September arrives with a calendar full of flavour. From Mediterranean ease in Goa to sober cocktails in Ahmedabad, this September food guide brings together what’s new, noteworthy, and delicious across the country. Expect inventive pop-ups with world-class chefs, menus that blur borders, and collaborations that reimagine the familiar. A curation of where to eat, drink, and linger this month.
DRIFT, Ahmedabad: Nightlife Reimagined in a Dry State
Le Méridien’s newest launch flips the script in Ahmedabad. Drift is the poolside diner, offering the sober-curious generation a nightlife that doesn’t need spirits to shine. Expect zero-proof cocktails with the complexity of their boozy cousins (citrusy Clementine Hour, a popcorn-apple spritz, or a fiery Phoenix Mule), and plates that travel the world without leaving the poolside. This is after-dark culture, sans hangover.
Le Méridien Ahmedabad, Ramdev Nagar.
Olive Bar & Kitchen, Goa: A Sun-Dappled Mediterranean Table
Olive’s Vagator outpost unveils a menu where Mediterranean traditions catch a Goan breeze. Green mango and amla brighten a salad, while Arabic Jackfruit Tacos, Squid in Chorizo Pil-Pil, and Moorish Grazing Boards set the tone for languid afternoons. The pastas playfully riff: Casarecce Cacio e Pepe meets smoky chorizo, Shrimp Sorrentino meets Goan ease.
Unit No. 1, Vagator Helipad, Anjuna, Goa.
Como Agua, Goa: From Pizzeria to Culinary Destination
Como Agua now expands into full-fledged dining. From lobster rolls and Red Snapper in tomato broth to Chicken Chettinad canapés and soba salads. In-house mozzarella is pulled fresh each day. And a cocktail program by Aman Dhiman brings India’s terroir into the glass: watermelon gin clarifications, tequila with smoked honey and raw mango pickle, even a tres leches–washed gin. All with Como’s signature backdrop: lantana-woven architecture and uninterrupted sea views.
Vagator Beach, Goa.
Oberoi Hotels x Locale Firenze: A Florentine Bar Takeover
The Oberoi welcomes Dario Banchellini of Florence’s famed Locale (#36, World’s 50 Best Bars). For two nights in Delhi and one in Mumbai, he brings a cocktail program rooted in seasonality, waste-conscious innovation, and old-world Florentine craft. Expect a gin and basil–laced Foglia, a mezcal-forward No Clouds in Mexico, a Coffee Manhattan spiked with kombucha, and a seasonal mango Margarita.
The Eau Bar, The Oberoi Mumbai — 11th September | Cirrus 9, The Oberoi New Delhi — 13th September.
Aragma x The Conservatory, Bangalore: Stories on a Plate
Pune’s culinary storytellers bring their narrative tasting menus to Bangalore for two days only. Aragma’s nine-course menu dives into the everyday: lentils, greens, market produce — and reimagines them with contemporary flair. Each plate is less about performance and more about memory, culture, and conversation.
The Conservatory, Bangalore. 12–13th September.
Kona Kona x Soul Food, Mumbai: A Seafood Boil Affair
For one day only, Andheri’s neighborhood bar teams up with Aashish Seth, the man who brought seafood boils to Mumbai. Expect communal buckets brimming with crabs, prawns, mussels, and calamari, sauced with classics like lemon-garlic butter and Old Bay, or a special Thai-herbed sauce crafted for the evening. Washed down with free-flowing craft beer, wine, and Don Julio cocktails.
Kona Kona, Andheri. 7th September
Mizu Izakaya, Goa x Sober Company, Shanghai: One Night Only
Goa’s progressive Japanese izakaya bar welcomes Shanghai’s Sober Company (ranked No. 81, Asia’s 50 Best Bars extended list) for its India debut. Expect Japanese-inflected cocktails laced with Shanghai energy, mixed by Shingo Sasaki, Deema, and Avantika Malik. A single night, a singular collaboration — world-class drinking on a Goan evening.
Mizu Izakaya, Goa. 10th September.
Avatara, Mumbai: A 16-Course Vegetarian Odyssey
Avatara pushes the boundaries of vegetarian dining with a 16-course tasting menu rooted in Indian traditions yet unafraid to reach globally. From ghevar with pickled radish to bitter gourd chokha with chilli makhani, butternut tacos with black lime, and pandan ice cream–laced mango chenna, the menu unfolds like a cultural atlas.
Avatara, Santacruz West, Mumbai.
Common House, Bandra: Microbrewery Meets Neighborhood Hangout
Karjat’s first microbrewery arrives in Bandra, bringing its small-batch beers and community-first ethos to the city. Crisp lagers, Belgian wits, and ales, paired with zaatar pitas stuffed with kebabs, wood-fired pizzas, and playful bar snacks. With karaoke nights, mahjong afternoons, and happy hours that buzz, Common House Bandra is the next coolest spot?
Bandra, Mumbai.
Tóa 66, Mumbai: Thai Festivals in a Glass
Churchgate’s intimate Thai tasting room unveils its first cocktail program, a wine-based collection inspired by Thailand’s vibrant festivals. From tart-floral Plum & Port to a crisp Lumphini Spritz, each drink is as balanced and precise as the food it accompanies. Alongside comes Tasting Menu 3.0: wing bean salads, Tom Yam Wontons, bamboo shoot curries, and even a chocolate-ganache-meets-green-curry finale.
Churchgate, Mumbai.