Happy Birthday, you! Okay, we don’t have an Indian version of the birthday song to serenade you (it’s one of the world’s great mysteries). But we do have a list of big, bold plans to celebrate your big day in Mumbai. With our help, you can throw a party for the ages or savour a lowkey yet luxurious day to yourself. Here’s our list of birthday ideas in Mumbai including classic blowout dinner dos, offbeat workshops and relaxing trips, with a bow on top.
1. Have endless fun at a bottomless brunch
Raise a toast, then raise a hundred more at one of the many bottomless brunches in Mumbai. Discovering how low your hangover threshold gets each year is one of the highlights of getting older. The perfect place to test that is a boozy brunch. Several Mumbai restaurants like 3 Stories, Brik, and Dobaara offer packages that include unlimited alcohol, live entertainment (including karaoke) and delicious food, making these the perfect spots for a birthday party starring all your favourite people.
2. Treat yourself to street food and street shopping
Pampering yourself with some retail therapy and comfort food is the pinnacle of birthday celebration ideas. A day of cherry-picking cool fashion hauls from shopping at Hill Road and Linking Road in Bandra or Colaba Causeway, followed by a feast of crunchy pani puris – name a more economical yet fabulous birthday idea. We’ll wait.
3. Attend a soothing Candlelight Concert
Bask in the candlelit glow even after you blow them out on your birthday cake at one Mumbai’s stunning candlelight concerts. Before we get to the fabulous instrumental music, we’ve got to point you out to the breathtaking birthday photo-ops that a sea of LED candles create. Now coming back to the music – the creme de la creme of pianists and string quartets belt out a varied catalougue of tunes covering Chopin’s classics to Coldplay’s concert anthems. Take your pick! Book here
4. Sail into the sunset on the Arabian sea
Head to the high seas to start your birthday with some high spirits. Private yachts setting sail from the Gateway of India will take you on a trip of the Mumbai harbour. You can catch the final sunset of your year gone by and step into the new year with a moonlit (or starlit) dinner on the deck. The two-hour yacht ride seats seven people per trip. Book here
5. Go bar hopping with these happy hour deals
A pub crawl through Mumbai is just what the doctor ordered for wild, young things. And those young and wild at heart, of course. Pretty cocktail bars and casual pubs all offer special happy hour deals that let you have a rager sans outrageous bills. The Lord of the Drinks, 145 and Toit are popular watering holes that make our list thanks to themed nights and banger music. Find full list here
6. Cuddle with puppies at dog cafes
Nothing quite lifts spirits like a the affection of a dog. If you’re a dog lover without a furry friend at home, you can visit Mumbai’s dog-friendly cafes, like Seesaw, Cafe Pefe, etc. Puppy Cuddles Dog Cafe and Pawfect Life are some pet-friendly spots where you can interact, play and cuddle with their adorable resident pups. Enjoy a snack on the side as you make your day brighter and theirs even happier.
7. Upskill at creative workshops
Age is just a number when it comes to learning. Keep that curiosity alive with birthday ideas that involve arty workshops. Luckily, a bunch of creative classes in our city combine sensory learning and socialising. Pick up punch needle, pottery, enroll for cooking classes, or sign up for sip and paint art sessions. Get your friends to join you at these make a craft party of it, like you did as a kid!
8. Be one with nature at these National Parks
Sometimes, we all just need to go touch some grass. Birthdays are pivotal moments of relfection and where better to do some pondering than in a lush forest? Wildlife thrives in and around Mumbai at National Parks, perfect for day trips or weekend getways for a longer escape. For that dash of adventure, activities like boating, mini train rides, and ancient caves to explore are included here.
9. Dine with your loved ones at a rooftop restaurant
Feeling like you’re on top of the world on your birthday gets spectacularly literal with this classic of birthday ideas. These gorgeous rooftop restaurants for made for birthday dinners where you’re dressed to the nines. The Mumbai skyline in the backdrop – of the celebrations and your birthday snaps – adds serious main character energy to the shindig. AER, Bayview Cafe, Bustle and Bastian – At The Top are just some of our top picks from this list.