Joshi House’s new Worli outpost is slow dining done differently

If you ask restaurateur Suren Joshi what Joshi House stands for, he won’t give you a tagline. He’ll talk about the smell of ghee-roasted masalas in his childhood home, the comfort of familiar faces in unfamiliar places, and how he wanted to create a space that felt like that—somewhere between memory and movement. That vision now lives and breathes in Worli’s Koliwada village, where the second outpost of Joshi House has quietly opened its doors.

Unlike the flashy restaurant launches that dominate Mumbai’s food scene, this one is different. It doesn’t shout. It hums with warmth, with rootedness, and with a clear sense of place. Tucked between the winding bylanes of Worli and just a whisper away from the sea, Joshi House unfolds across two sun-drenched floors and a courtyard that feels like the verandah of someone’s home. The ground floor is entirely open-air, wrapped in leafy greens, terracotta pots, hand-painted tiger motifs and sandy Jaisalmer stone. Step inside, and the mood shifts ever so slightly—a quiet patio space where hand-carved woodwork, brass details and natural textures evoke an old hotel lobby, the kind that lingers long after check-out.

The food, much like the design, leans into nostalgia without being predictable. Chef Richard D’Souza has built a menu that travels the length of India but keeps circling back to Worli’s coastal heartbeat. Expect daily catch dishes like the banana-leaf-wrapped Paturi Macchli, fragrant with polichattu masala, and the fiery Tellicherry Grilled Pomfret, rubbed down with habanero and black pepper. There’s also the Lobster Ghee Roast, best mopped up with soft neer dosas, and the buttery, spicy Kolmi Crab Sukka—all testaments to Mumbai’s Koli heritage, revived and revered.

For vegetarians, there’s a whole parallel journey. The Moringa Shorba is a warm hug in a bowl. Thecha Baked Brie balances spice and softness in a way that feels like a metaphor. There’s Sweet Potato Shammi Chaat with guacamole and yoghurt ice cream, a Balinese-style Bhel with mango and avocado, and a Truffle Palak Saag crowned with creamy burrata. The menu doesn’t try to impress with drama—it invites you in with comfort and then surprises you with detail.

And then there’s the bar—playful, experimental, and just a little bit wicked. Think cocktails infused with everything from peanut butter and banana to prawn-distilled rum. Yes, you read that right. The Nutty Nomad stirs bourbon with creamy peanut and banana notes brightened by Campari. Verdant Vibes is a tall, herbaceous mix of gin, cucumber, cherry tomato and yuzu. Sea Spice is bold and unforgettable—a green chilli cocktail that tastes like an evening by the waves.

Upstairs, the vibe deepens. The second-floor bar space is bathed in twilight tones—muted purple walls, vaulted ceilings framed in wooden coffers, and playful tiger murals that lend the space an after-hours intimacy. It’s the kind of bar you want to stay in just a little longer—where conversations stretch, time softens, and another round feels inevitable.

The first floor, in contrast, is glowing and golden—yellow cement floors, sculptural wooden furniture, and corners designed for both celebration and quiet companionship. Whether it’s a long table gathering or a stolen moment between two, it feels like a home that’s hosted many stories before yours.

But perhaps what makes Joshi House most memorable isn’t just the food or the design—it’s the feeling. Of walking into a place where you don’t need to know what to order to belong. Where the waitstaff makes you feel remembered. Where the chaos of the city falls away, replaced by the smell of curry leaves, the clink of glass, and the soft hum of something you can’t quite name.

In a city that’s always chasing the next big thing, Joshi House dares to do something radical: it makes you slow down. It asks you to stay awhile. And it rewards you for doing just that.

Interior images: Pankaj Anand

F&B images: Faisal

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