Western Suburbs
The Western Suburbs of Mumbai consists of Bandra, Khar, Santacruz, Juhu, Vile Parle, Andheri and Jogeshwari, which are some of the oldest suburbs of the city. In particular, Bandra (वांद्रे Vāndre), also known as the Queen of the Suburbs, had existed as a separate town for almost as long as Mumbai.
The district started its history as a bunch of fishing villages. Then it became home to a Christian population that set up its churches, orphanages, and monasteries. It later turned into a place where Mumbai's beautiful people live, a status that it holds to this day. It is a very cosmopolitan place and does not have the rundown look of the other suburbs. It still has a lot of old bungalows. These suburbs can get extremely crowded in the evenings, with nightmarish traffic snarls.
Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM IATA) and most of the budget hotels of the city are also in this district. Many software and BPO companies have their offices in and around SEEPZ, Andheri.
Mumbai's only river, the Mithi River, flows through this district and also serves as a sewage line.
Get in
Map of the Western Suburbs of Mumbai
By train
The Western Line has stops at Bandra, Khar Road, Santacruz, Vile Parle, Andheri and Jogeshwari.
By bus
Bus services are very good. Generally, BEST's "200 & 300" series serves the Western Suburbs.
By car
The Western Express Highway (WEH) runs through the district, as does SV Road (Swami Vivekananda Road). The Bandra–Worli Sea Link provides high-speed connectivity from the city centre. Connectivity from the Central and Harbour Suburbs is poor. Getting in from Sion or Kurla is a pain but with the development of the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR). It is now a breeze to get in via Powai.
See
- 1 Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC; वांद्रे कुर्ला संकूल Vāndre Kurlā Saṅkūl). In the 1980s, a well-intentioned attempt to set up a new business district away from Nariman Point resulted in the establishment of the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC). Most of the larger financial banks and companies moved to this place. The US Consulate is also in BKC. This is a nice-looking place, but it was built by filling up the mouth of the Mithi River. This is said to have worsened the impact of the worst flood in the city's history on 26 July 2005.
- 2 Pali Hill.
- Residences of famous personalities. A lot of famous personalities live in the Western Suburbs of Mumbai and fans around India pay a visit to the residences.
Bandra–Worli Sea Link
- 3 Bandra-Worli Sea Link (BWSL, Rajiv Gandhi Sea Link) (suburban: Bandra Western ). The longest sea bridge and the 4th longest bridge in India, connecting Bandra to Worli. It has reduced the travel time between Bandra and Worli during peak hours from 20 to 30 minutes to 10 minutes. However, you should avoid walking on the bridge since it is not designed for walking. Toll price: ₹85.
Beaches
- 4 Juhu Beach (Juhu Chowpatty). On the shores of the Arabian Sea, the beach stretches for six kilometres up to Versova. The short, rocky formations make up the Juhu Beach unlike the Marina Beach in Chennai that is primarily sandy. It is a tourist attraction throughout the year and is also a destination for shooting films. The beach generally gets more crowded on weekends and public holidays. The food court at its main entrance is known for the street food common in the city, notably bhelpuri, pani puri and sev puri. Acrobats, dancing monkeys, cricket matches, toy sellers,Youth are playing old games vie for tourist's attention. The beach is among the most popular sites in the city for the annual Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations where thousands of devotees arrive in grand processions, carrying idols of the Lord Ganesha of various sizes, to be immersed in the sea at the beach. Juhu Beach is also a common spot for plane spotting. There are several small entrances to the beach throughout the stretch, however the main and most used entrance is near Hotel Ramada Plaza By Wyndham Palm Grove. The best time to visit Juhu Beach is from September to May, as during the monsoon period of June to August the tide is mostly high which makes it dangerous to wander around on the beach.
Caves
- 5 Jogeshwari Caves, Gupha Tekdi, Jogeshwari (Nearest Railhead Jogeshwari). Consisting of a single cave dating back to 520 to 550 CE.
