10 Best Places to eat with Locals in Mumbai

A breakfast table set by Engin_Akyurt – Pixabay

10 Best Places to eat with Locals in Mumbai

Mumbai is a densely populated city on India’s west coast. A financial center, it’s India’s largest city. People who have been living in Mumbai for years vouch for the fact that the city never sleeps. Owing to its dense population, Mumbai is plagued with nagging fears of intestinal distress, many first-time visitors approach the city, and particularly its food with caution bordering on paranoia. Their cuisine focuses on the historic south and central suburbs where visitors are likely to spend their time at the expense of more distant, and increasingly populous suburbs.

Mumbai is a food-lovers paradise. From quaint old Irani Cafes to the Khao Gali to being home to some of the world’s best restaurants, Mumbai has it all. You can find everything from traditional Persian cuisine to more continental and international cuisine.

Here are the 10 best places to eat with locals in Mumbai.

1. Diva Maharashtracha

Diva Maharashtracha is a classic Indian restaurant with opulent interior plates of meat & veggie Maharashtrian dishes. The restaurant is located at Mili Building, Takandas Kataria Marg, next to Goa Portuguesa Restobar, T.H, Shivaji Park, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400016, India. The restaurant opens daily from 12 pm to 12 am. 

The founder Dr. Suhas Awchat, states that the restaurant is dedicated to the proud Marathi cuisine of Maharashtra which was never celebrated. The restaurant has more than 150 Vegetarian, Non- Vegetarian, and seafood delicacies with live music from various regions of Maharashtra.

Their cuisine was researched, standardized, and presented by Author and Masterchef Deepa Suhas Awchat of the two globally acclaimed restaurants Goa Portuguesa and Dakshin Culture Curry. They recommend reservations that are made via their website. 

2. The Table

A chef in the kitchen by Marcella Villegas – Pixabay

The Table, one of India’s most celebrated restaurants, has welcomed guests to enjoy its globally inspired cuisine and hospitality since its opening in 2011. Located in the iconic Kalapesi Trust Building, Ground Floor, opposite Dhanraj Mahal, Apollo Bandar, Colaba area of Mumbai, The Table has been a trailblazer within the national restaurant community. The restaurant opens daily from 12 noon to 11 pm.

From introducing the concept of small and large plates to providing a true farm-to-table experience with produce from its farm, The Table continues to be at the forefront of Indian hospitality. The Table draws inspiration from each corner of the globe, from America, Italy, and France, to China, Thailand, Japan, and beyond. Utilizing these influences, they offer a dynamic menu thus creating a diverse and exciting experience for our guests. Visit their website to get a glimpse of their menu and make your reservations which are required before visiting. 

3. Ankur The Coastal Bistro

Established in 1941, Ankur is a stylish restaurant preparing Mangalorean & Canara regional food. The restaurant is located at 77, Meadows House, M Shetty Marg, Kala Ghoda, Fort, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400023, India. They open daily from 12 noon to 11:30 pm. Ankur is known to serve some of the best fish and shellfish around.

The restaurant specializes in mild, home-style cooking from the coastal city of Mangalore. Their most recommended dishes include; Clams sukha fried with coconut and spices, Kerala prawns hot with crushed peppercorns, and fish thekkady that is surprisingly delicate under a brilliant red spice rub. All this is best eaten with plate after plate of light-as-air neer dosa, gossamer-thin steamed rice flatbreads.

4. Masque

Restaurant Dinner tables – Pixabay

Masque is located at Masque, Unit G3, Shree Laxmi Woollen Mills, Shakti Mills Lane, Off, Dr Elijah Moses Rd, Mahalakshmi, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400011, India, has modern Indian set menus with foraged ingredients in an eclectic, high-ceilinged industrial space.

Also known as a  “wilderness-to-table” restaurant, Masque is an ingredient-driven restaurant that aims to provide a first-of-its-kind 10-course tasting menu.

Their menu is dependent on the seasons and the local produce. Their main focus is to transform the traditional into the modern, emphasizing using local produce. The menu includes dishes like Smoked Mackerel on Buckwheat toast and modern dishes that take inspiration from the traditional. 

They require reservations that are made via their website. The restaurant opens from Tuesday to Sunday from 7:30 am to 11:30 pm.

5. Yauatcha Mumbai

A modern incarnation of a traditional Chinese teahouse, Yauatcha offers Mumbai a social space to connect with all aspects of the restaurant. From the people, the space, and the experience while enjoying authentic dim sum. The restaurant is a contemporary dim sum teahouse and patisserie.

