muse. Guided by intuitive technology and Aman Dua’s expertise, each drink is crafted as a bespoke liquid portrait, translating memory, identity, and emotion into flavour.
Designed as a cocktail laboratory rather than a conventional bar, the space blends science, sustainability, and sensory storytelling. The minimal kitchen offers 20 small plates that complement the bar’s rhythm, from garlic salt nuts and avocado-coconut ceviche to Nikkei lamb chops, Forbidden Chicken, Nihari Noir, and a Miso Basque Cheesecake to finish.
Lygon St., Mumbai
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Inspired by Melbourne’s Italian street culture, Lygon St. is a 38-seater, wine-led Italian food bar by chef-founder Sneha Upadhya. Built around ease rather than ceremony, the space encourages slow dining and unhurried conversations.
With no traditional bar counter, wine is guided table-side by an on-floor sommelier. The menu features fresh pasta made daily, comforting pizzas, and shareable plates designed to be revisited at your own pace.
Calm and understated, Lygon St. offers a thoughtful counterpoint to the city’s louder dining spaces, ideal for midweek dinners, sunset pours, and evenings that stretch longer than planned.
Pomodoro, Mumbai
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What began as a small pasta and coffee bar in Bandra has, in just a year, grown into one of the neighbourhood’s most loved Italian tables. Now, Pomodoro expands from a 28-seater to a 60+ seat space, less about scale and more about making room for its loyal community.
The expanded space retains Pomodoro’s warmth while introducing a dedicated barista counter, allowing its coffee programme to shine alongside its handcrafted pastas. The philosophy remains unchanged: quality ingredients, handmade food, and hospitality that feels natural and familiar.
Pomodoro’s evolution is guided by consistency, care, and the neighbourhood that embraced it from the start.
August Cafe, Andheri
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Helmed by siblings Ruhi and Daksh Gupta, August returns as a reimagined 60-seater that celebrates everyday rituals. Familiar, inviting, and effortlessly warm, the renewed space balances comfort with quiet confidence.
Designed by Studio 6158, August offers a calm escape from the city’s pace. Soft curves, sunlit corners, and an open barista station integrated into the seating area create an atmosphere of ease and conversation, where coffee becomes a shared experience.
Rooted in balance and comfort, August is designed for moments before work, between meetings, after a jog, or on the walk home.