- 6 Mahakali Caves (Kondivite Caves), Mahakali Caves Rd, Sunder Nagar, Andheri East (Nearest Railhead Jogeshwari). The complex consists of 19 rock cut caves constructed between 1st century BCE to 6th century CE. The caves are divided into two parts. South East section has 15 caves while the North West section has 4 caves. Kondivite (Cave 9) is the largest cave and the only one to house a chaitya. Cave 9 also houses several sculptures of Buddha but the figures are mutilated.
Forts
- 7 Bandra Fort (Castella de Aguada), at the tip of the Bandra promontory, Bandstand Rd, Bandra W (local: Bandra Western ). Built by the Portuguese in 1640 to mark the southernmost tip of the mainland (i.e. Salsette Island). Not many remains. It was built as a watchtower overlooking Mahim Bay, the Arabian Sea and the southern island of Mahim. Castella de Aguada has been featured in several Hindi films.
- 8 Madh Fort (Versova Fort), Kileshwar Rd, Madh (near Kileshwar Mahadev Mandir,). A 17th-century Portuguese fort which doubled up as a watch tower. It is under the Indian Air Force and permission is required to access the interiors. The exteriors are accessible and are more or less intact.
Places of worship
Temples
- 9 Kadeshwari Devi Temple, Bandstand, Bandra.
Churches
- 10 Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount (Mount Mary Basilica), Mount Mary Church Rd, Bandra W (suburban: Bandra Western ), ☏ +91 22 2642 3152. This is probably Mumbai's most famous church, a Roman Catholic Basilica. The basilica stands on a hillock, about 80 metres above sea level overlooking the Arabian Sea. - A fair held annually on the Sunday following September 8 (which is the Feast of Our Lady of the Mount) draws visitors from all religions. - The chapel of Mount Mary, was built around 1640. The chapel was destroyed in 1738 by the Marathas during their invasion. The statue of the Virgin was recovered from the sea by fishermen and temporarily installed in St. Andrew's Church, before being shifted to the rebuilt Mount Mary's Church in 1761, the year marking the beginning of the Feast of Our Lady of the Mount, also known as the Monti Fest or the Bandra Feast. To this day, the statue is venerated and many miracles, minor and major, are attributed to the Lady of the Mount. The architect of Mount Mary's church was a Bombay architect Shahpoorjee Chandabhoy. The basilica was built in 1904.
- 11 St Andrew's Church, Bandra. It is one of the oldest churches in Mumbai, Originally built by the Portuguese Jesuits in 1575. It used to be the only church in Bandra till the first quarter of the 17th century.
Do
- 1 Andheri Sports Complex (Shahaji Raje Krida Sankul), Veerai Desai Rd, Andheri W. A multi-purpose sports facility. The sports complex has an Olympic size swimming pool, a diving pool with 4 diving levels and an association football stadium known as Mumbai Football Arena.
- 2 Bandstand Promenade, Bandra W (local: Bandra Western ). A 1.2 km (0.75 mi) long walkway along the sea on the west side of Bandra. It is simultaneously a popular hang-out spot, a jogging track, a park and also a lovers' point. Visible along the promenade are expensive bungalows and flats, some of which belong to Bollywood movie stars. Towards the Land's End side of the promenade is an amphitheatre. It serves as a venue for the Mumbai Festival, Celebrate Bandra and other events including concerts, classical dance and other performances. You could take a boat from Bandra Ferry Wharf to the south there is the Nariman Point Wharf, or to the north, to Juhu Beach (Western Ferry line).
- Bullseye, Santacruz, just after subway (underpass) near S.V. Road and Western Express Highway.
- 3 Carter Road Promenade (Sangeet Samrat Naushad Ali Marg), Bandra (from suburban: Khar Road Station Western 2 km (1.2 mi) W). This is a 1.25 km (0.78 mi) long walkway along the sea on the west side of Bandra. Because of its sea-facing location in Bandra, the promenade has some high-priced residential localities.
- 4 Jogger's Park (Sir Oliver Andrade Park). 5AM–9PM. A 400 m (1,300 ft) long seaside jogging track. It features a mud strip for running and two paved tracks for walking or jogging. Free.
