Despite being tucked away in a corner of High Street Phoenix, Grandmama’s Café sees patrons flocking to savour the delightful dishes they serve. But, that’s not all there is to the place. It seems grandpa has finally settled in after his travels across the globe and carved a little den for himself in the interiors of the café.
Grandpa’s Den is exactly what comes to mind when you hear the name. With plaid covering the chairs, walls lined with nicknacks from his travels and plush booths that are perfect to sit back and enjoy a drink, the cocktail bar gets its ambience just right.
The travel themed cocktail lounge, which runs on reservation-only, boasts a menu of 12 delicious handcrafted cocktails. Flipping through the menu, we couldn’t help but smile at the sweet narrations penned along with the description of each drink. The La Tomatina, for example, is inspired from Spain, the ‘Oriental Journey Cocktail from grandpa’s Japanese expeditions and closer to home, the desi Patiala Punch packs quite the punch.
If you enjoy a spicy drink, it doesn’t get better than the tequila based Day of the Dead. Served in a skull shaped glass and accompanied by nachos and the most delicious mango salsa we’ve eaten, this jalapeno peppered drink will surely bring you back to life.
A fresh take on the classic LIIT, the London-inspired Royal Tea Service is exactly what the name suggests. Five of grandpa’s favourite spirits are served alongside a pot of hibiscus tea. Simply watching our drink being prepared at the table was quite fascinating, to be honest. And of course, you could never regret ordering a spirited ice tea, don’t you say?
If you fancy a mug of refreshing brew, we suggest trying the Oktoberfest. But, this isn’t your normal brew and you’ll be quite surprised when you start sipping. The beer is mixed with homemade marmalade muddled with whiskey and topped with vanilla cream.
All the cocktails served here are Instagram-worthy, and the favourite on our list is When We Met. With dry ice smoking up the table, this drink looked nothing short of a love potion, with rum infused strawberry topped with local champagne. This sweet concoction is a must-try for every rum aficionado.
Speaking of picture perfect cocktails, the Sawasdeeka comes a close second, but with an unmatched flavour. This delectable vodka infused cocktail had perfectly balanced hints of sweet, sour and spice, and was simply un-putdownable. Another must-try when you’re at the Den.
Light bites from the Grandmama’s Café menu are served at Grandpa’s Den. The Masala Fries, Jalapeno Mac & Cheese Sticks and Ponzu Chicken Wings made perfectly good pairings for the cocktails that are served.
Owner Abhayraj Singh Kohli was inspired by his grandfather’s trips and adventure tales and how he would always bring back a memory of his travel in the form of souvenirs and postcards. A fun tidbit: a lot of the artefacts in this lounge are from the family’s very own personal collection. From Instagram-worthy interiors to the drinks, Grandpa’s Den is making way for the speakeasy setting in the city.
Where: Grandpa’s Den
Unit 41, Inside Grandmamas cafe, Next to Sai Service,
462, Senapati Bapat Marg, High Street Phoenix, Lower Parel, Mumbai
Note: The critic was invited by the restaurant but all the opinions expressed herewith are her own
