Mumbai’s dining scene is in constant motion, and the city is about to welcome a fresh wave of restaurants that promise new flavours, concepts, and experiences. From intimate neighbourhood cafés to high‑energy
bars and experiential spaces, the new openings are redefining how Mumbaikars eat, drink, and socialise. Here’s a look:
Mokai, Bandra
View this post on Instagram
MOKAI has expanding its story in Mumbai with a second, experience‑driven café space that deepens its focus on coffee, matcha, and immersive hospitality. The new outlet unfolds as a series of “chapters,” beginning with a façade featuring an intricate, layered artwork inspired by Kintsugi, where gold strokes, Mount Fuji, and a matcha bowl‑and‑whisk motif mark a shift from the earlier coffee‑centred design. Inside, a light‑filled, high‑ceilinged space reveals multiple zones, starting with “Chapter One,” which introduces the brand’s signature blue‑orange uniforms and a futuristic Korean pour‑over bar run via tablet, turning brewing into a visible ritual.
A slow‑brew‑inspired installation with turtle motifs, twig structures, and back‑painted glass sets a calm tone, while the central marble coffee bar reflects sunlight during the day and glows softly at night, with a rose‑quartz‑lit matcha bar as the evening focal point. The Kintsugi Corner, a Wall of Collabs, a Great Wave‑inspired origami light, and hidden speakeasy toilets reinforce the brand’s philosophy of embracing imperfection and storytelling. Upstairs, the experience floor opens to a balcony view, an “In Stock” travel‑luggage‑inspired corner, and “Team MOKAI’s Home,” a domestic‑style room with a family table and a bed, leading to India’s first floating matcha bar, where guests sit around water, moss, and wellness‑focused drinks. The menu layers comfort with surprise, from savoury cereal bowls and chilli‑crisp French toast to burgers, scrambles, protein bowls, and desserts like chocolate wontons with sea‑salt cream, completing MOKAI’s transformation from café into a multi‑sensory journey.
Thai Naam, Bandra
View this post on Instagram
Five years ago in Andheri, Thai Naam began as a heartfelt dream to bring authentic Thai flavours to Mumbai with honesty and respect for the cuisine. Founder and chef Jawairia Merchant, now in her mid‑twenties, turned her early passion for home cooking and competitions into a restaurant journey, training under Chef Ananda Solomon, often credited with introducing authentic Thai food to India. That experience shaped the balance, technique, and soulful approach that still define Thai Naam’s kitchen.
Now relocated to Bandra, the restaurant carries the same spirit, celebrating Thai ingredients and cooking with a menu of classics like Tom Yum, Som Tam, Mee Grob as a rice tartlet, Satay Kai, Thai fish cakes, and signature mains such as steamed John Dory, minced chicken with holy basil, and Thai curries, plus nostalgic desserts like water chestnuts in coconut milk. New Pan‑Asian touches—like dumplings, wontons, Chengdu‑style lamb, and truffle‑baked crab—add variety while staying true to the sweet‑sour‑salty‑spicy balance. The 100‑seater space, inspired by traditional Thai aesthetics, uses bold reds, wooden carvings, soft lighting, and an open kitchen to create a warm, intimate, and authentic dining experience.
Downtown29, BKC
View this post on Instagram
Downtown29 has opened its newest outlet at Trade Centre, Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), launching as a vibrant dining and nightlife hub known for global cuisine, inventive cocktails, and a high‑energy ambience. Spread across a spacious setting with indoor and outdoor seating, the restaurant is designed for relaxed dinners as well as late‑night socialising. The menu, curated by Chef Ameya Mahajani, blends global techniques with bold flavours that appeal to Indian diners, offering shareable, comfort‑led dishes such as Edamame Phyllo Parcels, Kale Papdi Chaat, Wasabi Crispy Prawns, Jalapeño Chicken Baos, Thai Mince Basil Tofu with jasmine rice, Signature Bajra Pulao, and Chicken Bhattiwala with naan.
The bar programme is equally central, built as an ingredient‑led, flavour‑forward cocktail experience that complements the global menu, with signatures like Delusional, Strawberry Piccante, Thai Affair, Caco Negroni, and Baileys & Coffee. Downtown29 also functions as a neighbourhood hangout, welcoming guests for casual meals, after‑work drinks, and party nights that build in energy as the evening progresses. Founder Chirag Pattni describes BKC as the ideal home for Downtown29, capturing the neighbourhood’s mix of business, culture, and nightlife within an immersive, style‑driven space.
Portal, Kala Ghoda
View this post on Instagram
Portal, a new bistro and bar in the heart of Kala Ghoda, feels like a peaceful retreat that moves effortlessly from morning coffee to late-night cocktails. The space, conceptualised by veteran hospitality entrepreneur Punam H. Singh, is designed to invite guests to slow down, settle in, and let the experience unfold without rigid occasion or rules. The name “Portal” reflects this idea of transition—a place where the pace softens and the day flows naturally, from breakfast that stretches into afternoon to a glass of wine or cocktail as the evening deepens.
