Best cafes to work and chill in Bandra and Khar!

I live in Mumbai and Bandra is actually one of my favourite areas to explore, especially on weekends when I am always on a lookout for a place to sit, drink coffee and work. Though I actually started writing the this post about best cafes in Bandra where one could actually work, but it has now expanded to all cafes which are perfect for hanging out with friends as well.

best cafes of bandra khar mumbai


Why Bandra?

Well, Bandra close to home and is also home to some of the best and chilled out cafes of Mumbai, which makes me feel at home there.

But how does one go about finding the appropriate work cafes there?
Well, online search is one way, but I often find cafes through recommendations from friends as well as my followers on Instagram and Twitter. Shivya, a fellow travel blogger, is often my go-to person as she has also explored this aspect of Bandra well, but I also ask for recommendation from people I often bump into while I am actually sitting at one of these cafe.

This isn’t a list based on some scientific methodology, and is purely based on what I like in a cafe, especially a cafe where you can work. Good coffee, relaxed ambiance, good music, and wi-fi are certainly a must-have for such a cafe. It’s also not a fixed list and I will keep adding to it as I explore more cafes and fall even more in love with Bandra. I’ve also included Khar, which is a neighborhood of Bandra because they are really close to each other and share some common vibes.

I have no included chain cafes (at least the big ones) like Starbucks and Cafe Coffee Day, and have focused on more unique cafes which offer something more than just coffee.

But before I move on to the faces, here's something really interesting that I read sitting in one of these cafes below - a book called 'Coffee Life in Japan' by Merry White. She talks beautifully about the context of a cafe in the life in the city, but also something ubiquitous across the world - a melting pot where the night dwellers come after partying all night but before they go home, and the early morning office goers who come there to start their day. Mumbai, though often referred to a city which never sleeps, isn't exactly there as yet, but I think the coffee culture in the city is growing and Bandra is leading among all neighbourhoods. So yes...Yo Bandra!

Best cafes to work and chill in Bandra!

So without much ado, here are my recommendations for the best cafes to work and chill at Bandra. This is an organic list and will continue to grow as I explore more and more places.

1. Birdsong - The Organic Cafe

Working hours: 9:00 am to 11:30 am

Let’s start with the cafe which is one of my personal favourite in the city. It was Shivya who introduced me to this place and ever since I’ve been coming here often. In fact I've introduced this cafe to many of my others friends too and everyone so far has loved the place!

birdsong organic cafe bandra mumbai photo
Birdsong cafe in Bandra

birdsong organic cafe bandra mumbai photo
Some muffins! :)

What’s great? The coffee is good, but what’s even more interesting is that the place has vegan options to most of the items in the menu. This means a lot for vegan travellers, plus the vegan food is super tasty!

I love sitting by the window of the last table and working. I occasionally look out and watch the life passing by.

Outdoor seating: No

Books to read: No

Wi-fi: Yes

Pro tip: There is a lovely shop, Lila, just across the street where you can do some shopping too. It’s fairly expensive, but I still quite liked it. You can go there for some window shopping too!

Address:
Shop No. 1-5, Jenu-Jenai, Off. Hill Road, Waroda Road
Bandra West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400050

2. Bombay Coffee House

Working hours: 9:00 am to 00:30 am

I discovered this cafe in in Bandra on a lazy weekend surfing online for cafes, and actually my search that day inspired me to actually write this story because it wasn't that easy to find a lost of cafes which are actually good for working.

bombay coffee house bandra mumbai photo
Entrance to Bombay Coffee House

bombay coffee house bandra mumbai photo
Trying to work!

The charging point is available only on the table with bar stools, so if the plan is to work use those. I actually sat by the table next to the window and charged my laptop first and then worked later on.

Outdoor seating: No

Books to read: No

Wi-fi: Yes

What's good? Though, I didn't eat their breakfast, it's a popular brunch cafe on the weekends.

Pro tip: Though it's a decent place to work, during meal times it's fairly noisy. I would suggest spending time here either early morning or after lunch time.

