Mumbai Restaurants Redefining Indian Fine Dining deliver an exceptional gastronomic journey. These establishments combine traditional recipes with modern innovations, offering unique flavors, stunning presentations, and luxurious ambiances. Discover culinary artistry and a reimagined Indian dining experience in Mumbai.
Mumbai Restaurants Redefining Indian Fine Dining
Traditional flavors and time-tested traditions have long shaped Indian cuisine. Nonetheless, a new generation of young chefs is touring the nation, from the southern coasts to the snow-capped Himalayan peaks, in order to find and highlight domestic delicacies.
Mumbai is home to some of the most innovative restaurants. Previously limited to pricey hotels, the city’s fine dining scene is varied, forward-thinking, and fascinating. In this bustling city, chefs are creating dishes that push the boundaries and use fresh, creative storytelling techniques. These are a few of the top ones.
Ekka
Elegant Ekaa combines the charm of Kitab Mahal, the 19th-century neocolonial edifice where it is housed, with Nordic and Japanese influences. Handmade hardwood furniture highlights earthy tones, while local artisans provide the dinnerware and sculpted lamps.
With their restaurant listed among Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023, chef Niyati Rao and her business partner Sagar Neve were featured on Forbes India 30 Under 30 2023.
The meal prioritizes seasonal ingredients and reflects the chefs’ global travels and childhood experiences. Rao suggests the bombil, a regional fish prepared in the Japanese grilling manner with an Indian mango glaze and soy, and served with gor keri, a mango jaggery pickle. It is served with spicy cucumber, dried fish floss, and sticky rice from the area.
Wash it down with the Himalayan Fir cocktail, which combines Indian gin, elderflower, pinewood, lemon, and Nepalese pine leaf infusion to honor India’s landscapes, natural abundance, and Ayurvedic culture.
Avatara
Avatara, meaning “incarnation” in Sanskrit, became the world’s first vegetarian Indian restaurant to earn a Michelin star. The sister restaurant of the renowned Dubai establishment, which debuted in Mumbai earlier this year, incorporates Himalayan-inspired design features, including the tranquility of the Hindu pilgrimage site of Gangotri and the flowing waters of the Alakananda River.
Executive chef Rahul Rana adds, “I want people to see how varied vegetarian Indian food can be and how it’s more than just paneer and potatoes.” “We frequently have diners who are willing to try regional Indian cuisine and are seeking a more sophisticated vegetarian experience.”
Papa’s
Situated above a local sandwich shop, Papa’s provides a sophisticated dining experience that seats up to 12 people at once and has the feel of a laid-back dinner party at a friend’s house.
Executive chef Hussain Shahzad named the restaurant after his mentor, the late chef Floyd Cardoz, lovingly called papaji, or “dad,” in several Indian languages. “His passion for fine dining and his deep love of feeding people inspired us to create a space that’s a tribute to him,” Shahzad explains.
What the Duck, a biryani made using seven-day-dry-aged duck rather of the typical chicken or mutton, is a perfect example of the Papa’s method. To offer a full biryani experience, chefs prepare it using indrayani rice, a regional Indian variety, serve it paella-style (with its crispy crust, known as khurchan), and pair it with smoked aubergine raita and handmade cola.
Additionally, visitors can sample lesser-known items like red weaver ants from the state of Odisha, rabbit meat from Nashik, which lies inland from Mumbai, and lion’s mane mushrooms from Delhi.
Three delicacies served in a formal dining setting: curry leaf, sunchoke chips, and masque podi cashew Mumbai’s Masque
Masque
Aditi Dugar’s father-in-law was a devout Jain vegetarian who would not eat at Masque when it first opened. Although Dugar personally follows the diet, her restaurant offers a variety of non-vegetarian dishes. Masque earned recognition as India’s top restaurant on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023 and 2024 rankings for its consistent innovation and seasonal approach.
In a chic old textile mill, the chefs serve 16-course tasting menus, offering vegetarian and meat-based options. The restaurant’s farm, foraging excursions, and a network of nearby farmers provide the ingredients for each menu, which changes with the seasons. The first course could feature blackened sunchoke with coconut, while the next might present fermented cashew topped with podi, a coarse powder of lentils and spices.
Head Chef Varun Totlani proudly states, “We thoughtfully craft our recipes to celebrate India and its extraordinarily rich culture, food, flavors, techniques, and traditions.” Furthermore, he adds, “The true satisfaction comes from consistently delighting our diners with something innovative and unexpected.”
Meanwhile, Dugar’s father-in-law has wholeheartedly embraced the restaurant’s vision. These days, he not only takes pride in hosting guests there but also enjoys dining regularly, reflecting the restaurant’s growing reputation and personal significance.
Bawri
At Bawri, chef-partner Amninder Sandhu adds a unique twist to traditional regional dishes. According to her, the restaurant combines “warmth that you would feel when you went over to your grandmother’s or relatives’ place after a long time” with “traditions and rituals that you rarely see any more.”
In addition to the opportunity to wash your hands with a copper-hammered surai, which encourages you to dine without cutlery as is customary, you are welcomed with a shower of fresh rose petals upon arrival, which is an ancient Indian custom.
Enjoy lesser-known regional fare like yetti dosa and wild mango curry after settling into one of the private booths or parking at the island bar. Additionally, savor the unique variation of street food, the potato basket chaat—a bird’s nest-shaped dish brimming with soft lentil fritters, or dahi bhalla, in a flavorful blend of spicy, sweet, sour, and crunchy elements.
To conclude your meal, savor the Bawri jamun, a super-sized gulab jamun—India’s beloved dessert—elegantly drizzled with rabri, a spiced condensed milk that adds a rich and satisfying finish to your culinary journey.
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