Housed in a 1,450 sq ft, 50‑seater space designed by Ar. Suhani Lal Sanghra, Portal blends South Bombay’s neo‑classic architecture with contemporary materials, warm textures, and subtle details like a mirrored ceiling above the bar that quietly support an inviting, easy mood. Chef Gregory Bazire leads the kitchen with an ingredient‑led, culture‑blending menu that moves from playful breakfast bowls to confit‑lamb parathas and international‑inspired mains, while the bar and wine programme, crafted with Spill It and a curated vinyl listening programme by Revolver Club, offers structured cocktails, thoughtful wines, and zero‑proof options that feel intuitive rather than ostentatious. At its core, Portal is about easing the rush and letting each guest define their own rhythm across the day.
THERAPY Cafe & Bar, Dadar
View this post on Instagram
Mumbai’s popular hangout THERAPY is opening its fourth outlet in Dadar at Kohinoor Square, building on the success of its Khar, Versova, and Borivali branches. The new co‑working‑friendly space functions as a daytime café with strong coffee, comfortable seating, and a casual lunch menu, then transforms after dark into a lively bar with cocktails, pitchers, arcade games, karaoke, screenings, and DJ nights. The Dadar menu blends crowd‑pleasers like Crunchy Chickpeas, Peri Peri Chicken Tenders, Mezze Platter, Farmhouse Pizza, and Boneless Gochujang Chicken Wings with local exclusives such as the Vada Pav Slider, Misal Thali, and Thecha Paneer or Prawns.
Drinks include bold party pitchers like the Electric LIIT, the dramatic Midnight Fishbowl with blue‑pea gin, and the Barman’s Peach Pitcher, along with a rotating craft‑beer and cider lineup and an old‑school cold coffee for the daytime crowd. The cafeteria‑by‑day, bar‑by‑night concept, coupled with immersive sports screenings and curated music and events, keeps the outlet buzzing and interactive. Founder Rishab Verma says the Dadar outlet reflects a more mature, all‑day THERAPY, rooted in emotional comfort, playfulness, and community connection.
Pot Pot, Lower Parel
View this post on Instagram
Pot Pot, a contemporary Indian dining concept rooted in the traditions of pot‑based cooking, has opened its newest outpost at Phoenix Palladium in Mumbai. More than a restaurant, Pot Pot reimagines the “pot” in all its forms—from cooking vessels and terracotta serving pots to street‑food potlis and even the idea of potholes and potluck eating—tying food, culture, and storytelling into one experience.
The menu focuses on Indian comfort food with a creative twist: Chaat Potlis present familiar street dishes in refined, bite‑sized formats, while Starter Pots and Main Pots highlight slow‑cooked North Indian and coastal flavours. The meal ends with Sweet Pots, individual desserts made from fresh, organic, locally sourced ingredients. Pot Pot emphasises sustainability, serving dishes in reusable terracotta and glass pots and using recyclable, reusable packaging made from local materials. The space, with earthy textures, terracotta elements, and a clean, modern Indian design, feels warm and understated, reinforcing the brand’s focus on tradition, craftsmanship, and mindful dining. Pot Pot welcomes guests on a walk‑in basis.
Seoul Dak, Andheri
Mumbai’s Korean food wave is getting a fresh, crunchy chapter with the opening of Seoul Dak’s new outlet in Oshiwara, Andheri. The Seoul‑founded QSR brand brings its cult‑favourite Korean fried chicken and bold street‑food flavours to one of the area’s busiest hubs, doubling down on crispy, flavour‑forward comfort food. At its core is Seoul Dak’s signature fried chicken—marinated overnight and double‑fried for a light, ultra‑crispy crust, then tossed in sauces like smoky K‑BBQ, garlicky Ganjang, Sweet & Spicy, and fiery Volcano. The menu also features classic Korean street items such as tteokbokki, Soupy K‑ramen, and cheese corn dogs, all inspired by contemporary Seoul.
Seoul Dak keeps authenticity front and centre, importing most key ingredients from South Korea and sticking closely to traditional flavour profiles, adjusting only spice levels for local tastes. The brand has a clear expansion strategy, aiming for 10 outlets by early 2026 and 50 in the next three years, while adding new items like Potato Cheese Corn Dogs, Seoul Cheese Bombs, and Matcha drinks that stay true to its “authentic Korean comfort food done right” ethos. With the Oshiwara launch, Seoul Dak is positioning itself as one of Mumbai’s most reliable Korean QSR brands, delivering consistent, crispy, and genuinely flavourful experiences as the city’s Korean‑food craze keeps growing.
The Find Atelier, Bandra
View this post on Instagram
The Find Atelier is Mumbai’s newest 25‑seater supper club, founded by sisters Aalisha and Riona Sable, and designed as a quiet counterpoint to the city’s crowded restaurant scene. Housed in a restored 140‑year‑old building in Bandra, the intimate space focuses on a design‑led, immersive experience where food, atmosphere, and hosting come together thoughtfully. Operating only on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, The Find Atelier positions itself as a weekend destination that encourages guests to slow down and savour a more personal, considered dining rhythm.
Co‑founder and Head Chef Aalisha Sable changes the menu every month, drawing on seasonal ingredients, global flavours, and emotional storytelling, so each visit feels fresh yet rooted in craft. Creative Head and Co‑founder Riona Sable shapes the visual and spatial language of the club with bespoke tableware, rich textures, and warm lighting, creating a layered, intimate mood. Beyond its core services, The Find Atelier will host pop‑ups, artistic collaborations, and cultural gatherings, aiming to be a growing hub for creative exchange in food, design, and lifestyle.
