Here’s where you should eat this Independence Day weekend in Mumbai 

Independence Day falls on a Friday this year. Yes, the long weekend kicks off with a dry day — but that just means you can save your bar tab for Saturday and Sunday, when Mumbai comes alive. From new restaurants, menus and limited-edition pop-ups to guest bartenders taking over the taps, Mumbai’s restaurants and bars are pulling out all the stops. Whether you are in the mood for a lingering dinner, a one-night-only cocktail experiment, or a full-blown food crawl, here is how to make the most of your extra-long break before Monday rolls back around.

Drift

Perched above The Orangery at Nilaya Anthology in Lower Parel, Drift is Mumbai’s newest all-day café and bar from EHV International — the kind of place that glides effortlessly from breezy brunches and mid-afternoon caffeine fixes to cocktails and candlelit dinners. The mood is European café cool, with a menu that is all about quality ingredients in a space that is as design-led as it is inviting.

Chef Sumit Sawardekar draws on his classical European training to create a lunch and dinner line-up that is equal parts comforting and curious. From 11 am to 11 pm, you will find breakfast classics, sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, and an enviable spread of pâtisserie and viennoiseries. Come mealtimes, expect crisp salads, shareable starters, hearty pastas, and indulgent à la carte desserts. Standouts include the tender gourd, beetroot and fennel salad, blue and goats cheese mille feuille, sunchoke and truffle agnolotti, and smoked chilli prawns. The pâtisserie counter tempts with the Basque cheesecake, chocolate fudge cake, and tiramisu, while the bread rack — stacked with house-baked loaves — adds both aroma and charm to the café’s daily rhythm.

Entrance through Comorin at Nilaya Anthology, Peninsula Corporate Park, Ganpatrao Kadam Marg, Lower Parel (West), Mumbai; for reservations, call 022 35387627

Waarsa

At Waarsa, the spotlight is on Women of Awadh — a limited-edition culinary showcase celebrating the women who have preserved, shaped, and quietly innovated Awadhi cuisine for generations. Curated by writer Anubhuti Krishna (whose pop up ended on August 10) and home chef Sheeba Iqbal of Naimat Khana, the series is as much about stories and memory as it is about flavour, bringing the warmth of home kitchens to the tables of this modern Awadhi restaurant at the NCPA.

From August 15 to 24, Sheeba will take over with a richer, more celebratory spread inspired by her professor-mother’s practical cooking and her marital haveli’s royal daawats — think ghutwan kebab, mutton yakhni pulao, chicken qorma, achhari machli, baingan ka raita with besan ki tikiyan, and desserts like qiwami siwayin, zarda, and ande ka halwa. Each dish will allow diners to taste Awadhi heritage in all its unapologetic abundance.

Waarsa, NCPA Gate 2, NCPA Marg, Nariman Point, Mumbai; for reservations, call 95949 43555

Ekaa

Ekaa flips the script on small plates with a tapas menu from Chef Niyati Rao — six dishes that blend memory, region, and technique into moreish bites. Highlights include Belly, a cured and slow-cooked pork belly glazed with bacon fat and served with house-made salsa macha, and Sassoon, a Malwani-style barramundi fritter topped with flying fish roe tartare and spiced shrimp crumble. Comfort takes an elegant turn in the Home Alone–inspired mac & cheese, with potato dumplings in a white wine-butter sauce.

There is also the vibrant Tomato Tomato, a carpaccio of six heirloom tomato varieties dressed with kokum and Thai coriander; the smoky-spicy Embers, featuring cured chicken thigh and house-made basbaas; and Pudding, a warm corn dessert rich with caramel and buttered corn dust. Pair them with Dwadash — Ekaa’s Ayurvedic-inspired cocktail lineup — for a table full of balance, depth, and flavour.

Cs-1397, 1st Floor, Kitab Mahal, Dr. D.N. Road, Fort, Mumbai;

Seven Kitchens, St. Regis Mumbai

Seven Kitchens at The St. Regis Mumbai is going all out with a one-day-only feast on August 15. Expect an indulgent spread with a modern twist, paired with unlimited premium beverages to keep the celebrations flowing. Expect interactive food stations, live entertainment, and a Vande Mataram string art installation setting the mood. On the menu is a mix of Indian and global flavours, think Tibetan thukpa, a grazing table, asparagus and gruyere ravioli, Bordeaux-style barramundi with haricot and citrus emulsion, Goan grills, Agra ka chaat, and a hearty helping of Parsi bhonu. And because no celebration is complete without dessert, there will be plenty: lagan nu custard, sutarfeni, and other sweet treats.

462, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai; For reservations, call 8657522956

JW Café, JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar

This weekend, head over to JW Café at JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar for Kashmiri wazwan cuisine with Whispers of Wazwan, a festival curated by celebrated chef Tahrik Ahmed Parray. The 10-day showcase includes a Kashmiri-inspired Sunday brunch on August 17, offering a warm, flavour-packed tribute to the valley’s culinary heritage. Start with shorbas — the aromatic chicken yakhni and fragrant vegetarian zafrani — before diving into rich mains like mutton rogan josh, gushtaba, rista, and gaad te mujj. Vegetarians are not left out, with dum aloo, palak nadru, and nafru yakhini all on the table. The finale is just as indulgent: creamy phirni and nutty, spiced shufta, sealing the experience with a sweet taste of Kashmir.

Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, IA Project Rd, Navpada, Vile Parle East, Vile Parle, Andheri, Mumbai; for reservations, call 7710009250

Ode

Ode in Worli is starting a new chapter with a refreshed menu that is still true to Chef Rahul Akerkar’s soulful, memory-driven style. About 22 new dishes join the line-up, with more vegetarian options and the same balance of creativity and comfort.

Highlights include the Bhavnagri chili tempura with sweet potato and romesco, the bucatini peperone carbonara with roasted yellow peppers and ricotta, and the grilled miso napa cabbage caesar with croutons made from Maharashtrian dhondas. There isalso the playful Ode to Prawn cocktail, fig mostarda–topped pulled duck and arugula, and a lobster risotto begging for a cocktail pairing.

Desserts keep things understated but indulgent — think dark chocolate Basque cheesecake, vegan chocolate fudge cake, and truffle crème brûlée. Beloved classics like the BBQ black sesame wings and peruvian spiced chicken remain firmly in place.

Gate No. 4, Raheja Altimus, Pandurang Budhkar Marg, opposite Doordarshan Kendra, B Wing, BDD Chawls Worli, Worli, Mumbai; for reservations, call 90760 31111

KOKO

KOKO in Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad is shaking things up with the second edition of its Polar Menu — a month-long cocktail collection inspired by the peaks of Japan and the sun-kissed deserts of Mexico. Curated by Akash Singh of Pebble Street Hospitality, each pour is a crafted contrast. Sip on First Frost, a crisp sake-mezcal blend topped with rainbow meringue; Smoke Blossom, all floral smoke and rosemary whispers; and North by South, lush with coconut, mezcal, and a salty-smooth finish. There’s the delicate Desert Snow with jasmine foam, the martini-inspired Kimonotini, the fiery-sweet Liquid Fire, and Yin Juan, a jackfruit-shishito chilli creation that dances between heat and harmony.

KOKO Mumbai, C Wing, Trade World, Kamala Mills Compound, Mumbai; For reservations, call: 77159 63030 (Mumbai)

Pass the Salt

Pass The Salt in South Mumbai turns one, and it is celebrating with a first anniversary limited-edition menu (available till August 15) that is as warm, playful, and personal as chef Kruti Sanghvi’s own food journey. Think hearty sandwiches with house-made potato wafers, bold pizzas that travel from the Amalfi coast to fiery Italian kitchens, and Chicago-style deep dish creations built for pure comfort.

The sandwiches are little stories in themselves — the picnic is a grown-up nod to tiffin sandwiches and in-flight meals; the anything was an improvised high-tea hit that stuck; portobello and patty melt packs umami and indulgence for mushroom lovers; and frankly hot! turns buffalo-sauce nostalgia into a fiery cauliflower number.

