Started by husband and wife team Mortimer Chatterjee and Tara Lal in 2003, the eponymous gallery exhibits progressive local artists across various mediums.
Right by the Mahalaxmi Race Course, this former betting room got a modern facelift from Mumbai's Rahul Akerkar. The brunch buffet is a great weekend option, as is the bar on the second level any evening.
The best place to go for an all-you-can-eat traditional Gujarathi thali. Get comfortable for an evening of endless piles of vegetarian dishes served with different types of rotis. End the meal with a glass of aamras, freshly-squeezed mango juice.
This homely family-run restaurant is popular amongst locals, and serves traditional vegetarian Gujarati snack and dishes.
A local favorite, drop by for a Sunday brunch and try spotting one of the many Bollywood stars who patronize the restaurant. The small bar also promises for an intimate night out.
Tucked away in a small lane in what is often called the art district of Mumbai, this tiny, unpretentious cafe is a calming spot to take a break from the madness. Set in a light filled converted barn, it doubles as a gallery showcasing the work of up-and-coming Indian photographers. The coffee is made with their own blend of organic beans and the homemade ginger and date cake is not to be missed.
Located in a charming heritage building, Ellipsis has great food and does a mean cocktail (their Blood Mary is lethal). Its living room-like lounge area, with its oversized chairs and shaggy carpet, is a nice place to wind down and catch up with friends.
Great for business travelers, the hotel is located in Mumbai's financial district. Contemporary French style, with the interior designed by Isabelle Miaja, there is a restraint to the design that makes this hotel a welcome break from the over-the-top opulence in other Mumbai hotels.
One of the top hotels in town, where both international and Bollywood stars flock to. The butler service is impeccable, and together with the clean-cut interior design creates an oasis from the chaos right outside.
A sub-brand of the Taj flagship line, but offering the classic Taj service and comforts. An upgrade to an executive room or suite promises better views and much better service. Drop in on the bar by the pool, Wink.
Located by Mumbai's International airport, The Leela is a convenient choice for business travelers with the full package from bars to the 24-hour gym to a spa that is expected of any top-rate business hotel. The club rooms and suites are worth the upgrade.
Like her sister hotel, The Oberoi, Trident's service standard keeps the guests coming back. Centrally located in South Mumbai at the start of the Marine Drive promenade, see the skyline transform at night and understand how the promenade got the nickname 'Queen's Necklace'.
It's easy to mistake the hotel as another tourist landmark with its Florentine exterior and location by the Gateway of India. Get a colonial-style room in the Heritage Wing that dates back to 1903, though they also have contemporary rooms in the slightly newer Tower Wing.
The younger sibling to the Taj Palace in downtown Mumbai, Taj Land's End has all the standard Taj offerings and style. But also hilltop sea views, and far away enough from central Mumbai to feel like an escape.
Right by the Santacruz domestic airport, Asia's first certified eco-friendly five-star hotel makes for a convenient location with luxurious offerings.
Set in the up-and-coming Worli neighborhood, the service is great, and so are the views from their rooftop lounge, Aer, at level 34.
Contemporary Indian art and sculptures are featured throughout the hotel's 547 rooms, spa, and restaurants. The Szechuan fare at China House and the martini bar are worth checking out.
The largest shopping mall in Mumbai carrying over 500 brands, both international and local designers, in an over three million square feet compound. The mall also houses an open-air courtyard for events and a cinema. Drop by Palladium next door for a luxury-label shopping spree.
Get non-kitschy Mumbai-inspired gifts carefully curated by ad man Alok Nanda and his design team. Look out for their cute handmade printed notebooks.
Traditional and modern, semi-precious, blow-your-socks off jewelry. If you want to spend $100,000 on a necklace, do it here. Though they also do $50 pieces. They take really traditional Indian cuts and combinations of stones and styles and make it gloriously modern. Traditional Indian but doesn’t feel like Bollywood Kitsch.