We’re on the brink of full-blown summer, so it’s only fair if you beat the heat with some delectable grub and refreshing glugs by your side. Interestingly, the month also appears to be an exciting one for foodies across Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune and Goa with exciting new menus and bar takeovers. Bookmark this page and tantalise your tastebuds to a gastronomically satisfying weekend:

Mumbai

Savour A Slice of Mexico In Mumbai

Authentic regional Mexican dishes and drinks have made its way to Mumbai, courtesy of Mezcalita. The menu is split in various parts, offering visitors multiple dining options— a quick bite for a fun night out with your friends to long drawn family meals, the menu highlights various versions of guacamole, nachos, salads, ceviches, and also features a large Mexi–Conscious section, Las Entradas (starters) that offer quesadillas, tacos and panuchos to alambres and big plates. Unmissable delights to tuck into include the birria taco (Mexico’s favourite snack and hangover cure), buff taco (a Baja California special), and their best-selling carnita taco, a gem from the central Mexican state of Michoacán.

Where: 82, Nagin Mahal, Veer Nariman Rd, Churchgate, Mumbai
Timings: Monday to Sunday | 12:00PM to 1:30 AM
Call: +918657512648 | +918657406120 (Reservations only required for tables of 6 and more.)

Tis The Weekend To Get Saucy And Social

Whether you’re a total homebody or an out-and-out partygoer, this weekend offers an unmissable gig for city folks to revel in great music, art, crypto & hypewear attractions. With the first edition held in Mumbai, Sauce By Social is a contemporary culture festival, brought to you in association with Walkers&Co by Johnnie Walker Refreshing Mixer Non-Alcoholic. With a music-line-up featuring bands like Red Veil, Seedhe Maut, Osho Jain, Mali, The Yellow Diary among many others, expect an evening like no other at this venue.

Where: Bayview Lawns, Mumbai
Timings: March 25th & 26 ( 12pm-10pm)
Ticket Link: https://insider.in/sauce-i-mumbai-edition-mar25-2023/event

Up For Some Clarified Cocktails?

Taki Taki recently launched its ‘Clarified Cocktails’ collection — a handpicked assortment of blends and brews, expertly crafted by in-house head mixologist Bensan Varghese. The specials on the menu include the Shiro, a JW blended Scotch drink with a signature apple essence, the Ketel-infused Bloody Good Mary, well-known for its spicy kick, and the New York Sour for its terrific tangy after taste. Gin lovers shouldn’t miss sampling Taki Taki’s classic negroni, rest assured, you’ll be far from disappointed. Pair these cocktails with an array of scrumptious slides: their classic sushi and flavourful dim sum, among a volley of other appetisers.

Where: World Crest, Unit no.1A & 1B, Lodha, Upper Worli, Lower Parel, Mumbai
Timings: On till March 31, 2023 | 12:00 PM – 4:00PM, 7:00PM – 1:00AM
Call: +91 7400491480

How About Some ‘Si’ Food?

Treat your palette to a slide of Italy as you sink your teeth into the mouth-watering delicacies on CinCin’s new seafood menu. Their third edition of ‘Si Si Seafood’ offers a wide range of Italian seafood delicacies in bright and fresh coastline flavours on your plate. Choose from specials like Dentice Rosso (crispy quinoa crusted red snapper in red pepper sauce), Branzino Con Schiuma (Indian seabass, cream, Pecorino Romano foam, dehydrated anchovies), Pesce Fritto (crispy white bait fish, garlic aioli, spicy tomato sauce), and Trota Al Forno (baked Himalayan trout, sweet potato, confit tomatoes, anchovies cream) and the Spaghetti Nero Di Seppia.

Where: CinCin, Raheja Towers, Near Dena Bank, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra East, Mumbai
Timings: 12:00 PM to 1:30 AM
Call: +91 83558 70000

Nothing Like A Quick Café Escape

What better way to end a fulfilling day of retail therapy than by tucking into some quick yet wholesome bites? In keeping with the millennial shopper’s appetite, Café by The St. Regis Mumbai offers the celebrated hotels quintessential culinary signatures, with a hearty menu comprising all-day-breakfast favourites, quick gourmet bites, fresh bakes, and vegan specialities, all accompanied with hand-picked tea blends, single origin coffees and deliciously whipped milkshakes.

Where: Café By The St. Regis,G 13, Ground Floor, Palladium Annexe, Lower Parel, Mumbai
Timings: 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Call: +91 8657522956

Delhi

An Indo-Japanese Extravaganza In The Heart of the Capital

New Delhi recently opened its doors to a first of its kind, Indian-Japanese restaurant, INJA. The unique dining concept draws inspiration from the distinct flavours of India and Japan, and the signature dishes on the menu include the Lobster rassam chawanmushi, Suzuki okinamasu with 7 days fermented mango achar, and king crab raj kachori. The cocktail menu has been crafted by mixologist Kumar Mangalam and offers unique intriguing drinks like the Inja Secret tea, which can be paired with individual dishes on the menu.

Where: The Manor Hotel, 77, Mathura Rd, Friends Colony West, New Friends Colony, New Delhi
Timings: Dining: 7:00 PM to 11:00 pm | Bar: 7:00 PM to 1:00 AM | Closed on Tuesdays
Call: +91 8130805333

Savour The Authentic Asian Flavours With MKT X Moyo Pop-Up

A truly extraordinary culinary pop-up event awaits foodies in Delhi starting this month end. The limited-time collaboration of MKT and Moyo merges the culinary expertise of ‘Moyo’ and the impeccable service of MKT at The Chanakya, The menu offers myriad Asian delicacies, alongside an array of salads, appetisers, baos, soups, Thai curries, variety of flavour-packed rice and noodles and many main courses and dessert options.

Where: MKT, Lower Ground Floor, The Chanakya Mall, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi
Timings: March 31 To April 2 | 11:00 AM to 12:00 AM
Call: +9196678 25254 | +9198188 76877

The Lure Of Lazy Italian Luncheons

On a balmy weekend afternoon, few things compare to the joy of tucking into a decadent Italian luncheon. The three-course at Perbacco at The Lodhi features a set menu that boasts a bunch of classics as well as avant-garde dishes, such as onion soup with saffron and parmesan tortellini, lamb tonnato with tuna sauce, caperberries and shallots, fettuccine alfredo-style with butter and parmesan, marjoram and lemon sicilian sea bass, eggplant parmigiana . To round off the meal on a sweet note, order up their bestselling dessert: a delicious hazelnut and salted caramel semifreddo.

Where: Perbacco at The Lodhi, Pragati Vihar, New Delhi
Timings: 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM (Lunch)
Call: +918171230414

Bengaluru

An Ode To The Richness Of Indian Cuisines

A newly launched restaurant at Courtyard & Fairfield by Marriott ORR, Qafila by Kava raises a toast to the richness of Indian cuisine and slow cooking. Headed by Chef Azar, Qafila takes a detour from usual restaurant practices and only offers one meal a day. The menu features an innovative mix of fine Indian cuisines including flavourful soups like murgh badami and subz shorba, and appetisers like gilawat ke kebab aur sheermal, kesari jhinga, palak anjeer kebab, and bharwan tandoori aloo. The signature kava dal, dum gosht biryani, kosha mangsho, prawn sukka, bhindi bharwan, guncha keema, and sarson ka saag are unmissable as far as the mains are concerned.

Where: Hotel Fairfield by Marriott Outer Ring Rd, Marathahalli – Sarjapur Outer Ring Rd, Bellandur, Bengaluru
Timings: 6:30 AM to 11:00 PM
Call: 08071203040

New Specials At Magnolia Bakery

Indulge your sweet tooth with an array of limited-run desserts at Bengaluru’s favorite sweet pitstop — Magnolia Bakery. The highlights of the month include cookies & cream banana pudding, orange cheesecake and the decadent strawberry cake for an extra sugar rush. What’s more, New York’s iconic bakery chain is introducing a series of exclusive new ice cream flavours including Ruby chocolate, hazelnut and more, which can be customised with the perfect pick-me-up toppings.

Where: J.K. Plaza, 788, 12th Main Rd, Indiranagar, Bengaluru
Timings: 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM
Call: 09606746364

Pune

New Menu Alert At Soyo Como Soy

Soy Como Soy has been the talk of the town in Pune since the launch of its Nikkei Style Cuisine — a harmonious blend of Japanese and Peruvian culinary traditions. The highlights on the menu include the birria taco and Tonkatsu ramen, in addition to the Soy Como Soy Cold bar bestsellers such as Scallop Tiradito, Seabass ceviche, Tuna tartare, Peruvian rice, Miso black cod, Buff Yaki Niku and more. Apart from these, the menu also features nigiri, dim sums, tempura, cheung fun and more made in various styles. The bar menu features cocktails such as Rubio, a light whisky, Japanese green melon, lime juice, carbonated ginger mizu; Tic Teq To (tequila, Orange Amaro, Rosso-infused with Kosher salt), Met my Match (Matcha-infused tequila), and more.

Where: Soy Como Soy, Near Royal Orchid Golden Suites, Opp Marigold, Kalyani Nagar, Pune
Timings: 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM, 7:00 PM to 12:00 AM
Call: 09529378565

Pune Gets A Taiwanese Food Festival

More often than not, there’s nothing comforting that a hot and comforting meal of steamed dumpling soup. Throw in a range of street-side signature sides like Pepper and spring onion flatbread, Zongzi rice, Gua bao, Popcorn chicken, and Xiao Lung Bao lobster, and you have a complete meal for yourself.

