More than street food, actors, and Marine Drive enthusiasts, in Mumbai, you’re likely to find more coffee connoisseurs all across, trying new coffee-based beverages, cafes, and all things coffee. I mean, who else is supporting the businesses of all these brand new gems in Bandra that keep propping up quicker than you can spell the word? Yes, it’s people like me who yell “Coffee, coffee, coffee!!!” every morning, like they’re Lorelai Gilmore, reborn.
The best part of this mildly concerning obsession with coffee is that everyone can find what floats their boat—AKA their go-to coffee order. Personally, I found mine to be a simple iced vanilla latte with 2 or 3 shots of espresso. How did I know it’s not an americano or a flat white? I went to a dozen of these cafes and tried different, delish coffee-based beverages to circle in on my cup of tea—or shall I say, coffee?
Today, you’ll find micro-roasters tucked between heritage lanes, cafés grinding beans that were handpicked on family-run estates, and baristas who speak about fermentation processing with the same intensity people reserve for cricket. Coffee has quite literally evolved into a culture in this city, and I love that—equal parts passion, precision, and pure joy—crafted for anyone who believes that coffee should be an experience, not just a wake-up call. While walking along the streets of the suburbs, you’ll most likely find people dilly-dallying around with a to-go cup from one of the many cafes in the city, hinting at just how loved this beverage is.
The natural next step after you find your go-to order? Finding just the right kind of coffee beans, of course. Artisanal coffee is all the hype in the city lately, because coffee connoisseurs are now taking it up a notch. And whether you’re a cold brew enthusiast, a good ol’ cappucino purist, a flat-white loyalist, or simply someone who loves a well-made cup in a pretty space, Mumbai has a perfect pick waiting for each and every one of you.
Consider this your (very) caffeinated roadmap to the city’s best artisanal brews—where the beans are small-batch and recently roasted, the vibes are chatty and cute, and the coffee? Let’s just say no one can have just one. And yes, these are most definitely Gilmore-approved.
Subko Coffee Roasters
With over a dozen Subko Minis and similar outposts sprinkled all across the city, Subko was one of the first to bring speciality coffee as a culture and as an obsession to Bombay. The name quite literally translates to “For everyone”, borrowing from the Hindi meaning of the phrase—it’s an inclusive little space, inviting one and all to come and find out what coffee suits them best, one cutesy cup at a time. My favourite part is that Sublo is not just a café, but a full-blown roastery, bakehouse, and design-forward space all rolled into one. Every location you visit, there’s something cool and distinct about it that sets it apart from the herd.
Their flagship café sits in a restored 1925 bungalow on Chapel Road, Bandra West, reimagined by STaND Design with teak wood, cane, copper accents, and a calm, homely feel that somehow bridges old Bombay and coffee laboratory into one, singular space. What sets them apart is their very serious commitment to café culture rooted in the subcontinent, and for the subcontinent. They source beans not just from well-known regions but across India—Karnataka, Meghalaya, Assam—and even neighbouring countries like Nepal and Sri Lanka. Their team includes Q-graders who oversee every roast in small batches, and it shows: the coffees here feel thoughtful, layered, and very, very intentional.
The menu itself swings between serious and playful. At The Craftery—Subko’s 2,200 sq ft roastery-bakery space in Byculla—they don’t just brew espresso and pour overs, they also serve inventive “milk experiments” like a black forest flat white, a banoffee pie flat white, and even a Subko Float, which blends single-origin coffee with real vanilla and soda. Each coffee is more unique and experimental than the other, which is exactly what I love about them. On the bakery side, their craft bakehouse churns out everything from layered croissants to sourdough loaves, and even special menus with seasonal fruit—I remember seeing their newly launched strawberry-based menu, ‘Strawberry Fields Forever.’
Don’t wait, don’t think—if you love coffee, Subko’s where to be!
Address (Main outpost in Bandra): Ground Floor, Mary Lodge, 21A, Chapel Rd, next to Saba Heritage building, Ranwar, Bandra West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400050
Timings: Monday to Sunday (7:30 am–10 pm)
Price for two: INR 1,500
Nandan Coffee
Another go-to for speciality coffee, Nandan Coffee’s coffee beans come in straight from their own estate in Kodaikanal, where coffee is grown under a canopy of jackfruit, silver oak, and avocado trees, making the whole process deeply sustainable and deeply rooted. However, my favourite part and what makes them truly stand out is how integrated their farm-to-cup philosophy is: they roast, grind, and brew in-house, and also invite you into that conversation—whether via their Fort experience centre or through their transparent menu of single-estate blends.