- Movies — There are many movie theatres that offer movies for ₹100- ₹300. They generally have food like popcorn, samosa, sandwiches, etc. for ₹25- ₹100. There are many good theatres like Big Cinemas, Fame Adlabs, PVR, Inox, IMAX etc.
- Pool Halls — there are many pool halls in the suburbs. Cheap (generally ₹50) for 15 to 30 minutes. Billiards is around ₹100. Many of these are not always on main roads. You can just ask someone on the street and they will probably know. Most of these places also have air conditioning.
- 5 Mehboob Studio. This is where some of the famous Bollywood films of yester-year were made.
Learn
- Cooking - From "A Bombay Tiffin"...learn authentic home-style Indian cooking in Bandra (W). Spend an afternoon learning to cook and then enjoying the meal after.
Yoga
- Free Yoga with Nikhamji (by Nikam Guruji Followers) (at various hubs like Borivali, Mira Road ( Jehangid Complex), various suburbs in Mumbai). every Su 7AM.
Buy
- Hill Road. Shopping area lined with malls, stores, shops, and hawkers selling branded (and cheap) export surplus clothes.
- Infinity Mall. Good place for shopping at Andheri (West) Linking Road. Includes movie theatres, as well as Landmark, one of the best book, music, and DVD stores in Mumbai.
- 1 Linking Road. The third largest shopping district in India in terms of revenue and footfalls, with world-class stores like Esprit, Tommy, Mango, Nine West, Benetton, etc.
Eat
Chains can be found throughout Bandra, such as Mocha, Barista, McDonalds, KFC, and Cafe Coffee Day. Lots of new restaurants and themes keep popping up on Turner Road, Gaspar Enclave, and Union Park.
Bandra and Juhu are packed with eateries, with new ones opening every day it seems. Most are reasonably priced with decent food, but ask for a menu before you sit.
- Indian Coffee House, SEEPZ, Andheri.
Budget
For street food, quite a few good vendors exist around Bandra. A bloke called Karachi Sweets on Hill Road does a good job. For the pani puri though, Karachi Sweets on Hill Road and Punjab Sweets on Pali Naka are strongly recommended. For a great Bhel Puri and Sev Puri, you must visit the Bhel Puri Bhaiya on Pali Hill.
There are a lot of Udipi and Punjabi Restaurants too. For non-vegetarian tandoor you could try Jai Javan at Linking Road opp National College.
You can find a ton of street stalls of questionable hygiene standards. If you don't have a cast-iron stomach, look for one that uses bottled water, with servers wearing plastic gloves.
- Dcosta Bakery 'Bazaar Road, Bandra west. They serve burgers, rolls, veg & non veg, freshly baked biscuits. The prices are cheap around ₹15 for burgers. tel# 9892363346
- Jay Sandwich, 200m from RD National College, Bandra. Serves sandwiches of all kinds. A popular hangout spot for college students.
- Elco, Hill Road. Serves an extensive menu of chaats and other fast food. Has an AC section (or you can eat like the locals do it standing around the pani puri walla). Their hygiene standards are decent (they use bottled water in their chaats), although they are not dirt cheap (₹ 50-100 for a chaat) by Bombay standards.
- Gajalee', Malvani coastal seafood restaurant at VileParle (East). Good food, but there's usually a wait for seating. Try the Bombil (bombay duck, and not really a duck at all).
- Hearsch and Co., Hill Road. Bandra is a hole in the wall food joint that is an institute. Over the last 25 years or more, it has been making and selling breads, sandwiches, cakes, rolls, and such-like, with the chicken roll and plum cake being particularly good. If you are looking for non vegetarian baked items here, the chilly chicken croissant is tender and succulent.
- Rasoee Veg Kitchen, 7, Pratik Avenue, Vile Parle(E), (near Vile Parle railway station.), ☏ +91 22-2613-5445, +91 22-2613-4841, rasoee7@yahoo.co.in. Serves a sumptuous Gujarati Thali at the upper level. The waiters hover around you insisting that you eat more. At the end of meal, your hands are washed in a special vessel by pouring water out of a jar that wouldn't be out of place in a Maharaja's palace. ₹140.