The restaurant is located at Raheja Tower, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra East, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400051, India. They open daily from 12pm to 1:30am. They require reservations which are made via their website. The minimal décor, soft music and dim lighting will compliment your dining experience and offer contemporary Cantonese cuisine at its finest.

The menu offers modern Cantonese cuisine and dim sums of all kinds, from baked to grilled and from steamed to grilled. In addition, the patisserie provides macarons, chocolates, and petits gateaux and is supplemented with the bar inspired by tea and tradition.

6. Gajalee

A couple eating in a restaurant by sasint – Pixabay

Gajalee offers a multicuisine fare featuring Malwani, Maharashtrian & North Indian dishes in a casual ambiance. Their address is adamgiri Complex Hanuman Road, next to Icici Bank, Vile Parle East, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400057, India. They open daily from 11am to 11:30pm. 

Gazalee restaurant, close to the domestic airport and buzzing Vile-Parle market, delivers on what it promises, authentic seafood from Malvan, a small coastal town in the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra. It is famous for traditional fish delicacies, mangoes, and beautiful beaches.

Food from this region is lovingly called Malvani food, Mumbai’s favorite meal. Restaurant specialties include;  Rice and Fish Curry, Fried Fish, Prawns Curry/Fry, Bombil Fry, Bombay Duck, Tisrya clams, Masala, Tandoori/Stuffed crabs, and Sol Kadi. Reservations are required before visiting.

7. Naaz Hotel Family Restaurant

Naaz Hotel Family Restaurant is a multicuisine restaurant offering standard North Indian and Chinese food in laid-back surroundings. The restaurant is located at Kantharia Mahal, Lal Bahadur Shastri Rd, Opposite phoenix market city, Kurla West, Kurla, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400070, India. While it’s taunted as a hidden gem, the restaurant offers brilliant food and absolute value for money. They open daily from 10 am to 12 am. 

The menu is a mix of kebabs, biryanis and decadent Indian desserts, and familiar comfort food that hits the spot each time. This unassuming restaurant gets very crowded on a regular day, therefore reservations are required to be made via their website. 

8. Ziya Restaurant

Outdoor Restaurant by pixel 2013 – Pixabay

Ziya is an opulent hotel dining room with panoramic views that offers contemporary Indian cuisine served through a western lens. Their address is The Oberoi, Mumbai, Nariman Point, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400021, India. They open daily from 12:30 pm to 11 pm. 

Their menus are crafted by Michelin star chef Vineet Bhatia, and whether you choose from the a la carte options or the gourmand menu, you are guaranteed a delightful experience. They require reservations that are made via their website. 

With a gorgeous view of the Mumbai waterfront at Nariman Point, along with the experience of contemporary Indian cuisine, Ziya is a diner’s paradise. With an equally expressive wine menu to complement, you’re guaranteed an unforgettable experience.

9. San: Qi

Located at Four Seasons Hotel, Mumbai, San-Qi is a Pan-Asian experience. The menu offers a wide-ranging cuisine, with food from North India to Japan, China, and Thailand. Complemented with a wide range of international and local wines, at San-Qi, you are likely to be dining with the stars.

They open daily from 6:30 am to 3 pm. Visit their website to view their menu and make reservations which are required before visiting. The menu is an amalgamation of Asian cuisines, and the sweets menu rivals the main one. Their signature dishes include the DongPo-Style Braised Pork Belly, the Dum Gosht Briyani, and the Ika-Okura Nori.

At San-Qi, you are guaranteed a pleasant experience regardless of the time of day you choose to eat there. The wine selection is extensive. It has everything, from a hand-picked selection from Bordeaux to the best blends from local wineries in Nashik.

10. Trèsind Mumbai

Trèsind Mumbai is one of the best modern Indian restaurants, the self-dubbed “Birthplace of innovative Indian cuisine”, is a place that combines traditional Indian cuisine with molecular gastronomy to offer the very best of Indian cuisine. They’re located at Ground Floor Inspire BKC E, G Block BKC, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra East, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400051, India. They open daily from 12 pm to 12 am.

The ten-course tasting menu highlights Trésind’s dining culture; it will immerse your sense to give you the very best of Indian cuisine. The menu aims to showcase the strengths of Indian cuisine and offer traditional dishes with a modernistic approach. Visit their website to explore their menu and make reservations that are required before visiting them.

With tasteful décor and aesthetics complementing your meal, Trésind takes you on a pan-Indian journey that will redefine the Indian fine-dining experience by the time you are done.