If you are curious about food and drink, there is always something new in Mumbai. While some celebrate Indian flavours, others experiment with global cuisines, and then there are the rest that give you a new perspective to food altogether.
With the festive season underway, Mumbai is buzzing with new food and drink menus that explore a wide variety of delicacies and if you are wondering how to go about choosing them, here is a new menu food guide for every palate:
Comfort food
Varsoo celebrates the Dal & Dhokli Festival, an ode to one of the most beloved comfort dishes through a menu inspired by different regions of India. From the grains and ingredients used to the gravies they are paired with, the menu presents eight distinctive preparations.
The journey begins close to home with Kathiawadi Dhokli, where soft dumplings are simmered in a tomato-based vegetable broth, and Rasiya Dhokli, featuring methi dumplings in a tangy yoghurt gravy. The menu also celebrates indigenous grains through dishes like Jowar Dal Dhokli, where jowar dumplings are paired with a flavourful dal, and Bajra Gavar Dhokli, which combines bajra and bottle gourd dumplings with cluster beans and yoghurt.
Rajasthan inspires two preparations: the hearty Rajasthani Dal Dhokli, with soft wheat dhoklis in a robust dal, and Makai Dal Dhokli, a traditional favourite featuring maize flour dumplings served with dal. The menu moves beyond lentil-based preparations with Phansi Dhokli & Jowar Rotis, a comforting green bean preparation thickened with jowar dhoklis, and Walor Dhokli & Puris, where broad beans tempered with ajwain are paired with methi dhoklis.
At its heart, the menu celebrates the versatility of dal and dhokli and the many ways in which a familiar dish can evolve across regions.
Where: Varsoo, GirgaonWhen: OngoingTime: 11:30 am to 10:30 pm (all days)Price: Rs 550 onwardsCall: +91 9833700300 or 9833700400 for reservations
Flavourful shots
Shooters have usually been about getting the night started, but The Nook in Bandra is giving them a little more personality. The café and bar has introduced a new 10-shooters menu that plays around with nostalgic flavours, unexpected combinations and some seriously fun names.
From coffee and cream to strawberry, chilli, butterscotch and even Sour Patch, the menu is designed to make Shooters more than just a quick drink. They are priced at Rs 750.
The menu includes whiskey-based The Green Tea Shooter, Buttery Nipples, Lemon Drop, Berry Dangerous, The Sour Gay, Birthday Cake, Reverse Baby Guinness, Syringe Shooter, Booty Fire, and After Eight.
Where: 10 am to 12 amWhen: OngoingTime: 10 am to 12 amCall: 099679 69143
Celebratory new menu
Onrique in Santacruz marks two years with a new menu that celebrates unique flavours. The new menu features an exciting selection of dishes that bring together unexpected combinations while retaining a sense of comfort and familiarity.
It includes Avocado Patta Chaat reimagines a much-loved Indian street food classic with a contemporary touch, while the Watermelon Burrata Chaat brings together juicy watermelon and creamy burrata with the familiar flavours of chaat. The Burrata Makhani with Focaccia pairs the richness of a beloved Indian makhani preparation with the comfort of freshly baked focaccia, creating a dish that is indulgent yet approachable.
The menu continues its exploration of regional flavours with the Daab Chingri with Coconut Rice, drawing inspiration from Bengali flavours and the distinctive use of tender coconut. The Mushroom Ghee Roast brings the deep, aromatic character of a South Indian ghee roast to a vegetarian preparation, while the Thai Chicken Krapao captures the fragrant, savoury and spicy notes of Thai cuisine. Rounding off the selection is the Parsi Salli Kheema with Soft Rolls, bringing the comforting flavours of Parsi cuisine to the table in a format designed for sharing and enjoying.
Where: Onrique, Santacruz West When: Ongoing Time: 2 pm – 1:30 amCall: +91 8097572100 or +91 8097572101 for details
Journey on the Grand Trunk Road
Among the many new menus in Mumbai, Taftoon in Bandra Kurla Complex stands out for its unique flavours as it explores a cocktail menu inspired by the Grand Trunk Road starting with Afghanistan and travelling through the Khyber Pass, Punjab, Rajasthan, Delhi, Panipat, Lucknow, Varanasi, Patna, West Bengal and Chittagong.
Called ‘Adventures on the Grand Trunk Road: Volume 1’ through a colourful cocktail book full of stories about the inspiration behind the 11 drinks curated by city-based bartender Casilda Misquitta and the team, the menu takes what you would usually expect on the plate and puts it in to a glass with flavours across India and the world.
Starting with Afghanistan’s Khanbaba’s Dhaba, the cocktail has an interesting mix of d peated whisky, roasted almond ice cream, Aperol, smoked dry chillies and Afghan char masala bitters. The Khyber Pass, Call of the Valley brings together gin, sherry oloroso, roasted coriander seed tincture and dry apricot pickle.
If you are adventurous, try the Sun & Gold of Punjab showcased through mustard-oil-washed tequila, carrot chilli cordial and dry vermouth. In Delhi, Dil Ka Darbaar draws from an encounter in the lanes of Shahjahanabad, bringing together vodka, raw mango-tamarind cordial, Lillet Blanc and puri tincture, inspired by the capital’s chart culture.
The Fate of Sun takes its cues from Rajasthan, combining mint, pomegranate and subtle chilli, while in Lucknow, The Courtesan’s Puzzle comes about with Campari, sweet vermouth, mogra, charred sumac and pineapple soda.
While Fields of Citrus brings together Gondhoraj lime, passion fruit, Fino sherry and clarified puffed rice, the one from Varanasi with Depths of Water, a tribute to the city’s paan culture that brings together gin, Lillet Rosé, lemon gulkand and paan soda, feels like a refreshing dessert.
Where: Taftoon, BKCWhen: Ongoing Time: 12 noon to 12:30 am Call: 022 4973 5748 for more details
Love trying out new food and drink? Check out these new menus in Mumbai
