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India’s enormous, multicultural metropolis
Top Tables
Crystal Palace
For decades Crystal Palace has been a secret guarded zealously by the students of Wilson College, the backdrop for many a Bollywood film. But you can’t keep a great menu down and if you’re looking for some hearty village-style food, you should wedge yourself in at one of their tables. The aloo gobi (potato and cauliflower), the peeli dahl (yellow dahl) and the baingan bharta (chargrilled aubergines) are great, with rotis that exhale a puff of hot air as they subside on your side plate. Save space for the kheer (rice pudding), that isn’t served as sweet as other Indian desserts. 19 Chowpatty Seaface, +91 22 2369 1482
Don Giovanni
Don Giovanni Autunno does not mind children as long as they remain seated at the table to which they are assigned. He won’t permit shorts or flip-flops in his restaurant either. Still, Mumbai’s residents have a soft spot for this crusty old capo’s food, and turn up for his hand-made pastas, crunchy salads and super-fresh carpaccio. Atria Mall, +91 22 2481 3333
Suitcase Fillers
Good Earth
In a city starved of real estate, the sheer size of Good Earth spells luxury. Spread over three floors, it offers everything you need for your home, from curtains to garden benches shaped like catamarans. Raghuvanshi Mills, +91 22 2495 1954
Don’t Miss This
Diwali
Visiting Mumbai during the ‘Festival of Lights’ is great fun. Over a period of five days (Diwali is expected to start on 28 October), the night sky over Mumbai will light up with fireworks as Hindus, Jains and Sikhs celebrate.
Navratri
This Hindu festival, dedicated to Durga, the mother goddess, spans nine nights at the start of October. It’s a time when Mumbaikers get together and dance – expect to hear plenty of dandiya raas, pop music accompanied by a fast-paced and energetic stick dance.
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