India GOMumbai nightlife: bars, rooftops and craft beer
Mumbai's nightlife is spread across the city rather than packed into one strip: hotel rooftops in Worli, Lower Parel and on Marine Drive, the old pubs of Colaba, and cocktail dining in the converted mills. The list above names the places. Below is how to choose by area and by the kind of evening, the drinking rules in Maharashtra, and how to get back afterwards.
Which area for which evening
Colaba has the oldest names. Leopold Cafe has served reporters, artists and backpackers for decades, beer with tandoori paneer under ceiling fans; it was one of the targets of the attacks of 26 November 2008, and the bullet holes in its walls were left on purpose. Woodside Inn, a gastropub since 2007, is credited with helping start Mumbai's craft-beer culture. In the lane behind the Taj, Bademiya has grilled over charcoal since 1946, into the early hours.
Marine Drive is for the view. Dome, the open-air lounge on top of the InterContinental, looks along the curve of the Queen's Necklace; come at dusk, when the lights come on. Further along, at Girgaum Chowpatty, Bachelorr's has sold falooda and fruit cream since the 1930s, and it is still busy past midnight.
Worli and Lower Parel have the high rooftops and the mill-district restaurants. AER is on the 34th floor of the Four Seasons in Worli; Asilo, on the 40th floor of The St. Regis, is among the highest rooftop bars in India. The Bombay Canteen in Kamala Mills is known for inventive cocktails with regional Indian small plates, and Masque, in a converted mill at Mahalaxmi, serves its tasting menu with an optional drinks pairing.
Fort and Kala Ghoda have a few licensed classics: Cafe Military near Flora Fountain, a century-old Irani cafe where office workers drink chilled beer, and the seafood rooms of Trishna and Mahesh Lunch Home.
How to choose by the kind of evening
The rooftops and the cocktail restaurants sit at the top price level (₹₹₹); Woodside Inn and Cafe Military are a step cheaper (₹₹).
A rooftop at sunset
AER is the rooftop the others are measured against, open-air over the Arabian Sea, with a DJ warming up after sunset. Asilo adds Mediterranean grills from a Josper oven and a Sunday brunch. Dome has the Marine Drive view. More on rooftop restaurants in Mumbai.
Craft beer
Woodside Inn in Colaba pours rotating house and independent brews with burgers in a wood-lined room. Doolally Taproom, on the list above, is the easy-going taproom that helped start the city's microbrewery movement.
Old Bombay with a beer
Leopold Cafe for the room, the history and the scene from Shantaram; Cafe Military for chequered floors, bentwood chairs and Parsi food with a cold beer.
Dinner with cocktails
The Bombay Canteen for seasonal regional Indian cooking and inventive cocktails; Masque for the tasting menu (book well ahead); Wasabi by Morimoto at the Taj, overlooking the Gateway of India; Yauatcha in BKC for dim sum. More in fine dining in Mumbai.
Food after midnight
Bademiya behind the Taj grills into the early hours, and the paneer tikka and vegetable rolls come off the same fire as the kebabs. Bachelorr's at Chowpatty serves falooda past midnight. Ghatkopar Khau Galli, an all-vegetarian street-food lane, draws crowds every night. In Ramadan the lane outside Noor Mohammadi Hotel near Mohammed Ali Road is the destination, with Suleman Usman Mithaiwala's mawa jalebi and malpua a few steps away.
An evening without a bar
A play at Prithvi Theatre in Juhu (shows usually around 6 pm and 9 pm, closed Mondays, tickets about ₹125–500), then chai in the courtyard cafe. See shows in Mumbai and Mumbai in the evening.
Before you go out
Maharashtra has its own drinking rules, and getting home is the part to plan.
- Carry ID, and know about the permit — Maharashtra sets its own age limits for alcohol, so carry an ID with your date of birth. The State Excise department also issues a one-day permit for buying and drinking "foreign liquor": ₹5, applied for online with proof of age.
- Dry days — On dry days alcohol is not sold or served. The state fixes them for some national and religious holidays, and the district collector adds others, election days among them. The list changes, so check before planning a night out around a holiday.
- Book the rooftops — A weekend booking at AER is essential, and the bar asks for smart-casual dress. Masque needs a reservation well in advance, and Trishna is worth booking ahead.
- Getting home — The black-and-yellow kaali-peeli cabs really do run the meter, and Uber and Ola work across the city. Auto-rickshaws are barred south of Bandra and Sion, so in Colaba, Fort and on Marine Drive it is taxis or nothing; do not count on bike taxis.
- General safety — Practical advice is collected in safety in Mumbai; in an emergency call 112.
FAQ
Which part of Mumbai is best for nightlife?
Colaba for old pubs and late-night food, Worli and Lower Parel for high rooftops and cocktail restaurants in the old mills, and Marine Drive for a sunset drink with the view.
What are the best pubs in Mumbai?
Woodside Inn in Colaba for craft beer and food, Leopold Cafe for old Bombay and its history, and Cafe Military in Fort for a beer in a century-old Irani cafe.
Are there breweries in Mumbai?
Yes. Woodside Inn helped start the city's craft-beer culture with house and independent brews, and Doolally Taproom helped start its microbrewery movement.
Do I need a liquor permit in Mumbai?
Formally, a permit exists: the Maharashtra State Excise department issues a one-day permit for foreign liquor online for ₹5, with proof of age. Carry an ID with your date of birth when you go out.
Where can I eat late at night in Mumbai?
Bademiya behind the Taj grills into the early hours, Bachelorr's at Chowpatty serves falooda past midnight, and Ghatkopar Khau Galli is busy every night.
How do I get back to my hotel late at night?
Take a metered kaali-peeli cab or book Uber or Ola. South of Bandra and Sion there are no auto-rickshaws.
Sources (4)
Facts checked: 15 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.
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