- Shiv Sagar, Juhu. A fast-food chain where you can find excellent Pav Bhaji and great South Indian dishes, such as dosas.
- Vow Snax, 16th Road. Their servings are very big. They provide free delivery as well.
Mid-range
- A-1 and American Express Bakery have excellent varieties of bread and takeaway.
- Andora serves fast food opposite St. Andrews School.
- Bombay Blue Serves a smattering of all sorts of favourite Bombay food, including chole bhature, onion rings, and sizzling brownies.
- Camy Wafers — Wafers, savories, and farsan.
- Candies — Has excellent desserts, mini meals, sandwiches, and snacks at Pali and Bandra Reclamation.
- Hersh — Serves bread, goan sweets, fast food, and snacks near Holy Family Hospital.
- Highway Gomantak serves excellent Konkani and Goan food.
- Little Italy, 18-B, Juhu Tara Rd (near Maneckji Cooper School), ☏ +91 22-2660-8815. Run by Chef Giovanni, Little Italy is vegetarian and serves some great pasta a la puttanesca. Has valet parking. ₹ 200 upwards.
- Little Italy, 3-4 Morya Estate, Andheri - Oshiwara New link Rd (Opposite Fame Adlabs/Infiniti Mall), ☏ +91 22-6692-6551, littleitaly.andheri@gmail.com. Little Italy has gone the chain restaurant way and has opened a franchise in Andheri West. The same great food can be had here too. ₹ 200 upwards.
- Lucky — SV Road is famous for its biryani.
- Lucky Star serves great Mughlai food at Bandra Bazar Road.
- McCraig, serves nice fast food, mini meals, and snacks at Gaspar enclave, Bandra.
- Only Parathas, Linking Road. Serves chaat in addition to parathas (thick Indian rotis stuffed with all sorts of delicious things).
- Persia Dabar, Linking Road, Bandra (Next to Shoppers Stop). Indian and Chinese food. Their Tandoori Naan and crispy veg. is killer. It's a cheap, clean, and friendly place.
- Thai Ban, Shop Number 8, Gaspar Enclave, Pali Naka Bandra, ☏ +91 22 2645 9775. A great, suburban favourite, this restaurant is wonderful value. Authentic Thai food with loads of coconut milk. Tiger prawns in spicy lemon sauce, squid with nakaching, and chicken satay are all memorable, and often superior to more upmarket competitors.
- Yoko's Sizzlers, 10/11, West View, S.V. Road, Near Akbarally's, Santacruz(West), 54, ☏ +91 22 2649 2313, +91 22 2649 1528. Serves excellent sizzlers.
Splurge
All the airport hotels have excellent quality restaurants, particularly those at ITC (a hotel chain well known for its restaurants, like the world famous Bukhara in Delhi).
- Celini Grand Hyatt, Kalina, 24 hours. Home to Bombay's most beloved paper-thin pizza. Even South Bombay kids make it over to this side at 2AM for a post-clubbing pizza and tiramisu.
- China House, Grand Hyatt, Kalina. One of the best, most expensive Chinese eateries in the city. Try their excellent Peking Duck. Go on a weekend and stick around until the China House club picks up (post 11PM) for a taste of the posh Bombay partying scene
- Dakshin, ITC Grand Maratha Sheraton. Fantastic South Indian food.
- Dum Pukht, ITC Grand Maratha Sheraton. Traditional Indian cuisine (a mix of Awadi, Luckhnawi food)
- Global Fusion, off Linking Rd. On the top floor of a nondescript, avoidable mall. Nice ambiance, but can get very crowded. Does a good Oriental buffet for ₹ 800. Includes decent sushi, lots of different kinds of dumplings, and dessert. Skip the main course (very ordinary) and stuff yourself on their starters. Or go eat at Olive or China House for the same price.
