October Hotlist: New Restaurants And Bars Across India

October is starting to feel like the prelude to India’s longest party season. The air’s lighter, the WhatsApp invites are being rushed out, and your calendar’s probably starting to look like cardio. Across the metros, restaurants are shedding their monsoon mood and going full throttle again — new menus, new openings, new excuses to stay out too long.

But this month’s crop isn’t about over-the-top glitz. It’s about places that know their personality. Mumbai’s blurring the line between day and night, feni and agave, café and club. Pune’s quietly levelling up its food scene, and Amritsar and Goa are proving that good taste doesn’t stop at metro borders. From a Martini den in Bandra to a palace-inspired restaurant in Palladium to Hyderabad’s first coffee theatre (yes, that’s a thing), this is your cheat sheet to where the country’s dining scene is heading right now.

So? Let’s eat.

DELHI NCR

The Bar Behind The Sandwich Shop, Basant Lok

It doesn’t call itself a speakeasy, but it definitely flirts with the idea. Tucked (literally) behind a sandwich shop in Basant Lok, this hidden bar is everything Delhi nightlife usually isn’t — chill, unpretentious, and quiet enough to hear the person next to you. The cocktail menu’s handwritten (and regularly stolen), the drinks are stripped-back and delicious, and the whole place feels like it’s in on a secret it’s too polite to brag about.

Dramique, New Delhi

I mean, it screams drama – so obviously it’s a dinner theatre. Dramique is Delhi’s latest indulgence — feathers, sequins, live vocals, and the occasional sushi roll flying past your table. Between tamarind martinis and truffle dim sums, the night turns into a spectacle. The mood is loud, the lights are low, and no one’s pretending to be chill.

Draavin Canteen by Chef Ruchira Hoon, Gurugram

Ruchira Hoon brings her southern comfort north — and Gurugram’s better for it. Draavin is warmth bottled: spicy curries, Kerala stews, Chettinad meats, and that nostalgia only home-style food delivers. The interiors hum with coastal calm, the cocktails take tropical detours, and the menu reads like a love letter to spice routes and family recipes. It’s definitely one-of-a-kind in Gurugram, so you must try it out.

Vinci, DLF Emporio

When a Milanese art dealer and a Delhi gourmand decide to co-parent a restaurant, you get Vinci. From saffron pappardelle to lobster XO sauce and the inevitable truffle pasta tossed at your tableside, this restaurant is opulent, dramatic, and it’s also very much aware of it.

Andrea’s Eatery, Gurugram

Andrea’s new Gurugram outpost is travel bottled up into a menu — Thai krapow, Spanish prawns, San Sebastian cheesecake. Every dish feels like a souvenir from somewhere you want to go.

Bombay Brasserie, Gurugram

Finally in NCR, Bombay Brasserie does what it’s always done best. Here, you’ll find smoked mutton, jackfruit parottas, truffle kulchas, and cocktails served in cheeky quarter bottles. It’s the kind of place that laughs in the face of minimalism — loud, nostalgic, unapologetically Indian.

Dumbo Deli, New Delhi

Lodhi Colony just got a new hangout — Dumbo Deli, from the duo behind Café Dalí, VINCI, and Trattoria Hugo. It’s part deli, part bar, and all funk and heart. By day, Dumbo serves up fresh sandwiches and whisked matcha inspired by the founders’ travels. By night, it transforms into a cosy little dive bar with dim lights, good cocktails, and an easy-going crowd. The menu mixes comfort and craft — think prosciutto with melon and stracciatella, crispy chicken with molten cheese, and espresso martinis that are quickly becoming a house favourite.

MUMBAI

Drift, Nilaya Anthology

From the minds behind Comorin and Fireback comes Mumbai’s newest all-day café and bar — Drift. Perched above The Orangery, it gives a European café culture vibe. However, it transitions through the day: Mornings hum with coffee and viennoiseries, afternoons turn to salads and agnolotti, and by twilight, the DJ takes over and the bar shifts gears.

Kadak, ICONIQA

Expect Lobster Rassam, Chicken Changezi Tarts, Kadhi Chawal Risotto, and Pulled Duck Samosas glazed with hoisin. Here, you’ll also find Kadak’s interpretation of papdi chat served with salmon tartare, and black chickpea rasam paired with chana jor garam. It’s playful, unpretentious, and proof that Indian cuisine can be both self-aware and sexy. The dessert menu follows suit — jaggery kadak cheesecake and reconstructed serraduras. However, their piece de resistance is the highly coveted fruit platter – simple, I know, but its fabulous.

