The 10 best bars and pubs in Mumbai

This Bangalore brewery replaced Lower Parel’s blueFrog a few years back. Brightly lit décor and an efficient layout bestow the space with a welcoming vibe. On the menu is a great selection of pocket-friendly beers, ranging from a Hefeweizen to an IPA that can be paired with the food served on-premise: wood-fired pizzas and fun appetisers like haleem samosas, ghee roast prawns and more. If you want to secure yourself a table, make sure to get here before 7pm.

A total gin-lover’s paradise; expect no less than botanical heaven from Toast and Tonic, which fuses its own house-made tonics with quintessentially Indian flavours and essences. Despite being a fabulously airy, eccentric bar, this place has also built up a bit of a rep for its nosh. The food menu has everything from small plates and appetisers to sharing dishes and burgers.

In Hindi, ‘madeira’ means alcohol and, to get it while on-premise, you must mime your order to the deaf-and-mute serving staff. You read that right. You might want to spend all night here or stop by to pre-game on your way to your favourite Friday night club but, either way, the venue earns extra points for employing the deaf and mute.

Tapping into Mumbai’s role as the financial capital of India, here’s a bar with a finance-themed twist – and yes, it’s much more interesting (and much less dry) than it sounds. The Bar Stock Exchange ‘trades’ in alcohol, meaning that once its ‘market’ opens at 6pm, the prices for drinks vary depending on demand. High in demand? Prices will be high. Low in demand? Bargain booze.

Gateway Brewing Co. has been supplying local bars with craft beers for years. In 2017, they took their mission a step forward by opening their own flagship taproom and serving Mumbaikars an entire range of beers along with seasonal specials. The relatively cheap prices attract loads of people so expect the space to get extremely loud and crowded starting 8pm.

A tribute to human nostalgia, you’ll want to constantly come back to Toto’s Garage, if only to remember all the fun times you've had here (while making new memories, of course). Warning: leave your car at home, as it’s very hard to find parking around here. Once inside, revel in the awesome music, garage-style décor, cheap beers and delectable bar food.

The Ghetto is an old-school bar at Mahalaxmi. In addition to constantly being packed and staying open until 3am, there is one more thing that makes the venue stand out: the neon walls. The pool table and scribblings on the wall complete the look. Wear white and you will be reflecting light all over but do pay particular attention to the bar, where the hottest indie artists are usually found hanging out.

Usually crowded with Bollywood celebrities, find the cocktail bar inside Taj Lands End in Bandra. The stunning interior is perfectly matched by the dolled up cocktails, concocted by award-winning mixologist Andrew Pearson. Order a Bee’s Knees, a Negroni, an Old-Fashioned or ask the bar masters to whip up something different.

Social Offline locations are co-working spaces throughout the day that turn into bars post-sunset. Within Mumbai alone, there are multiple—each one quirkier than the next. Fun cocktails and a good selection of bar bites make these venues particularly appealing. Add to that the live music performances by local talents and you’ve got yourself a guaranteed fun time.

Lower Parel’s London Taxi is a three-storey establishment that serves Prohibition-era cocktails. Some recipes date back to the 1880s and refer to fictional characters and movies. You can even order a sugar-free cocktail! (Very un-Prohibition-like, if you ask us.)