It’s easy to get caught up in Mumbai’s electric energy and never take a breath to look up and marvel at the city. Thankfully, some fabulous rooftop restaurants scattered from the suburbs to South Mumbai let you gaze down at historic structures like Marine Drive and Gateway of India, architectural feats like the Worli Sealink, and just people-watch and ponder life or celebrate big occasions against panoramic backdrops. From romantic haute cuisine spots to relaxed cafes and lounges, this list ensures you feel on cloud nine.
1 . AER
This glamorous bar and lounge is every bit atmospheric as the name suggests. With newly refurbished art deco yacht-club vibes and the eternally twinkling lights of the city that never sleeps cascading below, AER exudes a magical glow during sunsets. Couple that with a Mumbai weather-inspired drinks menu – thunderstorms, monsoons and cumulus-themed cocktails with eclectic names like ‘rain dance’ and ‘cotton candy skies’ – there’s a reason why this is one of the rooftop restaurants that’s a hit with Mumbai’s it crowd for sundowners, and beyond.
📍Four Seasons Mumbai, Worli
2. Asilo
Perched atop St. Regis’ 40th floor, this elegant eatery raises the bar quite literally as Mumbai’s highest rooftop restaurant. You’ll trudge two flights of stairs to get to this tropical garden-esque lounge, but it’s so worth the heavenly sights of the concrete jungle below. Signature cocktails (Cranberry Sour and Forest G&T) and elevated fusion dishes like sambal cottage cheese, bao, avocado poke bowl and Spanish seafood paellas are all served up under a retractable glass roof that shields you from rain or shine but throws you headlong into glittering vistas of the Queen’s Necklace.
📍 St. Regis, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel
3. Bustle
Nestled away in the suburbs, this lofty escape from the Maximum City’s hustle and bustle offers the perfect vantage point to look down on the buzzing metropolis yet switch off from its frenetic energy. Breezy boho-chic decor (make a beeline for the Instagrammable rope swings) creates a laidback vibe tailor-made for relaxing. Take your pick of outdoor or indoor seating to nibble on innovative vegetarian dishes and inventive drinks like truffle mushroom cappuccinos. Or, sip on a cocktail at the gorgeous central bar with its canopy of lights.
📍 7th floor, Tanishq showroom, Lokmanya Tilak Rd, Borivali
4. Up In The Air
Another suburban find, this rooftop restaurant switches seamlessly between a sports lounge, a nightlife hub and a dinner destination. Spread across a whopping 14,000 sq feet, why wouldn’t it? It’s officially Mumbai’s largest rooftop lounge. IPL matches are broadcast on large screens during the cricket season but the venue’s bevvy of bevvies, from smoked whiskeys to frozen margaritas and ‘poptails’, hits sixes all year round.
📍 2nd floor, dalia Estate, Off Veera Desai Rd, near Fun Republic Road, Andheri West
5. Dome
Not the highest of rooftop restaurants out there (it’s on the 8th floor of a seven-storey boutique hotel), this open-air terrace lounge’s central architectural feature – the eponymous dome – cutting a striking figure against Marine Drive single-handedly makes it a towering presence. Besides scoring 10/10 for undeniable old-world romance, and serving prime seafront scenes, this destination also serves up scintillating cocktails and satiating tapas menus with a heavy South American focus. Think extensive tequila-based drinks and Coxhina, Botana Chicken, Peruvian salmon tiradito and more.
📍 InterContinental Marine Drive, 135, Marine Dr
6. Versova Social
Before you drink up one of these popular pan-India bar and restaurant franchise’ tried-and-tested drinks (Mick Jaggery, Achaaroska), drink in the vision that is this foliage-covered three-story building bang in the centre of Andheri’s celeb-studded beachside neighbourhood. Modelled after a Victorian greenhouse with rustic colonial elements, the airy verandah-style rooftop terrace overlooks Versova’s verdant mangroves. Once you’re green-eyed enough, gorge on all-day breakfasts, ladi pao menu and mains of burgers, biryanis and devious yet divine Indian pop-culture-themed desserts – Ramesh and Suresh deep-fried 5 Star chocolate bars.
📍 1311/2, Plot No B, Juhu Versova Link Rd, Gharkul Society, Bharat Nagar, Versova, Andheri West
7. Roofberries Terrace Cafe
Spectacular street shopping has always endeared Linking Road to us. Now, this picturesque rooftop garden confirms this Bandra neighbourhood can do no wrong. Perfect to rest your retail-weary feet, it’s a sight for sore eyes too. A soothing Santorini colour scheme is broken by vivid red hibiscus shrubs and holly berries – a theme that extends to the menu too. Master mixologists will shake and stir ‘berrylicious’ alcoholic concoctions like Purple Leaf Wing and Caviar Dreams. Level those off with Neopolitan pizzas, dim sums, sushi, charcoal-grilled kebabs, etc.
📍 Crystal Shoppers, Paradise Junction of 24th and, 33rd Rd, off Link Road, Bandra West
8. Bayview Cafe
This 24-hour cafe stashed in the heart of old Bombay’s art deco district keeps it sweet and simple with coastal interiors and continental food that do all the talking. Its sprawling views of the Gateway of India standing guard against a blue sea dotted with gulls and boats, however, will leave you speechless. Mouthwatering sizzlers, chicken crispy tacos, hearty Parsi delicacies and a convenient distance from tourist spots like Asiatic Library, Kalaghoda and Flora Fountain make Bayview a prime hub for fuelling up between sightseeing tours or leisurely daydreaming on weekends if you’re a dyed-in-the-wool Mumbaikar.
9. Bastian at the Top
Co-founded by Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty Kundra and helmed by Chef Suvin Saran (of Devi, North America’s first Michelin-starred Indian restaurant), this swanky new eatery is all kinds of starry. But floor-to-ceiling window views of the Bandra-Worli Sealink stretching across the Arabian Sea aren’t what make this one of Mumbai’s most jaw-dropping rooftop restaurants.
Its otherworldly Cappadocia cave-like interiors with a 39-foot-plunge pool lined by trees are what takes the word ‘surreal’ to a new level – the 48th floor of Kohinoor Square, to be precise. And of course, the exquisite fine-dining menu of signature burgers, robata grills, luxurious beverages and a Sunday Brunch will leave you gobsmacked.