Bars in Mumbai distilling the city’s magnetic spirit

Mumbai’s cocktail scene has undergone a transformation in recent years, taking its cues from global trends. Neighbourhoods like Lower Parel and Bandra are laden with lively bars, which are the perfect precursor for exploring the city’s renowned nightlife.

Bottles of infusions, tinctures and chilli syrups make use of local produce, offering an innovative twist on classic concoctions while giving a sense of place to each creation. The city’s restaurants have also invested more in their bar menus, with many housing intimate cocktail lounges, also found across the city’s beautiful hotels.

The tropical heat requires a late-evening cool down; when the time comes to sit back and watch the sun set, we’ve got you covered.

Bars in Lower Parel

Bar Paradox

Best For: Masterful cocktails from the team behind Masque restaurant
Address: Ground Floor, Shree Laxmi Woollen Mills Estate, Shakti Mills Lane, Mahalaxmi
Price: $$$

Housed in a former textile mill, this bi-level space comprises both a buzzy bar and genteel dining area. Run by the team behind revered tasting menu restaurant Masque, which is nearby, drinks are executed with equal depth and precision. The gentle Spice Merchant has hints of peppercorn and curry leaf, while Last Call is a stiff mix of Scottish and Japanese whisky. Four cocktails on tap round out the offering, alongside a food menu inspired by chef Varun Totlani’s culinary travels. Sharing plates include corn curd fries, clams Rockefeller, blackened barramundi and a hearty slab of bucatini, all served in a low-lit sophisticated setting.

Koko

Best for: Dinner-to-dance floor in Lower Parel
Address: C-2, Trade World, Kamala Mills Compound, Lower Parel, Mumbai 400013
Price: $$

A buzzy restaurant and bar that’s spread across 6,500 sq ft in Lower Parel, revellers often go straight from dinner to drinks and dancing at Koko. Regulars consider it a fool-proof weekend spot. Asia-inspired cocktails impress, with the rum-based Funky Buddha coming up tops. For the more adventurous, Tom Yum Cup adds a vodka twist to Thai soup. For those who skipped dinner, dim sum and sushi are ideal late-night bites.

Bars in Worli

Aer Bar and Lounge at Four Seasons Hotel

Best for: Sunset sips on a renowned rooftop
Address: 1/136 Dr E Moses Road, Worli, Mumbai 400018
Price: $$$

Perched atop Mumbai’s Four Seasons (one of the best hotels in Mumbai), Aer serves spectacular views of the nearby Mahalakshmi racecourse, the ever-changing skyline, and the Arabian Sea beyond. Open daily from 5pm, a retractable roof means it’s weatherproof year-round.

The design draws on Art Deco interiors, while a sophisticated cocktail menu includes all of the classics, alongside some zesty highballs and signature drinks. Try the Compass Rose, which stirs tequila with charred pineapple, passion fruit, lemon and Jalapeño. Sushi and flatbreads are easy orders, though nearly everything on the menu impresses. With chic surrounds and an adventurous drinks list, it’s easy to see why Aer has established itself as one of the best bars in Mumbai.

Slink & Bardot

Best for: Weekend drinks that run very late
Address: Thadani House, Worli Village, Mumbai 400030
Price: $$

Hidden in Worli village, Slink & Bardot artfully fuses French and Indian flavours. The space unfolds into several rooms, with plenty intimate nooks and cosy velvet corners for quiet conversation. Order the Devil’s Share, which adds a spicy kick to a margarita, while Bombay Buck is a dairy-free variation on a Moscow mule, mixing white rum, ginger, almond milk and coconut.

Food follows a similar theme, putting a local twist on dishes such as grilled chicken, lobster rolls and Philly cheese pav sliders. Slink & Bardot’s steak is also well known, marinated in Japanese-style miso.

Bars in Fort and Kala Ghoda

Americano

Best for: Buzzing neighbourhood restaurant
Address: 121/123 Radha Bhavan, Nagindas Master Road, Kala Ghoda, Fort, Mumbai 400001
Price: $$

In Kala Ghoda, the bar at Americano is loud, friendly, and always full. Getting a seat can be tough, but you can easily join the regulars standing around, glass in hand. Signature cocktails are potent, most named in homage to the city, and the menu spans classics and inventive creations alongside an ample wine list.

Small and large plates lean Italian, making sure you won’t go hungry. The Worli Bird mixes tequila, passion fruit, and lapsang souchong tea, while the refreshing Alibugger combines gin, pisco, apple, basil, and coconut. End the night with their house-made amaro for a brief immersion into Italy.

Woodside Inn

Best for: Craft beers in a genuinely local haunt
Address: Indian Mercantile Mansion, Wodehouse Road, Opposite Regal Cinema, Colaba Causeway, Colaba, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400039, India
Price: $$

If you want to drink like a local, there’s no better option than Woodside Inni. With a rotating selection of beers on tap, it’s a great place to discover local microbreweries. Its rotating taps showcase local microbreweries, while signature cocktails don’t disappoint: the Limonhattan and Frozen Campari Lemonade are perfect for beating Mumbai’s humidity. Don’t be surprised if you return multiple times on your trip – it’s the kind of place that makes everyone a regular.

Nariman Point

Eau Bar at The Oberoi

Best for: Drinking in the sunset
Address: The Oberoi, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400021
Price: $$$

Looking out over Marine Drive, Eau Bar at The Oberoi (also in our hotel guide) has an outdoor terrace, which is perfectly positioned for catching the sunset. Whether you sip a champagne flute or a well-made gimlet is up to you. Indoors, live music plays Monday to Wednesday, but we prefer soaking in the city’s bustle from a comfortable al fresco perch. With palm-fringed vistas and an expertly curated drinks menu, Eau Bar is easily one of Mumbai’s best.

Bars in Bandra

Supasan

Best For: Izakaya-style Japanese in buzzing Bandra Kurla Complex
Address: Raheja Towers, Plot No. C-30, Avenue 4, G Block BKC, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra (E)
Price: $$

Bandra Kurla Complex is often overlooked for drinks. But izakaya-inspired Supasan is well worth a stop for its selection of sake and shochu, served with a broad mix of hand-rolled ramen, sandos, sushi and chawanmushi. Inventive cocktails include Kokuto Shoyu, blending whisky, miso and soy for a savoury sip, while the Calpico is a take on the highball made with shouchu, vanilla and whey soda.

Perch Wine and Coffee Bar

Best for: An all-day handout in hip Bandra
Address: 12, Union Park, off Carter Road, Bandra (W), Mumbai 400052
Price: $$

Located in trendy Bandra, Perch is the kind of place where regulars might spend an entire day, working on a laptop by day, before segueing to evening drinks. Its indoor and outdoor seating offers multiple vantage points, but it’s the coffee and drinks programme that keeps people coming back.

For the best of both worlds, try the a coffee sangria, made with coffee infused vodka. Other signature cocktails include the Reverse Martini 2.0, which gets a kick from grape cordial, and the Forbidden Berry, a Campari and gin-based drink made with lacto-fermented berry juice.

Explore where to watch live music in Mumbai and more in the ROADBOOK insider guide.