We’ve all got a favourite bar — and it’s even better when we have a list of favourites for different types of drinks! For those who haven’t made up their mind yet, Dev Goswami & Pooja Salvi are rounding up the best bars to go to for different concoctions
Perched on the rooftops of five-star hotels, nestled in the nooks and crannies of the bustling city, comfortably grounded down the road... there’s a new bar, an old bar, a famous bar — everywhere you turn in the city there will be one. While Mumbai’s nightlife does almost every bar justice, all the options make it difficult for us to pick just one to visit. But, whether you’ve got a hankering for craft beer, suddenly feel like a glass of fine wine or wish you could sip on a Martini that James Bond would love, there’s a bar for you somewhere in the city. Here’s what’s on our list!
Best for: Shots!
Shots are great, but they’re usually very expensive. However, we’ve found places that serve the most delicious kind, at the best prices!
He Said
She Said
Among the many bars that are tucked away in the quaint corners of Andheri, He Said She Said is a popular choice for its delicious shots. The quirky décor welcomes you in and their shots, priced at an average of Rs 200 taste just as good as the menu promises they will.
Where Veera Desai Road, Andheri (w)
Harry’s Bar + Café
We find it really difficult to say no to amazing cocktails and when Harry’s Bar + Café serves them, we are spoilt for choice. Welcoming you to an extremely warm setting, you can choose to spend after-work hours at Harry’s and indulge in their affordable, very tasty shots.
Where Silver Beach Estate, Juhu
Best for: A cold, cheap beer
Unless it comes in a diamond-encrusted bottle, we don’t believe in forking out exorbitant sums of money for our beer. Here’s where you can expect to get a chilled pint (or towers!) at decent prices across the city.
Jugheads/Poptates
A favourite among the college crowd and with similar menus, Jugheads and Poptates go hand in hand for us. These are good places to begin your night with as they have happy hours, which usually last right up to 8pm. You can order beer by the glass, pitcher or tower and it will usually cost less than Rs 200 per glass. The food is nothing to write home about, but their starters are decent accompaniments to your beer.
Where Outlets across the city
Bar Stock Exchange
If you’re willing to stick to domestic beer, you can get a nice bargain at Bar Stock Exchange. A few hundreds, a loud voice and a tall frame (so that you can get your order heard over the throng at the bar) will be enough to get you a pint of beer. This is not a place for brand loyalists though — the brand you started your night with may not seem as affordable a few hours into the night. But, rest assured, there will always be one with its price in red (for those who haven’t been to a BSE outlet, red-coloured text indicates that the price is less than the standard cost) for you to order.
Where Andheri, Bandra-Kurla Complex, Bandra
Best for: Meals In A Bun
Yes, we know that this story is about places that you can have a drink at, but unless your idea of a good evening is to end the night hugging a toilet, you’ve got to eat too! One of the most popular choices is burgers. Of course, there are several other reasons to talk about burgers — and even more to eat them, but do we really need to list those out? Instead, here are a few places known for their excellent burgers.
Woodside Inn
We don’t know if it was intentional, but both outlets of this popular restaurant are as strategically placed as they can be — one is in south Mumbai, while the other is somewhere in the middle of the western line, making them accessible to almost everyone. Their burgers are some of the best in the city. Pair these with affordable beer (around Rs 200 for a pint) and this is our go-to place for a burger and beer night.
Where Wodehouse Road, Opposite Regal Cinema, Colaba; and New Link Road, Next to Oshiwara Police Station, Oshiwara
Fat Man’s Café
With a name like that, it would be really sad if the burgers here were unimpressive. Thankfully, they aren’t. The Beef Cheese Burger is the closest you’re going to get to the real thing — at least, within state borders. The range isn’t particularly extensive, but whatever they do have an offer is fantastic. A pint of beer here starts from Rs 150 and their molecular cocktails, are worth trying out too! They have outlets in Bandra and Juhu, but we recommend visiting the Juhu one.
Where Tian Building, Gulmohar Road, Juhu
Best for: Molecular cocktails
We’ve accepted that molecular cocktails are definitely here to stay, we’ve been searching for the best kind. However, few places manage to actually impress you once the smoke clears. Here’s where we would go.