- Olive (off Carter Road). A beautiful, classy restaurant that's extremely popular with Bombay's socialite set. All their food is amazing (try the pizzas and kebabs), at ₹ 800~ or so for an entree. A nice place to go for a long, booze-fueled dinner.
- Palm Grove, fax: +91 22 2611 3682. Ramada Plaza Palm, Juhu Beach, Mumbai +91 22 2611 2323, is a place that offers surprisingly great ambiance and some really economical beer. The service is good and they have a live band in the evenings (7PM-11PM). Happy hour (about 25% discount on food and beverage) extends up to 7PM. The crowd is fairly decent and includes a fair sprinkling of Europeans in the evenings. (Expect to spend about ₹120 ($3) for a beer (+ complimentary snacks) and ₹180 - ₹270 ($4 - $6) for add on snacks to go with the beer.
- Pan Asian, ITC Grand Maratha Sheraton. Oriental food.
- Peshawri, ITC Grand Maratha Sheraton. Among the best North Indian food in the city. They have a one-page menu with some 12 items, each a culinary masterpiece. Expect traditional Indian style dining (no cutlery) at international prices (up to ₹ 1000 per dish). Hours : noon - 2:45PM; 7:30PM - 11:45PM
- Seijo and the soul dish, Bandra, has an interesting oriental menu.
- Shatranj Napoli is okay for the price.
- Soma also at The Grand Hyatt, does good Indian food.
- Taj Lands End has a good range of expensive, but quality restaurants.
- West View, ITC Grand Maratha Sheraton. Go for sublime, marinated kebabs and grills.
Drink
Bandra is also known as the 'Restaurant and Pub district' of Mumbai with many options for different budgets and taste ()
- Aurus & Vie (Juhu Tara Road). Two separate bars facing the sea with a restaurant too. Great place for a nice drink after dinner.
- Enigma, JW Marriott, Juhu. Great place for some Bollywood music and glance of Bollywood stars.
- Firangi Pani, Off Linking Rd. Reasonably priced, drinks, great ambience, good rock music. Ladies drink free on Mondays and Wednesdays.
- Hawaiian Shack. Cheap drinks, good rock music. Four floors including a rooftop. Dance music on upper floors.
- Mumbai Times Cafe (off Linking Road). Cheap drinks, good rock music, very average food.
- On Toes, Juhu Scheme (On the way from Vile Parle Station to Juhu Beach). One of the cool hang outs in Juhu area which plays good music. It is not cheap but a great place to have some drinks and relax. ₹250 per drink.
- Poison (It's a great place to get a taste of Bollywood music).
- Toto's Garage Pub, 30, Lourdes Haven Pali Junction, Bandra West 400 050, (Off Pali Market), ☏ +91 26005494. 6PM-midnight. Cheap drinks, good rock music ₹250/person. Toto's is the closest you will ever come to a Western bar. The place fires up every single night throughout the week, the beer is great, and the place is packed with locals and the occasional tourist. But don't go in expecting a seat. The tables are hard to get even if they're empty. They are parked with 'reserved' signs unless you are a party of four or six.
- Zenzi (Bandra (& Parel)). Sees a lot of the expatriate crowd apart from models and filmmakers. Drinks aren't cheap and the service is slow, but the place is always buzzing.
Parties
- Aurus and Vie, Juhu-Tara Rd. Classy lounges with bay views.
- China House, The Grand Hyatt, Kalina (off Linking Road). open until 3AM most nights. Along with Prive, perhaps the city's poshest, hardest-to-get-into nightclub. Fabulous interiors, drinks from ₹ 500, and upscale crowd. Strict entry rules, no stags, couples ₹ 1500.
- Enigma, Marriott, Juhu. The Bollywood club, for both the music and the crowd. Go star-gazing. Expensive.
- Olive, off Carter Rd, Pali Hill. Usually a lounge-y restaurant, has bar nights on Thursday.
- Poison. One of the more popular city nightclubs.
- Zenzi (off Linking Road). Decent music, good crowd, expensive drinks. No entry charge.