Their Mumbai flagship is in a heritage building in Fort—the Mulla House—and the space absolutely lives up to the brand. Think tall windows, an emerald green entrance, minimalist white interiors, and just delicious, delicious coffee. It looks like a space right out of a tiny nook in NYC, but make it very Indian, and very close to home. When it comes to coffee, Nandan gives you options in a way that feels like a “choose your own espresso adventure.” They offer seven signature blends— from the royale medium to the espresso medium dark—each of which comes with tasting notes, so you know what you’re getting yourself into. And if you’re feeling experimental, or just in search of something different, you can even mix and match some of their blends under the guidance of a barista and walk home with your own custom roast. And as far as what’s on the menu is concerned, it’s as widespread as coffee can get. From beverages like a pina colada cold brew tonic to a whole affagato bar (which includes a matcha variant), they’ve actually got it all.
At Nandan, coffee is a whole curated experience of its own, and we are here for it!
Address: Mulla House, 34, Homi Modi St, opposite Central Bank Head Office, Kala Ghoda, Fort, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400001
Timings: Monday to Sunday (8 am–10 pm)
Price for two: INR 800
KC Roasters By Koinonia
Wondering where all the cool kids on the block are quenching their desperate thirst for artisanal coffee? Yes, it’s right here, in Khar West. They’re coffee roasters first and a cafe second, which is exactly what makes their coffee so crisp, so nutty, and so, so good.
The word ‘Koinonia’ refers to community in Greek, and that ethos is deeply rooted in how they operate. From bean sourcing to the final brew, their approach is intentionally collaborative: they work directly with estates and farmers, and aim to make speciality coffee accessible, not just exclusive. Their bean lineup includes Indian single-estate coffees from estates like Marvahulla (Nilgiris), Doraikanal (Western Ghats), Poabs (Kerala), and Badra (Chikmagalur). And because of this, their blends have a distinct Indian terroir, which is exactly what I love most.
While the cafe is cosy, cute and comforting, the coffee, too, is all those things, personified. Their signature drinks are some of the most unheard of ones in all of the city. These include the activated charcoal mint mocha, keto coffee made with coconut oil and cinnamon, and of course, a full-fledged affagato bar.
It’s the best of artisanal coffee, one new, just weird enough variation at a time—go soon!
Address: 6, Chuim Village Rd, Khar, Chuim Village, Danda, Khar West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400052
Timings: Monday to Sunday (7:30 am–10 pm)
Price for two: INR 600
Perch Wine And Coffee Bar
Perch is a cafe-bar hybrid that seamlessly blends the laid-back energy of cafes with the classy sophistication of wine bars. Tucked inside a sunlit, glass-fronted Bandra corner (and mirrored by its equally elegant Colaba outpost), Perch is all about light, clean design—white walls, warm wood, soft greenery, and just enough minimalism to make you exhale the moment you walk in. It’s the sort of place where you don’t rush anything, especially not your coffee (and your wine).
Perch serves single-origin brews sourced via the Delhi roastery Kaffa Cerrado, including beans from places like Kenya, Nicaragua, and Indonesia. And, they go big on variety. For their coffees, they do every kind that you can imagine and love—espressos, pour-overs, moka pot brews—and even a coffee flight, tasting the same beans brewed in different ways. For something more experimental, they have a coffee shrub + tonic and even a coffee sangria.
Perch is known for wine almost as much as coffee: that duality is part of their charm. Mornings begin with well-pulled espresso shots and chia bowls, afternoons swing into slow lunches, and by evening, the mood shifts into clinking glasses and small plates. But the coffee never stops being great—whether it’s a classic cappuccino or the speciality brews that rotate with their seasonal menu.
There isn’t a more perfect harmony between coffee and wine than this!
Address: 12 UNION PARK, HOTEL OSCAR, Off Carter Rd, opp. HAKIM AALIM, Khar West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400052
Timings: Monday to Sunday (8 am–1 am)
Price for two: INR 1,500
Grey Soul Coffee Roasters
Grey Soul feels like a grown-up speciality coffee brand that found its home in Mumbai. Their Bandra outpost, in Pali Village, is beyond just a cafe—it’s a flagship for intentional third-wave drinking, with a custom brew bar built for pour-overs, AeroPress, and cold brew. Designed to keep the spotlight on coffee, the interiors are minimal and calm, letting light, wood, and quiet corners do the talking.
Made with 100% Arabica beans, their coffee bar serves everything that your caffeinated dreams are made of, with some of the best beans in all of town. But where things get interesting is their Slow Bar. This bar is a dedicated area where baristas manually brew single-origin speciality coffees using methods like pour-over, Chemex, and AeroPress. These often feature single-estate beans from Indian origins like Nagaland, Chikmagalur, and Araku. Add to that their seasonal signature drinks—think cold brew tonic, orangeade iced latte, and even a spiced cascara spritz. It’s the perfect place to lounge, enjoy a meal, worship your laptop, or bond over a shared love for coffee with some friends.
Their main aim is simple: focus and sip only and only on coffee!
Address: Dr Ambedkar Rd, next to Wellness Forever, opp. Zig Zag Road, Pali Village, Bandra West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400050
Timings: Monday to Sunday (8 am–11 pm)
Price for two: INR 800
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Also read: International Coffee Day: 4 Places Changing Delhi’s Coffee Game
