10 new restaurants and menus in Mumbai and Delhi that should be on your list

With the year coming to an end and the food industry trying to catch up with the festive mood, there has been an uptick in new openings in the past month. From a new rooftop bar to a chic European café, there’s plenty to explore. So, if you’re on the look out to dine at a terrific new restaurant this season, check out this list. 

Mumbai

Native Bombay 

Housed in IF.BE, the same art gallery that has Banyan Tree Café and three art spaces is Mumbai’s latest culinary gem—Native Bombay, that is all about having fun with regional Indian food. The menu spans all the way from Rajasthan and Kashmir to Nagaland, Kerala and Uttarakhand. Choose from the three “Native sets” if you’re indecisive—these are set menus with around 15 dishes that encapsulate the restaurant’s offerings. Or, go for the a la carte option, which features a chaat bar, small plates like paan paneer tikka and Jodhpuri ker sangri, and large plates like Gujarati kadhi and pork vindaloo ribs. Any restaurant serving regional Indian fare wouldn’t miss having an extensive selection of breads, and it’s the same at Native Bombay. From the perfectly crisp and flaky chur chur naan to the stuffed kulcha, you’ll find all your favourites here. The desserts are beloved classics that get the Native treatment—mishti doi comes with salted caramel crumble, and there’s a flambéed rasmalai tres leches too. 

Zerua

Zerua, meaning sky, at Basque, is the newest addition to the list of rooftop restaurants in Mumbai. Enjoy the city’s skyline from the deck or relax in the air-conditioned cabanas at golden hour. The food, curated by chef patron Rakesh Talwar, is a mix of Asian, Mediterranean, and Indian fare—think platters, sushi, pizzas, flatbread, and grilled dishes. There is a wide range of barrel-aged and zero-waste cocktails to sip on too. 

Nava

Meaning ‘new’, Nava is one of the new openings this month that puts the focus on ingredients rather than spotlighting a particular cuisine. The menu follows an ‘art-on-plate’ philosophy, which is evident through the avant-garde plating. Take your pick from dishes like tangy kokum prawns, celeriac steak, pork belly to the slow-cooked lamb tacos. The desserts are just as creative, with the showstopper being the Van Gogh’s The Starry Night-inspired dish that has jasmine custard and passion fruit jelly. 

Bizza 

From the folks behind Bastian is a fun new restaurant that has a chic Italian vibe, with its Amalfi-themed interiors and artisanal wood-fired oven pizzas—called bizza on the menu that have globally-inspired toppings. Try pizzas like artichokes and blue cheese, chimichurri chicken, and the Peking duck. The Instagrammable desserts are all about drama—from an emoji cake to bizza-misu, which is the restaurant’s take on tiramisu. 

Julius

Expect a menu spread across North American, French, and Italian cuisine at Julius, one of the latest openings at Lower Parel’s Palladium mall. The inspiration for the both the food and the drinks is the typical royal feast of the Roman era (hence the name)—think roasted veggies, market salads, heaping plates of pasta, and an assortment of grilled meat and fish. Sample the jambon dé Paris (ham the French way), quail galantine, orchid consummé, and broccoli and blue cheese foam.

Fyole Café

Lower Parel has a new eatery serving traditional café fare—from pastries like croissants, danishes, quiches, and pies to salads and hearty mains that span curries, roasts, and English breakfasts. There is an egg station too, along with sandwiches. 

Ekaa—new cocktail menu

International flavours dominate Ekaa’s new cocktails—the limited-edition menu by Jishnu AJ, the restaurant’s head mixologist, features inspiration and ingredients from his trip to Singapore. There are four new cocktails for you to try—The Elephant Room is a rum-based cocktail, the Papa Doble is a vodka concoction inspired by the no-garnish sustainable cocktail bar Papa Doble. The tequila-based Sago House and Atlas, which is Ekaa’s take on a martini with maraschino cherry liqueur, round up the quartet. 

Masque—new menu

Masque is known for spotlighting hyper-local ingredients and changing their menu according to the seasons. For their new tasting menu, head chef Varun Totlani has curated dishes that will take you on a culinary journey across various states. There’s paan, a plate of sooji puris that come with chewy beets (or barramundi chunks, if you choose the non-vegetarian version), a wholesome bowl of skyu, a Ladakhi thumbprint-shaped buckwheat pasta, and more. The pre-dessert is inspired by North Indian classics—there’s a light rabri mousse with a ghevar shell and carrot toppings that is an ode to gajar halwa. The chocolate-based main dessert highlights the bean-to-bar revolution in the country and is served within the cacao shell itself. 

Delhi

Ophelia, The Ashoka—new Asian menu

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Located in The Ashoka, Ophelia is all about old-school glamour with its Mediterranean-inspired food and drinks. In addition to their existing Turkish and European offerings, now they have a brand-new pan-Asian menu that includes dishes like peri-peri prawns and chicken satay. The truffle prawn sushi and pan-seared salmon shouldn’t be missed if you’re a fan of seafood. 

Bengaluru

Araku—Christmas special 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of Bengaluru’s most buzzing cafes, Araku’s new pantry menu is all about indulgence. From experimental craft bakes like guava kimchi croissant to classics like espresso cake, expect a festive feast. Some of the new specials include vegan corn omellette, chilli pumpkin broth with croissant crunch, and roasted almond custard with passion fruit. The drinks get a holiday makeover too—sip on the Xmas hot chocolate, the hazelnut ginger latte or the mulled coffee among others. 

Lead image: Bizza