An Insider’s Guide to Mumbai

After two years of living in Bombay, I’ve definitely learned a thing or two about living like a local in this wild city.

In a piece that I wrote for The Fullest, I described it like this:

Surrounded by the Arabian Sea, Mumbai is a buzzing, dizzying destination that’s equal parts chaos and allure. As India’s city of dreams, it has been mesmerizing travelers for hundreds of years… and for good reason. The intoxicating madness is often overwhelming for first-timers and, while it’s undoubtedly an assault on your senses, the creative culture, fresh vibe, and wildly delicious food are captivating.

Visiting for the first time in exactly one year since moving back to the states, I stepped back into some of my favorite hotspots and was reminded of just how much I adore this city. I was also reminded of how cool it is to be a traveler or expat living here.

Compared to other creative, must-explore cities around the world, there aren’t very many in-the-know resources available for discovering local insight on Mumbai. At least not very many that give a true depiction of what it’s like to travel like an insider in this city. Understandably so, since it is one of those places that you just need to visit to truly understand it. But, since receiving Instagram DMs from expats asking for recommendations on where to live and friends planning visits wondering where they should grab a drink—I decided that I’d put together a mini-guide with all of the the places that I love and suggest to anyone who asks.

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NEIGHBORHOODS:

Lower Parel, an old mills district transformed into modern office buildings, malls, hip restaurants, bars, and rooftop clubs.

South Mumbai is ‘Old Mumbai’ or Town, as locals put it. This includes Colaba, with its seaside promenade that begins at the Gateway of India, passing high-end fashion boutiques and the iconic Taj Mahal Palace hotel, Colaba Causeway lined with decades-old cafes, hip modern restaurants and outdoor stalls, and the Fort area which is was the first part of the city to be developed by the British, filled with museums, galleries, artsy cafes, and loads of heritage. For anyone that’s read Shantaram—this is the area you’ll know of Mumbai.

Juhu, a beachy locale in the suburbs of the city. It’s not exactly the kind of beach you’ll lounge around on in a bikini but it’s definitely a good area to grab a drink and watch the sunset.

BKC (Bandra Kurla Complex), is the fast-growing business & financial district of the city. It’s packed with a bunch of delicious restaurants, a few bars, and spots like JioWorld Garden—where events like The Lil Flea and music festivals happen.

Bandra West, where I lived and spent about 97% of my time outside of the occasional day trip to town, night out in Kamala Mills, or pitstop in Juhu. Bandra is a hip, laid-back suburb filled with old-world bungalows, stylish cafes, and chic boutiques. It’s my absolute favorite part of the city and the place I call home. Definitely take some time to wander along the suburb’s leafy lanes (Perry Road and St. Andrews Road are good starting points) to get a good feel for it.

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GETTING THERE & AROUND:

I’ve flown between New York and Mumbai dozens of times, experiencing Etihad, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Air India, Air France, and Delta. The new nonstop Delta flight from JFK takes the cake, in my eyes. If you can manage this one—do it.

For getting around…there’s rickshaws, Ubers, Ola (local Uber), cabs, and trains which are only for the familiarized and the adventurous.

In my opinion, Uber-Auto is the best. Cheap and efficient—it’s a lot easier than hailing a rickshaw and explaining where you need to go (drivers do not typically speak English). For a 15-minute ride, I was charged 72 cents. Seriously. The best.

Rickshaws are not available beyond the sea-link but taxis and Ubers are…Just keep in mind that the roads are pretty congested so prepare to leave early and be stuck in traffic no matter what time of day it is (unless it’s the middle of the night).

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GOOD TO KNOW:

Mumbai has three main seasons: summer, winter and monsoon. Summer (April-Mid-June) is very hot and humid, usually unbearably so for anyone that’s not adjusted to it. Monsoon months (Mid-June-Mid-September) and the rainfall is intense. Monsoon season is when I’d definitely avoid visiting. Winter (November-February) is dry with warm days and mild evenings. If you ask me, these are the best times to visit:

December & January. The very best, least-sticky weather. Nights can sometimes be a little chilly—it’s my favorite time to be in Mumbai!

October/November & February/March. Post-monsoon, there’s very little rain and it’s the best time of the year for festivals. October and March are still pretty warm but pleasant enough to plan a visit. November and February are at the start and end of winter so it will be a bit cooler.

Now, some other things you need to know…Don’t drink the tap water. Don’t even brush your teeth with it. Use bottled water and always ask your waiter to let you open the bottle yourself while at restaurants so that you can be sure that the seal hasn’t been broken. Ask for drinks without ice, cocktails included, and don’t order smoothies or anything of the sort. Until you’re acclimated, you don’t want to risk it.

When it comes to the food, just be cautious. If you’re new to the city or India, as a whole, it’s advised that you stay away from street food and anything uncooked. So, no salad, no raw vegetables, only fruit that you can peel—you get it.

I’ve often been asked how I got around without speaking Hindi and that’s really no problem in Mumbai. Everyone speaks English, for the most part. You’ll have no problem with waiters and bartenders. Menus and signage will also be in English.

THINGS TO BRING HOME:

Spices. Ayurvedic supplements. Palo Santo and crystals. Your birth chart. Fresh Blue Tokai Coffee. Handmade goods & clothing from indie brands at Vintage Garden in Bandra. Art from Kulture Shop. Leather goods from Napa Dori. Bags & dresses from Cord. Gifts for family and friends from Clove in Colaba. Antiques from Chor Bazaar. Clothing and home goods from Nicobar…Come ready with an extra suitcase!