Address:
248, New Kamal Building,
Waterfield Road, Bandra West
Mumbai, Maharashtra 400050

3. The Bagel Shop

Working hours: 8:30 am to 11:00 pm

This was a place suggested on Twitter when I asked for recommendations for cafes in Bandra and it’s my favourite of them all. I was by myself that day and wanted to work like a focused beam of laser, but the day turned out quite differently. I met up with people from across the world on their community table, got introduced to this new app called Layover, went out shooting with new people and had a fantastic Sunday.

bagel shop bandra mumbai photo
Entrance to the Bagel shop

bagel shop bandra mumbai photo
All the food at the Bagel shop!

bagel shop bandra mumbai photo
Avocado bagel! 

Did I work? Not at all...at least not that day. The next visit was great too, but I focused on work and got it all done.

Outdoor seating: Yes

Books to read: No

Wi-fi: Yes

What’s great? If you are vegetarian, try out their avocado bagel and strawberry smoothie - it’s a divine combo!

Pro tip: If you stay long enough, you will see TV stars or even film actors walk in and sip coffee, or discuss scripts. It’s certainly fascinating for an outsider to get exposed to that side of life.

Address:
No.30, Pali Mala Road
Pali Hill, Mumbai, Maharashtra - 400050

4. La Folie Lab

Working hours: 8:30 am to 11:00 pm (Saturday-Sunday till midnight)

La Folie Lab isn't exactly the typical cafe, but a food and dessert place which also serves some good coffee. It's a creation by French trained Sanjana Patel, and the place does have a French feel to it. Unlike her other creations, this one is small and deliciously black and grey in decor.

Outdoor seating: No

Books to read: --

Wi-fi: --

What's good? The desserts are great and are a perfect combination with your coffee.

What's not: The place is expensive and you are likely to feel the pinch on your wallet.

Address:
Shop No.1, Libra Tower
70, Hill Rd, Opp. Saint Peters Church
Bandra West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400050

Disclaimer: I haven't personally been to the cafe so can't personally recommend it. Soon, I will and bring you a personal story too :)

5. Blue Tokai

Working hours: 8:30 am to 10:00 pm

Let's start with their story first - "When we moved to Delhi in 2012, gone were the local roasting shops we had frequented in Chennai. While the beans they provided may not have been terribly fresh, or even all that flavorful, they at least made a drinkable cup of coffee. In Delhi, we found our options were limited to pre-ground mass produced coffee or overpriced, imported beans that were roasted months ago."

blue tokai bandra mumbai photo
Entrance to Blue Tokai
blue tokai bandra mumbai photo
Very inviting interiors - cool with good wi-fi
Yum! But I was too full to try it out :)

They are relatively new in Mumbai and operate out of a small and a modern looking space right in the heart of Bandra. In fact Yoga House and Blue Tokai are walking distance from each other, and if you plan to spend your day (like I do sometimes) hopping cafes, these are perfect neighbours.

Outdoor seating: Yes

Books to read: No

Wi-fi: Yes

What's good? They are known for their freshly roasted and brewed coffee. Have a bagel with your coffee for a perfect companion as you work. They have vegan options for most of their coffees - you can take either soya or almond milk. I find the place to be also very reasonably priced.

Pro tip: They are roast and deliver coffee to your doorstep. Read more here.

Address:
Shop No. 1 Mayflower Building
33 New Kant Wadi Lane, Perry Road,
Bandra West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400050

6. Village Shop

Working hours: 8:30 am to 10:30 pm

The first time I visited Village shop was dinner and it didn't come across at all as a coffee and work place - I loved it though and decided to come back again for lunch on another day.

Guess what, though small, the place packs a punch. The green surroundings are a relief on a warm Mumbai day, and the really delicious food actually adds to the overall experience.

Outdoor seating: Yes

Books to read: No

Wi-fi: Yes

What's great? I think the food here is great, even more than coffee.

Pro tip: They serve some good Vegan food, so if that's important to you, this is the cafe for you :)

Address:
53 Serpis Villa, Chinbai Road
Next to St. Andrews Church
Mumbai, Maharashtra

Disclaimer: No pictures, because I just didn't take any - I will make sure to take some on my next visit there :)

7. Yoga House

Working hours: 8:00 am to 10:00 pm (Monday closed)

Yoga House is actually a place which teaches Yoga, and the cafe is actually a part of it. It's located on one of those inner lanes of Bandra, and you can miss it if you are not looking for it - when you go there the first time, look for the faded green building - it says 'Yoga cafe' in Hindi.

yoga cafe bandra mumbai photo
The Yoga House

The ambiance is one of the most welcoming among all the cafes mentioned - there is no air conditioning, but the place is still genuinely cool. There is only one word to describe the feel of the cafe - earthy. Coffee is good too! There is, of course, free wi-fi and it's actually quite decent.


yoga cafe bandra mumbai photo
I love the seating here! 

yoga cafe bandra mumbai photo
And that's me working :)

The cafe has two levels and both are great to sit. The one on the big balcony above is a community table and if you are alone, sit there and make new friends. Or help out a traveler - many of the patrons are people from outside India and can do with some tips.

Outdoor seating: Yes

Books to read: Yes

Wi-fi: Yes

What's great? This is a House to learn Yoga, and if you are interested in learning Yoga, this is a place to do that. They have courses that you can join, as well as retreats that you can be a part of. Read more here.

Pro tip: It's closed on Mondays, so make other plans if you intend to work that day. Also, the place is expensive (a smoothie costs Rs 300) so it's good to know before you go :)

Address:
Nargis Villa, Water Bungalow
Sherly Rajan Road, Near Rizvi College, Opp ICICI Bank
Bandra West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400050

8. BAD cafe

The last in the list, at least right now, is another cafe that I am yet to experience though I did visit them just to have a look at the space. What intrigued me the most about the place was the fact that last year they won the prestigious Golden A’ Design Award in Architecture, Building and Structure DesignCategory by the International Design Academy.

Living up to the reputation of the award, the cafe is quite a stunner from outside. It's primarily black (that won my heart already) and the bold and wavy facade in a narrow lane of Bandra truly makes a statement. It's even more black from inside and I was so tempted to at least have a cup of coffee there, but after three cups already in the day, I didn't want to overload my system.

BAD cafe bandra mumbai photo
That's some facade!

BAD cafe bandra mumbai photo
They love their coffee for sure :)

Outdoor seating: No

Books to read: Yes

Wi-fi: Yes

What's great? Since I haven't tried out their food, I can't talk about that, but the ambiance of the place is truly unique and interesting. It's a bit dark, but sitting by the large open window with a book or laptop would be nice

Pro tip: None right now.

Address:
Kapadia House, 22G, off Perry Cross Road,
42, New Kantwadi Rd, Bandra West
Mumbai, Maharashtra 400050

9. Pali Village Cafe

Tucked away on a narrow steers on Pali Hill, the Pali Village Cafe is easy to miss. The sign outside is barely visible, but for the guard who sits outside. It looks small from outside, but do not worry - it's pretty spacious from inside.

Though ideal to work during the day, I would not recommend coming here to work during meal times. There is no community table or nice seats for single person, so you will have to sit and work on the bar stool during busy hours.

Pali Village cafe bandra mumbai photo
Pali Village cafe

Pali Village cafe bandra mumbai photo
Coffee time! :)

The basic coffee is reasonable priced (₹ 170), but most of the food is expensive. Keep that in mind when you come here and work.

Outdoor seating: No

Books to read: No

Wi-fi: Yes

What’s great? There is a huge menu of food and drinks (including wine), and it’s a lovely place to get drunk with friends too.

Pro tip: to reach here, don’t use the google map - it will take you close by, but not exactly there. Map or ask for Riddhi Siddhi, and this cafe is right next to it.

Address:
Plot No:602, Dr BR Ambedkar Road
Pali Naka, Bandra West
Mumbai, Maharashtra 400050

Map of Best work cafes in Bandra!

Here's a map of all the cafes mentioned above. Hope you will like some of these as well :)

Plus, feel free to ping me and suggest more such cafes to checkout and add to the list!


Comments

  1. Awesome Blog! You have saved my so much of time in searching on the web. This is what i was looking for.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lovely pictures! I had been here around 2 years ago. And i loved their cuisines which was something new for me.

    ReplyDelete
  3. In Italy we don't always get to find good cafes where you can work, because they're much more lively and a bit messy. :D But when we're on the road we definitely need a quiet, relaxing spot with wi-fi where we can sit down to work, so this was absolutely useful. I'm bookmarking your article, thank you for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Beautiful cafes. Loved the post and very useful info's .

    ReplyDelete
  5. Isn't it great how this work cafe thing is becoming so prevalent everywhere in the world?! I especially like the look of Yoga house!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Mumbai has grown so much over the last few years! This is a really useful post as I was looking for a few more cool cafes in Mumbai to check out on my next visit. Looks like working in cafes has become a bit of a trend?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Looks like a really great selection of modern-style cafes where you can relax, read, work or meet friends. I think would be particularly great for locals, or for digital nomads looking to stay in Mumbai as a base for a while. Great resource!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Cafes have now become a fashionable place to work particularly for digital nomads. Your feature of these best cafes in Bandra will be useful for any Mumbai visitor.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks for sharing this list, I’m always on the lookout for a good café where I can work – I usually only visit cafes when I am trying to get some work done in a new city, though even in my own city, it’s nice to have a change of environment every now and then from home. The Bagel shop sounds fabulous, mainly because I enjoy the option of outdoor seating, but can’t say no to film star spotting at the same time! Cool list :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks for such Amazing tips and information ..i surely would use the tips in my next endevour.Check out this amazing blog on best backpack brands review that will help u to find the best backpack for ur next journey to the Mystic lands
    https://sanehiking.wixsite.com/blog/single-post/Best-Backpack-Brands-Review

    ReplyDelete
  11. I love it when writing takes over and develops into something else, just go with the flow! These cafes are a fab selection - good desserts, wifi and charging points are vital for me if I'm working, I don't even drink coffee so don't care about that :D

    ReplyDelete
  12. What a great post! Sometimes it can be quite hard to find a cafe to not only enjoy yourself in, but accomplish something as well. Birdsong and the Yoga Cafe look like cafes I'd love to work in for a day.

    ReplyDelete
  13. This post completely changed my perspective about cafe's. Good to read this post on your blog sir.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Beautifully compiled up list. I too love walking down to the cafes and working their especially when they have good coffee, music and wi-fi.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Very Very interesting information this is and images are increasing it's effectiveness..

    ReplyDelete
  16. Amazing photos has been taken in this blog. Thank you so much for sharing information.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Thanks for Sharing this blog..it is very informative..nice pictures i like it.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Amazing blog. Thanks for sharing the information!

    ReplyDelete
  19. This restaurant is beautiful, the food is very good and attractive.

    ReplyDelete
  20. It’s very really great information for becoming a better Blog.Thanks for writing this great article.Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Wow man! The Yoga house in Branda is the place where me along with two of my buddies spent a lot of time thinking and planning about our business idea. it is such a lovely place with great ambience. Now it has been three months I have shifted back to Bangalore and I miss it too much. Those were the days when I was a student and now I run an e-commerce website which is growing good. It provides discount coupon deals for online shopping.

    I really miss that place, this blog now feels so connected with me. Thanks man for sharing this lovely blog. I will plan soon to visit this place again. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's wonderful to hear Bhavesh...Yoga House is my escape cafe too :) Btw all the best for your new website :)

      Delete
  22. Such a lovely, well compiled list. I keep coming back to it whenever I end up with some freelance work and can't work at home. :)

    ReplyDelete
  23. Love the blog, do you mind me sharing some pictures from here with credits?

    ReplyDelete
  24. Thank you Siddhartha. Helpful informational write up.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment