Food

Celebrity Owned Restaurants Lighting Up Mumbai’s Dining Scene

Mumbai is known as the city of dreams, and that extends well beyond Bollywood and cricket into its glittering culinary landscape. A growing number of celebrities have ventured into hospitality, fusing their personal flair with luxury dining experiences. From heritage mansions to rooftop lounges, these celeb-owned restaurants offer more than just food—they serve style, exclusivity, and Instagram-worthy moments. Hashtag Magazines gives you a lowdown of Mumbai’s hottest celebrity-backed dining destinations.

1. One8 Commune – Juhu

Owned by: Virat Kohli (Indian cricketer)

In the heart of Juhu, One8 Commune brings together nostalgia and modernity. Set in the former bungalow of music legend Kishore Kumar, this restobar marries casual luxury with a buzzing energy. Virat Kohli’s personality is evident in every corner—from the bold art and neon signs to the laid-back yet upscale vibe.

Cuisine: The menu offers a global tour with gourmet pizzas, Asian stir-fries, sliders, and indulgent desserts, complemented by signature cocktails.

Ambience: Quirky, vibrant, and artsy, the space is perfect for brunches, late-night hangouts, and influencer meet-ups. The lush alfresco section is particularly popular for sunset selfies.

Why go: Celebrity ownership, stylish interiors, and a well-executed menu make it one of Juhu’s trendiest spots.

2. Neuma – Colaba

Owned by: Karan Johar (Filmmaker)

True to Karan Johar’s flair for drama and design, Neuma is more than a restaurant—it’s a cinematic experience. Housed in a restored colonial bungalow in Colaba, the space is divided into multiple zones, each telling a different story.

Cuisine: Modern European and Mediterranean, with dishes like truffle mushroom risotto, burrata salads, and an exquisite cocktail list.

Ambiance: Whether you’re sipping in the Garden Café surrounded by greenery or enjoying a cocktail in the moody Rose Bar, every corner is designed for visual impact. Vintage chandeliers, velvet sofas, and curated dinnerware add to the charm.

Why go: For lovers of design and ambiance, Neuma is a visual and culinary treat—and often a set for editorial shoots and celeb sightings.

3. Bastian – Bandra (Bastian At The Top)

Owned by: Shilpa Shetty (Actress and wellness entrepreneur)

Located atop a Bandra high-rise, Bastian At The Top is where luxury meets indulgence. Shilpa Shetty’s stamp is evident in the health-meets-hedonism concept, catering to the well-traveled, health-conscious elite.

Cuisine: A celebration of global comfort food with a luxe twist—think lobster mac and cheese, sushi platters, gourmet American fare, and towering desserts.

Ambiance: Earthy Cappadocian design, plush lounge seating, and a rooftop pool create a sanctuary above the city bustle. Romantic lighting and elegant service complete the experience.

Why go: It’s one of the most celeb-heavy dining spots in the city—ideal for those who love their meals with a side of glamour.

4. Akina & Privé by Akina – Bandra

Owned by: Aallia Hospitality, with rumored celebrity backers

Offering a refined Japanese experience, Akina and its adjoining speakeasy Privé bring contemporary Tokyo to the heart of Bandra. While officially led by Aallia Hospitality, whispers of celebrity investors—ranging from socialites to TV personalities—add an air of intrigue.

Cuisine: Expect elevated Japanese fare like miso black cod, robata-grilled meats, sushi rolls, and matcha-infused sweets. Cocktails are crafted with Japanese ingredients and techniques.

Ambience: Minimalist yet intimate with moody lighting, deep tones, and sophisticated textures. Privé’s underground setting contrasts with Akina’s elegance, making it a top pick for after-hours gatherings.

Why go: For refined Japanese cuisine in a chic, hidden setting, with the added thrill of possibly dining next to a familiar face from the screen.

5. Yauatcha – BKC (Partnership with Shilpa Shetty, among others)

Owned by: Partnerships with celebrities including Shilpa Shetty (Actress)

What it’s about: A luxe dim sum teahouse blending Cantonese fine dining with sleek, modern design. Though originally part of an international chain, Yauatcha’s Mumbai presence has seen celebrity backing and frequent A-list clientele.