Copa
We believe that Copa is one of the most-underrated places when it comes to cocktails. Those who have been here swear by their concoctions and if you haven’t, then you really need to pay them a visit. They have a selection of five molecular cocktails (priced at a decent Rs 475 each), which aren’t all for show. They also get our vote for being one of the places that doesn’t rely on just vodka to mix their drinks.
Where Anna Building, Opposite Juhu Gymkhana, Juhu
Best for: Mocktails
Wearing your teetotaller hat tonight? While you may think it’s going to be a challenge to find drinks as delicious as those who love cocktails would, these places will prove you wrong. Head to these places for some fantastic options.
SpiceKlub
Having built a reputation for being a crowd pleaser with its extensive and impressive food menu, SpiceKlub doesn’t disappoint with their drinks either. With a bevvy of unique drinks on offer, their menu could confuse you. We aren’t kidding! Ask the manager for their best sellers and/or recommendations to get the best ones. Just for the record, their Jamun Punch is a delightful pick. The price of the drinks fluctuate, but they are usually priced at an average of Rs 220.
Where Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel
Lemon Leaf
We like how Asian cuisine mingles effortlessly with mocktails. And, there is no better place to experience this than Lemon Leaf. Setting itself apart from other Asian restaurants by implementing a rather earthy setting into their casual ambiance, Lemon Leaf has been a favourite of people for over a decade now. Incorporating various Asian cultures in one menu, Lemon Leaf has an impressive list of options to pick from. A mocktail will cost you around Rs 150 here.
Where Pali Hill, Bandra (w)
Best for: Wine
Wine paired with food is an experience that seems overrated to some and essential to others. When done right, however, there’s nothing quite like it. Here are a few places that we love for their wine cellars.
Salt Water Café
There are days when just a glass of wine solves the trickiest situation — or seems to at least. And on those days, we recommend visiting Salt Water Café. Pair your wine with their inviting food menu.
Where Reclamation, Bandra (w)
Indigo Delicatessen
With the perfect blend of delicious food, a warm ambience and friendly staff, we won’t be surprised if you end up at Indigo Delicatessen for a Sunday brunch — every Sunday! Bond over a few glasses (or bottles) of their fine wine collection and make the most of your day out.
Where Pali Hill, Bandra (w)
Masala Library
Despite being an exorbitantly priced place, Masala Library gives you several reasons to keep coming back. The most important one is their wine collection. As the perfect venue for a date, the wine selection here will spoil you for choice.
Where Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra (e)
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Best for: Craft beer
Craft beers have taken the city by storm and almost any bar worth its salt will have them on their menu. Most places serve beers from Gateway Brewing Co. (they’re pretty good!), but these pubs have their own concoctions on offer that we love.
The White Owl
What we love about The White Owl, apart from their in-house brews, is their supersize-your-brew offer — you get a 550ml jar for the price of a 330ml jar, which ranges from Rs 245 to Rs 325. They have six artisanal beers on offer along with a good European spread. They’ve also started selling their craft beers at select restaurants and pubs across the city, in case you like them enough to take them home with you!
Where Lobby, Tower 2B, One Indiabulls Centre, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel
Doolally Taproom
A refreshingly-bright setting and a menu boasting of seven unique beers, there’s a lot to love about Doolally. Sure, orders take a while to reach your table and the food can be a bit expensive, but this is still one of the best places to relax at after work. Their range of beers will leave you confused about what to order and the house fries (which comes with five brilliant sauces) are a must-order. If you’re new here, the Apple Cider (for those who like their beer a little sweet) or the Irish Stout (if you like stronger beers) are good options to try. A glass will cost approximately Rs 250.
Where Opposite Lilavati Hospital, Reclamation, Bandra; and Dalia Industrial Estate, Near Fun Republic, Andheri (w)
The Barking Deer Brewpub
One of the places that introduced us to craft beer, the Barking Deer pairs their drink with a fantastic food menu. They have around five craft beers on their menu, ranging from one made from honey (Honey Bee Braggot) to the Flying Pig (it does NOT give you wings), which is made from an interesting combination of lime peel, coriander and cumin. A glass will cost you around Rs 300, and they have delicious European preparations that makes an evening here is an all-rounded affair.
Where Mathurdas Mill Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel