The Bombay Canteen

Kamla Mills in Lower Parel is packed with old industrial buildings that have found new life, and The Bombay Canteen lands right in the thick of it. The entrance is at street level, set between offices and other restaurants. Wheelchair-accessible parking lines the lot, and the front doors are wide enough for easy entry. Step inside and the space opens into a large, open-plan dining room. Tables come in all sizes – some pushed together for bigger groups, others set for two or four. There’s enough space to move between tables without weaving, and the main walkway leads straight through the center of the room. Decor draws from old Bombay: patina mirrors along the walls, stained glass Art Deco windows catching the afternoon light, and Bollywood posters tucked into corners. There’s no background music – just the sound of conversation bouncing around, so the place feels more like a canteen than a formal restaurant. Retro Hindi film visuals fill the space, but nothing comes across as precious or staged. The menu shifts with the seasons, but there’s always a spread of regional Indian dishes – vegetarian and non-vegetarian both. Aloo chaat and corn show up as starters, with baingan bhaja on the monsoon menu. Main courses might include malai kofta with paratha, chicken momos in a thick broth, bheja sukka, or Calcutta mughlai rezala. Small plates rotate through – sea bass sev puri, Khasi pork tacos, Chettinad prawns, smoked pumpkin launji, and ghee roast chicken seekh. Tasting menus are common – usually four or five starters, a main course with a spread of Indian breads, and dessert to finish. Drinks range from cocktails and mocktails to soft options like sweet lime soda. Every so often, a chef’s set menu or seasonal special comes up, and regulars keep an eye out for those. The building itself is part of Mumbai’s textile history, and the design leans into that sense of nostalgia. The Bombay Canteen runs lunch and dinner, and the kitchen stays open late. Layout works for couples, families, or bigger groups – no one gets squeezed out. Most people settle in for a while, sharing plates and talking over the steady noise of the room. The place doesn’t try to be anything it’s not – just a big, lively dining room built into an old mill, serving food that draws from all over India.