Cuisine: Cantonese cuisine with a heavy focus on dim sum, stir-fried specialities, Peking duck, and handcrafted teas and cocktails.

Ambience: Polished and contemporary with glass walls, soft lighting, and a minimalist aesthetic—perfect for business lunches and intimate dinners.

Why it’s popular: Consistently high food standards, excellent service, and a strong celeb following. A go-to for fine-dining Chinese in the city.

6. Tori – Bandra

Owned by: Tara Sutaria (Actress)

What it’s about: A bold new entrant in Mumbai’s Asian dining scene, Tori reflects Tara Sutaria’s artistic sensibilities and love for pan-Asian cuisine, with a cosy yet chic design focus.

Cuisine: Pan-Asian with a fusion edge—Korean-style wings, Thai curries, sushi, and innovative small plates.

Ambience: Earthy colours, handpicked art, dim lighting, and greenery create a relaxed yet upscale environment, great for date nights and casual celeb-spotting.

Why it’s popular: A fresh take on Asian dining with Tara’s personal touches in both design and menu curation. It’s also quickly becoming a hotspot for younger Bollywood circles.

7. B Café – Andheri

Owned by: Bhumi Pednekar (Actress)

What it’s about: A wellness-forward café that combines sustainability with flavour, aligning with Bhumi’s environmental activism and healthy lifestyle.

Cuisine: Healthy global eats—smoothie bowls, vegan burgers, gluten-free pastries, cold-pressed juices, and Ayurvedic teas.

Ambience: Boho-chic with jute furniture, indoor plants, and natural lighting. Think urban jungle meets LA wellness café.

Why it’s popular: Appeals to the health-conscious crowd, with regular visits from fitness influencers and Bollywood fitness junkies. Eco-friendly packaging and plant-based menus are a big draw.

8. Slink & Bardot – Worli (Co-invested by celebrities)

Owned by: Backed by celebrity investors, including actors and socialites

What it’s about: A modern French eatery that brings Parisian elegance to Mumbai. While the main ownership is professional, several celebrity investors and patrons have helped boost its profile.

Cuisine: Modern French with creative plating—duck confit, cheese soufflés, truffle mashed potatoes, and a fine wine and cocktail list.

Ambiance: Sexy, dim-lit interiors with velvet seating, vintage mirrors, and an ultra-cool bar. It’s as much a social club as a restaurant.

Why it’s popular: A favourite among the fashion-forward crowd, it’s discreet yet glamorous, perfect for intimate celebrations and industry gatherings.

9. The Ministry of Crab – BKC

Owned by: Co-founded by Sri Lankan cricketers Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, with Virat Kohli as an Indian brand ambassador/partner

What it’s about: Mumbai’s outpost of the world-famous Sri Lankan seafood restaurant, known for giant lagoon crabs and a no-fuss, flavor-first approach.

Cuisine: Seafood-centric with a focus on sustainably sourced crab, prawns, and shellfish. Signature pepper crab and garlic chili crab are must-tries.

Ambiance: Modern tropical with wooden decor, open kitchens, and large crab tanks. Understated yet stylish.

Why it’s popular: It’s where food purists and seafood lovers come to feast. Celebrity presence plus world-class cuisine equals instant buzz.

10. Tira Beauty Café – Jio World Drive, BKC

Owned by: Reliance Retail with influencer/celebrity partnerships (featuring Kareena Kapoor, Kiara Advani as brand ambassadors)

What it’s about: A beauty-meets-café hybrid inside Tira’s flagship store. While not fully owned by a single celebrity, its branding heavily relies on star power.

Cuisine: Instagrammable coffee, low-sugar desserts, fruit bowls, and wellness elixirs.

Ambience: Sleek, glossy interiors with pastel colours, ring lights for selfies, and café tables designed to double as beauty consultation pods.

Why it’s popular: It blurs the line between retail therapy and café culture, with a heavy dose of celebrity-led branding and influencer buzz.

Mumbai’s celebrity-owned restaurants go beyond star value—they offer curated experiences that merge personal branding with high-end hospitality. Whether you’re a foodie, a fan, or just looking for your next Instagram post, these celeb-driven hotspots promise a memorable outing.

May 9, 2025

The Bar Is Now Part of the Show: Zero-Proof Cocktails, Matcha Bars and 2026 Wedding Trends

Founded in Bangkok in 2010 by a group of hotel bartenders, FLAIRMIX Thailand began with a single Indian wedding and has grown into a bar and beverage service company working across Thailand, India, Indonesia, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar. Their belief is that a bar is more than a place to pick up a drink: it can shape the atmosphere, the entertainment and the guest experience. Here is what they see changing behind the bar in 2026. Wellness Drinks and Zero-Proof CocktailsThe clearest change from 2025 is in what guests are asking for. Last year still centred on customised cocktails, classics with a twist and drinks with a fancy, luxurious presentation. In 2026, weddings are going beyond the traditional cocktail and mocktail, with hydration bars, electrolyte drinks, kombucha and fully developed zero-proof cocktails joining the menu. What sets this trend apart is the standard. These drinks are no longer treated as a secondary option for guests who don’t drink. They are designed with the same attention to flavour, ingredients, glassware and presentation as alcoholic cocktails. The principle is simple: a guest who chooses not to drink alcohol should enjoy the same level of creativity and experience as everyone else, and a zero-proof menu should be developed to the same standard as the main one. For multi-day Indian weddings, where guests move through a welcome party, haldi, mehendi, sangeet, ceremony, reception and after-party, a bar that offers refreshing, well-crafted options at every stage is a real upgrade for the guest experience. The Rise of the Matcha BarThe second trend is more surprising: Japanese matcha has grown steadily in popularity over the past year, particularly among younger consumers in Asia and internationally, and FLAIRMIX’s clients are now asking for dedicated matcha bars as part of the wedding experience.It also opens up new creative

Food

Food Is No Longer Part of the Wedding, It’s the Experience!

Sanjay Vazirani, Chairman & Managing Director of Foodlink Group, has curated menus for some of India’s most talked-about celebrations, including Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh’s Lake Como wedding, Allu Sirish’s celebrations and Arjun Tendulkar’s too. His view for 2026: couples no longer judge catering by the size of the spread, but by how well the food tells their story. Here’s what he sees defining the plate this wedding season. Food as the Defining ExperienceFood has moved from being an important part of a wedding to one of its defining experiences. Couples aren’t counting dishes anymore; they’re asking how the menu can tell their story and create moments guests remember. Hyper-PersonalisationMenus are being built from family traditions, regional heritage, travel memories and favourite cuisines, with growing interest in micro-regional and community-specific Indian cuisines presented with contemporary finesse. At Deepika and Ranveer’s Lake Como wedding, the menus drew on Sindhi and Kannada culinary traditions, brought to an Italian setting with an elevated presentation. Personalisation isn’t adding a few favourite dishes to a standard menu; it’s a culinary narrative that feels intrinsic to the couple. Experiential, Multi-Sensory DiningLive culinary theatres, interactive stations, artisanal grazing tables, regional food trails, bespoke beverage experiences and dessert ateliers are turning dining into entertainment. Aroma, presentation, live preparation and chef interaction are all part of the experience. Allu Sirish’s celebration showed this in action, with Mutton Brishta Dumplings in a bone-broth reduction, Smash Paratha Burgers and a Dal Makhani flambéed live with a Jack Daniel’s tadka. Nostalgia, ReimaginedThe best menus balance nostalgia and innovation. For Arjun Tendulkar, Foodlink curated a traditional Maharashtrian Pangat with aamras, puran poli, handmade modak and varan bhaat, alongside undhiyo and ghughra nodding to Anjali Tendulkar’s Gujarati roots. At a Maldives wedding, Mumbai Misal Pav and Dal Khichdi shared the table with Cannoli and

Food

One Stop, Four Cuisines

A F&B revolution of sorts is quietly brewing in a building opposite Hyderabad’s landmark Durgam Cheruvu Cable Bridge, and the city of Nizams is approving wholeheartedly. Interestingly, the four F&B properties spawned by hospitality start-up Viksit Hospitality have distinct identities, ranging from regional cuisines showcased at Orlo (derived from our Indian hospitality anthem, Aur Lo Beta!), artisanal coffees from India at Naad, immersive nightlife experiences at Kadamba, to the latest addition of fine dining Japanese restaurant Izumi, in partnership with founder Nooresha Kably. Kadamba Cultural Compound A rooftop terrace bar, Kadamba has, arguably, the grandest ringside views of Durgam Cheruvu, with the night sights of an illuminated cable bridge and the city lights twinkling away on the distant horizon being a definite crowd-puller. The vibe is breezy (literally!) and informal, with the ambience highlights being the kadamba trees with pristine-white ‘chaupals’ (a la village panchayats) around them, where you can sit around and enjoy your drinks. The Japanese izakaya-styled bar promotes the concept of an easy, interactive experience with the team of mixologists. The cocktails are a rage, with colloquial names such as Rambha Ho, a rum-based offering with pineapple, lime juice and chilli pickle; a nod-to-Hyderabad-Kya Toh Bhi, a vodka drink; T-loop, which is tequila, mezcal, muskmelon cordial, caper foam, and Maska made with whisky, brown butter and lime cordial. The cuisine is Indian, including both comfort food and gourmet. Some of the iconic dishes here are the Chelo Kebabs platter; Compound walla Ceviche, which is steamed seabass topped with pani puri dressing, and 50-50, which is corn or bhutta in three different avatars. Orlo Orlo has, at its core, the idea of a Great Indian Dining table where everyone sits together for a relaxed meal, peppered with conversations and slow eating. The distinct aspect of dining at Orlo

Food

Bookmark these Bengaluru restaurants

The culinary scene of Bengaluru has got a spanking new makeover with several new restaurants that offer a range of cuisines that are sure to make every palate happy. Known for its vibrant gastronomy, the city continues to offer plenty for food lovers to discover, as Bindu Gopal Rao explores these new dining destinations. Oye Kake, Bengaluru Oye Kake is Mumbai’s beloved 100% vegetarian Amritsari restaurant brand, founded in 2020 by Pankaj Gupta and Avinash Gupta under Flavour Pot Foods. The new space in Bengaluru on MG Road brings the soul of Amritsar, built around three pillars of Punjab’s food culture: the langar, the street, and the home kitchen. Pankaj Gupta, Co-founder, Flavour Pot Foods says, “The food is cooked by Amritsari-trained Ustaads using live tandoor cooking, hand-rolled breads, slow-cooked dals, and clay/iron-based methods, staying true to time-honoured recipes rather than experimenting.” Designed with RAD Co + Lab, the restaurant is a sensory tribute to Punjab and Bengaluru. Every Thursday, the restaurant hosts the Guru Seva Ki Thali, an unlimited community-style feast inspired by the Sikh concept of Seva. Must try: Amritsari De Kulche: classic Bharwan Kulche (Aloo, Pyaaz, Gobi, and Mooli) plus loaded versions like Paneer, Methi Masala, Cheese Garlic, and Nutree Wale Kulcha. Kalpaney Kalpaney is a modern vegetarian dining destination built around the idea of ‘kalpana’, or imagination. Conceptualised by Avinash Kapoli, Co-Founder, Kompany Hospitality, and Chef Sombir Chaudary, Co-Founder, Kompany Hospitality, the restaurant brings together familiar flavours, childhood memories and global culinary influences in unexpected ways. “What makes Kalpaney special is its ability to make vegetarian dining feel playful and contemporary while retaining the comfort and nostalgia of Indian food. The spaces extend this philosophy through carefully curated Indian art and craftsmanship, including Kalamkari-inspired elements and Kavi artwork at the Indiranagar restaurant, created by one of