For the main course, indulge in classics like steamed Baby Napa cabbage, spicy bean sauce, Ya Cai beans, and Mock Duck garlic pepper sauce for vegetarians. For seafood lovers, popular options like the tilapia with Chilly XO, Taiwanese whole steamed snapper, and Taipei lobster wont disappoint. The mains are accompanied with your choice of Lu Rou Fan Taiwanese fried rice or Sian Hi Mi Taiwanese noodles, which are full of authentic flavours that transport you to the bustling streets of Taiwan. Cap off your dining experience with beverage specialities like Tamsui, Chilli Caramel bubble tea, Konomi, and Escape To Qui Xing Mountain.

Where: Koji, Conrad, Mangaldas Rd, Sangamvadi, Pune
Timings: Lunch: 12:30 PM to 3:30 PM | Dinner: 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Call: 02067456745 | +919168603850

Goa

All-American Diner Experience For The Win

Chef Xavs has crafted an all-menu for Goa’s popular American food joint, Route 66. The new menu offers a myriad range of American classics, which are served alongside best secret creations such as cucumber pickles, pastrami, barbeque sauce, ranch dressing and the like. Recommended beverages include milkshakes, mojitos and margaritas, and of course, the best selling food range from burgers and steaks to pizzas. Route 66 also offers a wide selection of dishes for vegetarians, with cult classics like the veggie burger, veggie pizza, and vegetable lasagne.

Where: Ground Floor, Casa Morada, Rua de Ourém. BLUE bldg, opp. Patto pedestrian Bridge, Panaji, Goa
Timings: 12:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Call: 096239 22796

A Street Food Festival Comes To Goa

The sunny state gears up a street for a festival — The Street Food Festival at Hilton Goa Resort promises to take you on a memorable culinary journey by lanes of India as the chefs of the resort curate a street food feast to tickle your sweet as well as savoury taste buds. The festival features a dynamic menu with Indian street food counters for each city featuring their street food specialities leaving you spoilt for choice. While the savouries are sure to tantalise your taste buds, the festival will also feature a dedicated desserts counter with regional delicacies to complete the meal on a gooey, feel-good note.

Where: Hilton Goa Resort, Saipem Hills, Candolim, Goa
Timings: On Till March 26, 7:00 PM onwards
Call: 9607975963

An Exciting Latin American-Mexican Takeover Awaits

Folks in Pune indeed have something to be excited about— Elephant & Co., a popular neighbourhood bar, is bringing Chef Urvika’s Cafe Duco all the way from Mumbai for a Latin American and Mexican-inspired takeover. Expect a menu filled with innovative and carefully curated dishes such as lamb barbacoa, burrata, pulled jackfruit, quesadilla, Gambas – Al – Ajilo, empanada, and many more. Since there’s no better accompaniment to good food than an array of well-made drinks, Rahul Kamath the head mixologist of Elephant & Co. has curated new cocktails like Apple Pie (JW Blonde, apple reduction, bitters), Jamun Sorbet cocktail (Tequila, lime, jamun sorbet.), Watermelon High (Stranger & Sons gin, watermelon, strawberry, amaro.), Ganga Jamuna (Their signature takeover on Italian garibaldi with Campari, amaro, and Aperol mixed with fluffy orange and sweet lime juice) and more.

Where: D 10, Central Ave, opp. Gaurishankar Kalyani Bungalow, Nilanjali Society, Kalyani Nagar, Pune
Timings: March 30 to April 1|Lunch: 12 PM to 3 PM, Dinner: 6 PM to 11 PM
Call: 09766838529

Ice cream Specials:

Artisanal Ice-Creams, Anyone?

Just in time for the summers, Burma Burma has introduced a range of gourmet ice creams in six unique flavours, steeped in nostalgia. These ice creams have been whipped up with some unusual ingredient combinations like a sweet corn ice cream popsicle and honeycomb, Pineapple Energee (the after-school drink of every 90s kid, which is flavoured milk, churned to an ice cream, served with brown butter crumble), avocado ice cream topped with honey caviar and coconut fumes and the forbidden Asian durian fruit known for its distinct taste and flavour churned into one-of-a-kind handmade ice cream, exclusively available at the outlet.

Where: Burma Burma Artisanal ice creams and merchandise t-shirts are available exclusively at all Burma Burma Restaurants and Tea Rooms and are available for delivery in Mumbai, Noida, Bengaluru, Gurugram, Delhi and Kolkata at Rs. 500 onwards.