New menus in Mumbai to try this weekend

In a city that never sits still, it makes sense that its restaurants do not either. Mumbai, with its restless energy and ever-curious diners, thrives on reinvention. And nowhere is that more apparent than in the way restaurants constantly refresh their menus.

It is not just about jumping on trends (though there is plenty of that too). It is about staying relevant in a city where nothing stays shiny and new for too long. New menus help draw regulars back in, give first-timers something to be curious about, and keep the kitchen buzzing with creativity. Even if you have your go-to favourites, the thrill of having a new set of choices is hard to resist. It is what keeps the scene dynamic. And if you are wondering what to try next, here are some of the city’s newest menus to look forward to — seasonal updates, chef specials, and a few unexpected twists.

Otoki, Colaba

Introducing a new layer to Mumbai’s culinary landscape, Otoki — Colaba’s newly opened destination for Japanese dining —unveils its thoughtfully curated lunch menu. Titled The Art of Lunch, this offering reimagines the midday meal as a serene ritual, infused with balance, beauty, and cultural mindfulness.

Guided by the Japanese philosophy of washoku (the harmony of food)each dish is crafted with seasonal balance, freshness, and soulful depth. Curated by Chef Mohit Singh, whose culinary journey includes stints at Kikunoi Honten (Kyoto), Indee (Bangkok), and Boury (Belgium), the menu brings together ingredient-led dishes shaped by traditional techniques and modern sensibilities. Guests can expect delicate wan mono (soups), flavour-rich kozara (small plates) like agedashi tofu and katsu fish sando, handcrafted nigiri and maki rolls, ramen, and comforting lunch-friendly offerings with bento boxes and donburi bowls in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian varieties.

Ground Floor, Pheroze Building, 5, Apollo Bandar, Colaba; for reservations, call 98331 65555

Lotus Café, JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu

Adding a burst of aromatic flair to the city’s dining calendar, JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu teams up with Al Bustan Palace, A Ritz-Carlton Hotel, to present Flavors of the Middle East: A Middle Eastern Culinary Showcaseat Lotus Café. Running from August 16 to 24, with a Middle Eastern-inspired Sunday brunch on the 24th, this limited-time festival brings the soul of Levantine and Arabic cuisine to Mumbai.

Spearheaded by Sous Chef Rabih El Yantani, a culinary veteran with over three decades of experience in Lebanese and regional kitchens, the menu will include slow-cooked Omani shuwa lamb with saffron rice, grilled kastaleta chops, and tender shish taouk skewers. Mezze classics like hummus, baba ghanoush, tabbouleh, falafel, and mana’eesh will set the tone for a leisurely, communal-style meal. The live cooking stations will also feature comforting staples like mujadara and ful medames, along with a seafood platter brimming with lobster, prawns, calamari, and seasonal catch.

Lotus Café, JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu; reservations via hotel concierge

Gallops, Mahalaxmi Racecourse

As Mumbai gears up for Navroz, Gallops invites diners to ring in the Parsi New Year with a generous helping of nostalgia, spice, and celebration. From August 12 to 24, their Navroz Special Menu captures the sweet-sour soul of Parsi cuisine. Expect a line-up that is equal parts traditional and tongue-in-cheek. Starters include the green chutney-stuffed, crumb-fried Pestonji’s chutney pattice and faredoon na farcha — Gallops’ playful tribute to KFC. There is also the aflatoon akuri served with home-baked khari.

Mains bring a hearty, homespun flair: the cult-favourite sexy salli boti with melt-in-mouth mutton and crisp potato straws, the aromatic machhi na curry, and dhan dar prawn patio — a triad of dal, rice, and a sweet-sour prawn gravy. For purists and the quietly curious, the secret dhansak daal will hopefully deliver all the comfort of a Parsi Sunday.

Desserts are where Gallops truly tugs at the heartstrings — udvada nu mango ice cream, lovji na lagan nu custard, and dudh na puff promise a sugar high. And yes, Parsi Dairy Farm’s kulfi makes an appearance, because some things never go out of style.

Gallops, Mahalaxmi Racecourse, Mumbai; reservations via @gallopsmumbai

Ishaara, Lower Parel

Rediscovering India’s regal culinary tapestry, Ishaara, best known for spotlighting overlooked traditions and regional richness, introduces The Gourmet Begum, a new limited-time menu under its swaad initiative. The experience brings to life the lost dastarkhaan of Awadh, reinterpreting age-old dishes through the lens of refined modern gastronomy.

Curated by Sunnaeya Kapur, a descendent of one of Lucknow’s royal families, the menu stems from rarely seen recipes like arbi ke shaami and kofta-e-gulnar to timeless treasures like galawat kebab and the surprisingly bold lassun ki kheer.

Ishaara, Level 1, Palladium Mall, Lower Parel; reservations via @ishaaraindia

The Dimsum Room, Kala Ghoda

Tucked away in a quiet corner of Kala Ghoda, The Dimsum Room unveils a newly imagined menu that is a soulful tribute to Hong Kong’s street-side stalls, tea houses, and fine-dining rooms, reinterpreted for Mumbai by culinary director chef Mrigank Singh.

Mrigank’s new menu includes over 55 variations, including two standout categories: peking dumplings served in a warm spiced soy broth (think chicken with corn and white pepper or shrimp with chilli crab), and the fiery Sichuan peanut and chilli dressing dumplings with combinations like lamb with soy and mustard leaf or mixed greens with zucchini and chilli.

Larger plates include lavish wok-tossed indulgences like lobster butter garlic noodles, Hainanese chicken rice, twice-cooked lamb chops, and a daily-roasted cantonese duck. The bowls section brings comfort and soul with Singaporean curry noodles, dan dan noodles, lou rou fan, and Sichuan eggplant stir-fry.

Desserts do not shy away from playfulness either — sweet mango buns, Hong Kong-style french toast, and Mandarin panna cotta end things on a bright note. All of this plays out against the backdrop of The Dimsum Room’s much-loved Listening Room, where curated music deepens the dining experience.

3rd floor, Building 30, K Dubash Marg, Kala Ghoda, Fort; for reservations, call +91 98677 11017

Amaru, Bandra

At Amaru, cocktails become storytelling devices. Its newest menu, The Sakura Maru Journey, is a 13-cocktail narrative that takes inspiration from a historic 1899 voyage — when 790 Japanese migrants boarded a ship to Peru. The drinks are divided into chapters, each capturing a different emotion or memory through carefully chosen ingredients.

You might start with Toki Tori, a crisp, green apple and jalapeño tequila cocktail that marks the leap into the unknown, or Albahaca, a smoky and herbaceous mezcal drink that evokes the heat of tropical waters. Geisha Style is light and floral, while Heiki Ko folds whiskey and smoked cinnamon into something quietly powerful. Midway through, the drinks grow bolder and more layered — Nikkei Noir blends yuzu, kaffir lime, and wine with whiskey to reflect cultures in collision, and Esta Caliente dials up the heat with a watermelon-and-jalapeño mix that is finished with spicy foam.

The menu closes with heavier, darker pours: Imperial Old Fashioned is rich with whiskey and coffee bitters, Con John is fruit-forward with vodka and pomegranate soju, and Peruano, the final sip, layers parmesan-infused mezcal with coconut and pineapple to reflect a land that was once unfamiliar, but is now home. Guests can opt for individual pours or a curated flight of four cocktails (₹2500 plus taxes or ₹3000 plus taxes).

Amaru, Bandra West, Mumbai’; reservations via @amaru_mumbai

Sixteen33, Bandra

The neighbourhood bar that Bandra’s been buzzing about has made daytime drinking feel a little more celebratory. Known for its fiery picantes and lively vibe, the bar recently crossed a milestone: over 1,500 picantes poured in a single month. Now, it is showing love back to the community with a new ritual: the Bottomless Picante Brunch, held every Sunday from 1 pm to 4 pm.

At ₹3,000 (plus taxes) per head, guests are treated to unlimited pours that includes everything from sangrias, wines, and gin cocktails to espresso martinis, beer, whiskey sours, vodka-based drinks, and of course, picantes. The food lineup leans indulgent, with a rotating menu that draws from house favourites and bar snacks that hit all the right notes. Think hummus and crispy okra to start, followed by baked nachos, edamame truffle dimsums, thyme-grilled veg and cheese croissant sandwiches, chicken strips, and butter garlic prawns. There’s also honey sriracha crispy chicken, chicken and cheese purple dimsums, build-your-own poke bowls, pesto chicken pizza, and classic margherita.

16th and 33rd Cross Rd, Pali Hill, Mumbai; for reservations, call 9758999555