Subko
A large, high-ceilinged roastery and one of the most dependable places in Bandra to work for a few hours. Specialty coffee, plenty of seating, and no pressure to move on.
OrderSif on the Rocks
DirectionsPhoto: subko.coffee
IBW2026 Travel Guide
Cafés in Mumbai
Ten places our team would actually send you, whether you need to work, take a meeting, or just eat well.
Bandra~25-35 min from the venue
The densest cluster of good rooms in the city, and where most of these picks are. Close enough for an evening, too far for a session break.
Boojee
Bandra's busiest brunch room at the moment, spread over two floors and full from mid-morning onwards. There is usually a wait, but it moves quickly.
OrderPortobello truffle mushroom hash browns · Tiramisu French toast · Vietnamese cold brew
Expect a queue at weekends.
DirectionsPhoto: boojeecafe.com
Mokai
A matcha-led café with eight varieties on the menu. It moved to a larger space in March and still fills up most days.
DirectionsPhoto: @mokaiindia
Veronica's
A small sandwich counter with a serious following. Worth timing around rather than turning up hungry to.
OrderThe Big Floyd
The queue runs over WhatsApp. Put your name down, then walk Waroda Road while you wait.
Pomodoro
Unfussy pasta that has become a local fixture. Best approached with a group and an appetite.
OrderThick-cut fries with parmesan truffle oil · Such A Cheeser pasta
DirectionsPhoto: @pomodoro.pastabar
Dough & Joe
Coffee and desserts until 4am. Unusually late for Mumbai, and the reason it is worth knowing about after a side event.
OrderDough knots · Hot chocolate
Open until 4am.
DirectionsPhoto: @doughandjoebombay
Scarlett House
A considered interior in a ninety-year-old bungalow, and a short menu that lands. Suits a quiet dinner or a small meeting rather than a crowd.
OrderMac and cheese · Truffle sushi · Mushroom toast
Reservation only.
DirectionsPhoto: Scarlett House
South Mumbai~60-75 min from the venue
A genuine trek from the venue, and worth it for the rooms rather than the convenience. Plan these as an evening or a free morning, not a gap between sessions.
Banyan Tree
Set inside what was Mumbai's first ice factory, around a 150-year-old banyan tree in the courtyard. An open kitchen, and the calmest room in South Mumbai for a long conversation.
OrderFrench toast · Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon
DirectionsPhoto: @banyantree_cafe
Bayview Café
A rooftop looking straight across at the Gateway of India, the Taj and the harbour. Empty first thing; best in the evening for the light. Portions are generous.
OrderBiryani · Tandoori
Leopold & Café Mondegar
Two Colaba institutions side by side. You go for the rooms and the history rather than the cooking, but worth doing once.
Practical notes
Before you go
How far are these cafés from the IBW2026 venue?
The Bandra cafés are roughly 25 to 35 minutes from Fairmont Mumbai in ordinary traffic, and the South Mumbai ones 60 to 75 minutes each way. Mumbai traffic varies a lot by time of day, so treat these as evening or free-morning plans rather than something to fit into a break between sessions.
Which of these are good for working or taking a meeting?
Subko is the most reliable room in Bandra for a few hours of laptop work. Banyan Tree in Ballard Estate is the calmest space for a longer meeting, and Scarlett House suits a quieter one-to-one. Bayview works well for a meeting you want to be memorable.
Do any of them need a reservation?
Scarlett House is reservation-only. Veronica's runs its queue over WhatsApp, so you add your name and wait nearby. Boojee does not take bookings and usually has a wait at weekends.
Is anything open late?
Dough & Joe on Hill Road is open until 4am, which is unusual for Mumbai and makes it the obvious stop after a side event.
These picks first appeared on our X account, curated by Nidhi from the IBW team, who has lived in Mumbai her whole life. Travel times are door-to-door from Fairmont Mumbai in ordinary traffic.
Every photograph is the café's own, used with credit and linked back to them.
Last updated September 2026.