Sleep
| This guide uses the following price ranges for a standard double room: | |
| Budget | Under ₹3,000 |
| Mid-range | ₹3,000 to ₹6,000 |
| Splurge | Over ₹6,000 |
Despite being home to most of the budget hotels in Mumbai, it is a tough job to get such hotels in the Western Suburbs, especially the ones close to Mumbai Airport. If you can, you should choose a hotel farther away to avoid paying through your nose. If money is no object and you want to stay close to the airport, see Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport#Sleep.
Budget
- Best Western: The Emerald, Juhu Tara Rd, ☏ +91 22 2661 1150, +91 22 5695 4850, fax: +91 22 2660 3475. US$100 onwards (₹4,500).
- Hotel Orritel West, Local Station Andheri W, ☏ +91 98199 09599, +91 22 2673 2256 (Reservations), +91 22 2673 2257 (Reservations), info@orritel.com. This is a reasonably good budget hotel with airport transfers, a 24-hour coffee Shop, a garden restaurant, and conference and banquet halls.
- Hotel Regent, Ramakrishna Mandir Rd, Kondivita, Andheri E (Near International Airport, Take the same lane as to lotus Suites, off the Andheri Kurla Road, and travel further inside for 500 m), ☏ +91 22 28342020, +91 22 28342626, +91 22 28379383, fax: +91 22 28215587. This is a reasonably good budget hotel. US$40 - $100 (₹1,800 - ₹4,500).
- Tunga International, B- 11 M.I.D.C, Central Road, Opp Mahakali Caves Road Andheri E, ☏ +91 22 5692 1212, +91 22 2836 6010.
- Tunga Paradise=, B-11, M.I.D.C. Central Road Andheri (East), ☏ +91 22 2821 7272.
Mid-range
- Holiday Inn, Balraj Sahani Marg, Juhu Beach, ☏ +91 22 5693 4444, fax: +91 22 5693 3100, reserve@holidayinnbombay.com. ₹7,650–₹10,350 (US$170–$230).
- 1 Hotel Wego.
- 2 Kohinoor Continental, Andheri-Kurla Road, Andheri E, ☏ +91 22 2404 2211, kohinoorconti@nivalink.com. ₹5,000 (US$110) onwards.
- Lotus Suites, Andheri Kurla Road, International Airport Zone, Andheri (E), ☏ +91 22 2616 4040, fax: +91 22 2827 0345, info@lotussuites.com. US$95 - $105 (₹4,000-₹5,500).
- Mirage Hotel, International Airport Approach Road, Marol, Andheri East, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400059, ☏ +91 22 66721234. Complimentary buffet breakfast with veg and non-veg options.
- 3 Oriental Residency.
- Ramada Plaza Palm Grove, ☏ +91 22 2611 2323, fax: +91 22 2611 3682. Juhu Beach, Mumbai. Complimentary Buffet breakfast. US$125 - $140 (₹7,425-₹14,625).
- Sun N Sand Hotel, Juhu Beach.
Splurge
- Centaur, Juhu Tara Rd, Juhu 26113040.
- 4 Grand Hyatt Mumbai, Santacruz E (off Western Express Highway), ☏ +91 22 6676 1234, india.reservations@hyattintl.com. Five star lifestyle complex. Has two outdoor pools and a spa.
- 5 Grand Residency Hotel & Serviced Apartments.
- 6 Hotel Bindra Supremacy.
- 7 JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu, Juhu Tara Rd, ☏ +91 22 5693 3000, toll-free: +1-800-228-9290 (USA and Canada tollfree number), fax: +91 22 5693 3100. A 20-minute drive from the airport, near Juhu beach, offers a great view of the Arabian sea. ₹9,000–22,500 (US$200–500).
- 8 Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach.
- 9 Sofitel Mumbai BKC, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra E, ☏ +91 22 6117 5000.
- 10 Taj Lands End, Byramji Jeejeebhoy Rd, Bandstand, Bandra W, ☏ +91 22 6668-1234, fax: +91 22 6699-4488, landsend.mumbai@tajhotels.com.