The Silver Train, Palladium

Imagine a royal kitchen on acid — or rather, a royal train that’s been reimagined for the Instagram age. The Silver Train, by Chef Anuradha Joshi Medhora and Shravan Juvvadi, is Mumbai’s most decadent new dining experience. A daily rotating thali inspired by India’s palace kitchens, complete with freshly churned makhan, podi ghee, and stories you can taste. The cocktails are regal with a wink — think Jadi Booti Negronis and clarified milk punches in decanters. The interiors are all Sabyasachi wallpapers, chandeliers, and a strong sense of play.

Red Room, Mumbai

Hidden behind (or maybe within) Scarlett House, this moody den stays true to its name – the interiors glow in deep, moody shades of crimson and scarlet. Created by the same team behind The Table and Miss T, the cocktail program here rotates every month. In October, it’s an ode to martini. You might start with the ‘Red Room Negroni,’ smoky and bitter with a twist of something floral, or the ‘Umami Martini,’ laced with Japanese notes that linger long after the last sip. It’s also the perfect den to host private events.

HOM, Mumbai

Bandra, the ever-evolving culinary hotspot of the city, has a new restaurant – and its HOM (inspired by the Sanskrit word “homa” – meaning fire). This is Chef Saurabh Udinia’s love letter to fire. HOM is primal yet precise — everything kissed by flame, from charred octopus to sambal toast. Think an 11-course menu that boasts smoky, stuffed Kashmiri morel in a pool of vegetarian nihari, creamy mud crabs in coconut topped with scallops, and red snappers cooked in banana-leaf. The cocktails by Countertop echo that same smokiness. For instance, one cocktail, mango bell combines yellow bell pepper, mango, coconut, citrus with tequila, mezcal and carbonation in a fab tropical drink.

Toshaa Café, Mumbai

This is a new neighbourhood café that actually feels like one. The menu drifts from Thecha Shakshuka to Sri Lankan cottage cheese curry, with gooey cheese-filled Arancini and tostadas.

HyLo Taproom, BKC

Finally, someone married Indian food with craft beer and didn’t ruin either. HyLo’s brews (shoutout to the Konkan Rice Lager) pair perfectly with Goan Chorizo Dogs and Karampodi Paneer.

The Black Shepherd, Bandra

A legit British pub in Mumbai. Chef Rahul Kotak channels years in the UK into crisp fish and chips, buttery fried chicken, and warm Madeleines for dessert. The playlist slides from Britpop to blues, the pints are cold, and for once, you don’t have to squint for authenticity.

PUNE

KMCY, Sheraton Grand Pune

There’s a new reason to visit Sheraton Grand Pune Bund Garden Hotel  now, because Pune finally gets a great new Sichuan restaurant. The name stands for Kao, Men, Chao, Yen — roasting, braising, stir-frying, and steaming — the four cornerstones of Sichuan cooking. Here you’ll find the Pixian Doubanjiang Lamb Racks, Mala BBQ Prawns, and Truffle Mushroom Baos. The space is warm and elegant with dark wood, deep green seating, and gold details that echo the balance and depth of the cuisine itself.

The Third Place, Koregaon Park

Pune’s first true wine bar doubles as a concept store — blending food, coffee, fashion, and community under one roof. It’s European in soul, Indian in spirit, and effortlessly cool. Expect 72-hour fermented pizzas, burrata salads, and curated corners selling slow-made clothes and art. Less “influencer trap,” more “weekday refuge.”

AMRITSAR

The Bagh

If Noma opened in Punjab, it might look like this. The name translates to “garden,” and true to that spirit, the space is filled with natural tones, greenery, and an easy, relaxed charm. The menu highlights regional ingredients from across Rajasthan and beyond, with dishes that are both familiar and fresh. Think smoky kebabs, rich curries, rara ghoshts next to truffle pizzas, and flavour-packed vegetarian plates that balance nostalgia with creativity.

HYDERABAD

Nomme

When Hyderabad’s most restless restaurateur opens something new, you pay attention. Imtiaz Ali Siddiqui’s Nomme is both a restaurant and a cultural space, and home to India’s first Coffee Theatre. The food — Mediterranean with Levantine touches — is deeply flavourful and beautifully plated. The coffee here is an experience, with baristas crafting pour-overs and cold brews that pair perfectly with the pastries. With its clean, modern interiors and a warm, buzzy energy, Nomme feels like the kind of place you could spend hours in.

GOA

Quinta Cantina

This intimate hole in the wall place is a feni-and-agave love affair. This place offers two sittings a night, and a menu of mischief – expect drink names like F*ck Picante, Peru, and Fenicillin. The food sounds great too: Goan pork amsol tacos, ros-omelette with Mexican twists, and prawn balchaos.

Barzinho, Miramar

Tucked away in Miramar, this is a typical Goan gastropub. Here you’ll find fried chicken with Assamese spices, prawn toast sandwiches, and bait fish with ice-cold beer. The vibe,meanwhile, is effortless, local, and rebellious.