On the pizza front, limone e tartufo brings lemon peel, confit onion, habanero, candied jalapeño, and truffle cheese together in a sunny, spicy, earthy harmony, while fiamma dials up the heat with chilli-spiked San Marzano passata, sweet onions, garlic, oregano, and extra virgin olive oil. Deep-dish lovers can dive into the wild shroom — a triple-mushroom, gruyère, and mozzarella forest fantasy — or the firehouse, loaded with three cheeses, chilli-kissed sauce, jalapeños, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes.

Desserts are pure joy: coconut panna cotta with salted maple caramel popcorn and lychee sorbet, froot loops tres leches topped with white chocolate chantilly and cereal crunch, chocolate and cherry kiss that nods to black forest decadence, and a playful affogato with chocolate boba.

8/10 Calcot House, Mudhana Shetty Marg, Behind Bombay House Fort, Mumbai; for reservations, call 9892843983

Journal

Journal, the leafy-lane café known for quiet corners and creative comforts, has a new all-day menu that pairs perfectly with the monsoon’s shifting moods. From chilled overnight oat jars in banana cinnamon, mocha crunch, and berry fresh to hearty bowls like the buddha bowl with couscous, chickpeas, avocado, and broccoli, or the asian crunch salad with edamame and pan-fried tofu in creamy peanut butter dressing, every dish is a balance of texture and warmth. Sandwich lovers can opt for katsu sandos — avocado katsu with pickles, asian slaw, and tonkatsu spread in Hokkaido milk bread, or chicken katsu glazed in sweet-spicy gochujang — while the shakshuka puff and cottage cheese puff make flaky, hand-held companions to a hot drink.

Journal’s coffee-first philosophy carries into its drinks menu with seasonal infusions. The jamun coffee tonic blends espresso, jamun pulp, and tonic for a tart lift, while the blue pineapple lemonade adds a tropical brightness. The orange vanilla cold brew is crisp and fragrant, the woody brew warms with orange, elderflower, cinnamon, and cardamom, and matcha variations — matcha yuzu fizz, coconut matcha with jaggery and coconut water, and strawberry matcha — offer grassy, citrusy, or creamy comfort. With flavours that feel familiar yet thoughtful, the new menu is made for grey mornings, humid afternoons, and the quiet after the rain, best enjoyed with a friend, a book, or your own thoughts.

396-3, North Ave, Potohar Nagar, Santacruz (West), Mumbai; for reservations, call 90046 99654

Mokai

At Mokai, the Asian-inspired all-day dining and coffeehouse in Bandra, the new Travellers Monsoon menu collects stories from across Asia, where traditional recipes meet modern twists: the flaky, curry-laced massaman pulled shroom croissant, the deeply satisfying spicy tofu broth bowl, and Samui’s chicken curry noodle bowl with crispy wontons and tender drumsticks in a flavour-rich Thai broth.

Drinks range from the sparkling watermelon cooler with lime and sesame, the collagen matcha with spirulina and ceremonial-grade matcha, and the cereal killer almond latte with espresso, almond paste, and a cereal topping. Mokai is among the first to offer marine collagen as an add-on for a wellness twist. Desserts round off the journey, from the gooey nostalgia of hot chocolate french toast made with Hokkaido milk bread and Valrhona hot chocolate, to the lighter strawberry mochi — chewy, fruity, and eggless.

Chapel Rd, St Sebastian Colony, Ranwar, Bandra West, Mumbai; for reservations, call 9820062166

Social’s new menu

Social has rolled out The Big Drop, its new menu, across 55+ outlets in 10 cities, including plenty right here in Mumbai. It is an all-day menu refresh that brings inventive flavour, playful new formats, and presentation-forward plates, all while keeping the cult favourites. Think fresh additions like ramen bowls (yes, with a desi spin), breakfast sandwiches, thalis, dunkables for chai time, and a whole new slate of snacks, burgers, and desserts.

Start your morning with buttery avocado toast, anda kheema ghotala, or one of the new breakfast trays. Slurp your way through Kerala prawn stew ramen or nihari mutton ramen. Graze on golgappa, toast-e-galawati, popcorn chicken momos, or gochujong glazed mushrooms. If you are after something hearty, the vegetarian and non-vegetarian tiffins, pulled mutton nihari, or pepper chicken with black rice congee will sort you out. And do not skip the sweet endings — banoffee pie, dessert nachos, or a slice of basque cheesecake.