What’s new on Mumbai’s Food scene this May: Gaggan’s residency at Masque, Chaitanya Assal Malvani comes to Thane, new launches and more

Where: Masque Lab, Mumbai
When: May 18–22, 2026, 6pm and 9pm seatings
Cost: Rs 35,000 per person, all inclusive
Reserve via Swiggy Scenes

New launch: Staqx by chef Beena Noronha

Chef Beena Noronha, the Mangalorean who grew up in Muscat and put together menus for Gigi, Lyla and Scarlett House, has opened her first independent venture. Staqx is a 14-seater American diner in Bandra Reclamation, parked in good company alongside Uppu and Bombay Daak, and it is unabashedly about nostalgia and indulgence. The space is small and deliberately so – neon signage, tiled surfaces, chrome accents, music that moves through the room. The menu draws on her roots and her travels: an after-school chutney sandwich, a focaccia sandwich called Like a Sheikh (think Muscat nostalgia and shawarma), a Mangalore Mess from an ancestral recipe, a prawn brioche roll called Sure Thing, and a tuna-kimchi number called Tuna Turner. Vegetarians get an imposter pulled jackfruit banh mi. The soft serve runs on a Tom and Jerry logic — Tom is always vanilla, Jerry changes monthly. Right now, Jerry is cherry cheesecake. The vibe is bright, neon-lit, unapologetically 80s.

Staqx is a 14-seater American diner in Bandra Reclamation, parked in good company alongside Uppu and Bombay Daak

Where: Bandra Reclamation, Mumbai
When: 12 pm to 12 am
Cost: Approx Rs 800–1,000 for two
Walk-ins only

Pedro’s Pals at O Pedro featuring Miguel’s, Goa

O Pedro’s Pedro’s Pals series — weekend kitchen takeovers by friends from Goa — is back for its fifth edition. This time, Miguel’s – Cocktails and Petiscos, a 25-seater bar in Fontainhas, Goa, takes over. The menu reinterprets 450 years of Konkan-Portuguese exchange across small plates and sharing mains. Opening bites include a Gazpacho sphere, Mushroom and Truffle Pâté on achappam and a Mackerel Gin and Tonic with gin gel and celery caviar. Standouts on the mains include a Vindalho Scotch Egg, a Deconstructed Curry and the B**f Wellington which is promised as worth the trip on its own. Desserts include a Barrel Aged Feni and Miso Ice Cream with Alphonso. Cocktails are built around Goa’s landscape: kokum, tamarind, feni, sol kadi foam. Luna the Band plays at Sunday brunch.

Where: O Pedro, BKC, Mumbai
When: May 9-10, 2026, 12 – 4pm and 7pm – 12am
For reservation, call +91 7506525554

New launch: La Taqueria

From the team behind Mezcalita and part of Impresario Entertainment and Hospitality, La Taqueria brings with it a fresh, unfussy take on modern Mexican dining. Designed as a space that takes you out of the city without ever leaving it, La Taqueria is a casual, all-day eatery rooted in ingredients, technique, and bold, expressive flavour. The philosophy is simple: “without style,” allowing each dish to speak for itself. Grounded in the traditions of Mexico, but shaped by global influences and local produce, the kitchen is built around house-made masa, seasonal sourcing, and a deep respect for craft, where tortillas, fire, and flavour form the backbone of the experience.

La Taqueria is a casual, all-day eatery rooted in ingredients, technique, and bold, expressive flavour.

Where: Jio World Plaza, BKC
Cost: Rs 2,200 for two
For reservation, call 022-35706449

New launch: Chaitanya – Assal Malvani

Mumbai’s most beloved Malvani restaurant has expanded to Thane. Founded by Surekha and Nitin Walke, Chaitanya has spent decades building a loyal following for its coastal cuisine – fish curry, rice, solkadhi, crisp Surmai Fry and Bombil Fry. The new 90-seater space in Wagle Industrial Estate is designed like a contemporary Malvani home and is now being run by the next generation, Mitra Walke. The Thane menu also introduces a tandoor section with Pomfret Tandoor, Roasted Kaleji and Tandoor Crab, a smoky addition to a menu that has always been about the sea.