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EAT:

• Kitchen Garden — there are a handful of these organic cafes around Mumbai but the one in Bandra was always a go-to. I’d stop multiple times a week for a green juice, an avocado caesar salad, or made-to-order sandwich. It’s healthy and so good.
• Fatty Bao — this is one of my favorite restaurants in the city for Japanese food and dim sum, with quirky decor and outdoor seating.
• Sequel Juice Bar — a health food eatery with a salad bar and upscale setting. It’s expensive by Bombay standards but I love this place.
• Pali Bhavan — the interiors of this restaurant are just beautiful and reason enough to pay a visit. Serving Indian food with a contemporary twist, the butter chicken is so, so, so delicious.
• The Village Shop — if you’re a clean eater, this is the place for you! There are lots of vegan and gluten free options available. Located on the corner of a small lane in Bandra, it’s quiet and peaceful.
• Birdsong Cafe — just off of Hill Road in Bandra, you’ll find this charming organic cafe. The menu is inspired by by Continental, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Mexican and Indian cuisines, with vegan, GF, keto, veg and non-veg options.
• Bombay Canteen — if you’ve watched David Chang’s Ugly, Delicious on Netflix (if you haven’t, you should go watch it right now), you may have heard about Bombay Canteen! It’s a memorable spot with innovative, regional Indian dishes.
• Pa Pa Ya — my boyfriend and I had a special date night here and it was insanely delicious. The contemporary pan-Asian menu has lots of options and we’ve never ordered something that we didn’t like love.
• Theobroma — come here when you have a sweet-tooth craving. The red velvet and overload brownies are drool worthy.
• Indigo Deli — there are so many things that I love on this menu. If you’re craving some craft cocktails and super satisfying food, go here.
• Bastian — known for its brunch and seafood, Bastian is a chic spot to grab a bite.
• Suzette — croques, crepes and quintessential French snacks are served at down-to-earth cafe.
• The Table — everyone in Bombay knows of The Table. Go here for the food and try the truffle fries.
• Pali Village Cafe — an escape from the bustling streets of Bandra. It’s great for brunch and dimly lit in the evening…making it ideal for a date night.
• Mamagoto — epic South Asian dishes in a cool space.
• The Pantry — a super cute place for healthy brunch in Kala Ghoda.
• O Pedro — from the folks at Bombay Canteen, O Pedro is a celebrated Goan restaurant in BKC that’s definitely worth a visit.
• Sweetish House Mafia — just order the Nutella cookies, you won’t be disappointed.
• Trishna — widely regarded as the city’s best seafood restaurant.
• Soho House — there’s so many things that I love on the Soho House menu. Mumbai Fried Chicken, the Thai curry, the butter chicken, the mac and cheese. Come hungry.

There are a lot of other places that I really love for late-nights and munchies but only became adventurous enough to risk my stomach and try them after about 6-12 months of living here (Ray’s Pizza, Bachelorr’s, Sheetal—I’m looking at you). If you want all of those recommendations, send me a message!

COFFEE + COCKTAILS:

• Blue Tokai Coffee — Blue Tokai roasts some of my favorite coffee of all time! There are seven of these cafes all around the city, each with its own vibe. My favorite place to caffeinate and chill.
• Monkey Bar — a modern and a funky gastropub with fun music.
• The Daily — this was a go-to spot for my friends and I to meet up and catch up. With nightly DJs and tables outside, it can get really crowded. But it’s fun!
• Candies — an iconic Bandra staple, in an old neighborhood bungalow. The colorful cafe is a fun place to grab a some tea or a coffee.
• Koinona Coffee Roasters — this teeny tiny coffee shop is tucked into Chuim Village in Bandra, down a somewhat hard to find lane. Roasting organic coffee on site, it’s a cozy and chic spot.
• Cafe Mondegar — a popular, well-known spot in South Bombay. Cafe Mondegar is the perfect place to bring someone for a beer on their first trip to the city.
• 145 — the later it gets, the louder 145 gets. It’s a lively place to go out on nearly any night of week.
• Irish House — this chilled out Irish pub is a spot I’d sometime visit after work for a beer or sangria, and appetizers. It reminds me of the states, in a nostalgic, comforting sort of way.
• Estella — an upscale, beachfront restaurant / bar in Juhu that I would rather visit for drinks than food. Sleek and chic, it has an enviable sunset view.
• Doolally Taproom — India’s first microbrewery with three outlets in Mumbai.
• Bonobo — trendy and chill. Bonobo is known for hosting cool music gigs all weekend long.
• Bar Stock Exchange — a well-known chain of bars among locals. I’d suggest the one on Linking Road in Bandra.
• White Owl — an award-winning brewery renowned for handcrafting beer using the finest of natural ingredients from around the world.
• Leopold Cafe — another iconic staple in Bombay. One of the first sites to be targeted during the 26/11 terror attacks in 2008, the over-a-century-old Irani cafe has been converted into a pub and is particularly popular with foreigners.
• Escobar — when I think of Escobar I think of Bollywood music. This is where you’ll find people taking shots and dancing inside and out until the lights come on.
• Soho House — drinks on the Soho House rooftop are a must.

CHILL:

• Soho House Mumbai, if you’re a Soho House member you need to visit this one and catch a sundowner on the rooftop.
• Kala Ghoda, this area of the city will very quickly remind you of just how creative Mumbai is. Filled with designer cafes, boutiques, and indie galleries, you can easily spend the entire day exploring around this crescent-shaped district. Make the most of it by visiting in February and grabbing a ticket to the edgy Kala Ghoda Arts Festival.
• Razzberry Rhinoceros, for beachfront drinks and events.
• Yoga House, for yoga and hanging.
• The Quarter, for jazz music and other cool gigs.
• Bandstand, for a sunrise or sunset walk (or drive).