Fish thali at Chaitanya

Where: Centrum Business Square, Wagle Industrial Estate, Thane West
Cost: Rs 800–1,000 for two

New launch: Cafe Como Xo

First-time restaurateurs Meyuri Shethia and Charmi Ajmera have opened a veg-forward cafe in Kala Ghoda. The menu, curated by Chef Vinayak Mhatale, is largely vegetarian with a strong eggetarian identity, most dishes can be built around eggs. Highlights include the Brain Booster and Hot and Spicy Poke Bowls, a live salad bar, and egg-forward plates like Truffle Mushroom Scrambled Eggs, Turkish Eggs and Shakshuka. There is also a DIY ramen station where you build your own bowl. The matcha menu is already picking up with the strawberry matcha and cloud foam version being early favourites. Coffee runs from Cold Brew and Tonic Cold Brew to an Iced Honey Cinnamon Latte and Island Cloud Coffee.

Where: 1st floor, Techno Heritage Building, Nagindas Master Road, Kala Ghoda, Fort
When: 8am-11pm
Cost: Rs 1,000++ for two
For reservation, call 7400193144

New launch: Gong, Bandra

Specialty Restaurants Limited, the group behind Mainland China and Oh! Calcutta, has opened Gong on the eighth floor of Mansionz One on Linking Road, Bandra. The format is Pan Asian with an unusually serious sushi programme, described as one of the largest in Mumbai, with Japanese-sourced seafood handled through a surgical-grade freezer for rapid freezing. Beyond sushi, the menu introduces two relatively unfamiliar formats to Mumbai diners: Chuka, Japanese-style comfort bowls including Mapo Tofu with miso butter rice and Sake Duck Yakimeshi, and Itameshi, the Japanese-Italian crossover that is gaining ground globally. The cocktail list draws from Asian ingredients: shiitake-infused whisky, kokum, tamarind, kaffir, miso syrup.

Where: 8th Floor, Mansionz One, Linking Road, Bandra
When: 6pm-12am, all days
Cost: Rs 2,500++ for two
For reservation, call 8655696104/05

Coastal Kissa at Bombay Brasserie

Bombay Brasserie’s summer menu travels India’s 7,500-km coastline through ten dishes across seven coastal regions. The more interesting pairings: Thoran Gnocchi from the Malabar Coast, where Kerala’s coconut-and-curry-leaf thoran meets Italian technique; Crab Kothu Benedict from the Coromandel Coast, spiced crab kothu on roti with a poached egg; and Recheado Goan Prawn Toast, which keeps the intensity of the masala but changes the format. Mango Medley Chaat handles the Konkan coast. The beverage menu follows the same geography with a Kokum Batanga, Malabar Coastal Cooler and Nannari Sherbet. Available across Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, Chennai and Guwahati through May and June.

Where: All Bombay Brasserie outlets
When: May-June 2026, 12pm–11.30pm
Cost: Rs 3,000 for two (without alcohol), Rs 4,500 (with alcohol)
For reservation, call 9152203442

Naturals x Bombay Sweet Shop

This summer, Naturals Ice Cream, known for its fruit-forward philosophy, and Bombay Sweet Shop, known for its modern take on Indian mithai, have produced two flavours together. Tender Coconut Naga Chilli pairs Naturals’ most iconic flavour with a slow-building heat. Coffee Fudge Crunch takes the Coffee Walnut base and adds fudge and a coffee brittle for extra texture.

Where: All Naturals and Bombay Sweet Shop stores in Mumbai
Cost: Scoop from Rs 85, tub from Rs 475

New launch: Concu

Concu, Hyderabad’s much-loved patisserie and café, launches in Colaba this May. Expect a place where mornings begin gently over coffee, matcha or ube, and evenings transition seamlessly into something more spirited. On weekends, it welcomes early risers with an easy breakfast menu that moves from eggs and pancakes to smoothie bowls and everyone’s favourite avocados, done just the way you like them. Their all-day offering includes pizzas, salads, DIY pastas and a small plates section. There’s also an open dessert counter, inviting guests to choose from their pastries, alongside made-to-order cakes designed for any and every occasion.

Where: Plot No. 22A/459, 2nd Pasta Lane, Railway Colony, Colaba, Mumbai 400005
When: Tuesday to Sunday: 9 am till late; Saturday and Sunday: 8 am till late
Walk-ins encouraged; reservations for larger groups at 98198 22225