CT Review: UK’s Cult-Favourite Wagamama Makes Mumbai Debut & It’s Totally Worth The Hype!

What goes perfectly with a cold, rainy evening? If you ask a foodie like me, you’ll definitely hear the words “a bowl of warm ramen.” So when I got invited to preview the best spot to slurp a bowl of ramen in the city, I didn’t think twice! Yes, Wagamama, the legendary Asian eatery serving soul-warming food from the UK, has arrived in town. This is its first-ever outlet in India, and their Indian journey is powered by K Hospitality Corp. But it’s yet to open its doors for the people, and fans can start swinging by starting July 24th 2025. From their iconic ramen bowls from the UK to ginger cheesecake, here’s how my evening at Mumbai’s first Wagamama went.

Rain, Ramen & Cosy Vibes At India’s First-Ever Wagamama In Mumbai!

Wagamama has opened its first outpost in Mumbai at the Cumbatta building near Churchgate station.If you knew the Eros theatre, currently renamed as Swadesh, then it’s easy for you to spot that big black board lighting up with the words Wagamama with a red lit star. You can spot the restaurant on the first floor of the building. It takes a flight of stairs to reach the door of this stylish yet comforting restaurant.

The ambience is all about minimalism with pale wooden interiors, lamps that, in my opinion, mirror origami chic. Upon entering, you are greeted with the aroma of fresh ingredients, broths and a group of warm staff members. In terms of seating, you’ll spot a long stretch of table for 4 and communal setups and also an alfresco setup if you love digging in and soaking up the views of the town. 

Upon sitting, two menus land on your table to choose food and drinks from. Guests can enjoy watching the buzzing action through the open kitchen, where you can literally see your food being prepared by an array of expert chefs. The team of Indian chefs, along with chefs from the UK, came over to our table to ask about our preferences and if we were loving the experience, and hell yeah, we were! After all, we were in paradise that smelled like ramen heaven

Open Kitchen, Friendly Faces & A Genius Ordering System

Now let’s dive into the reason we visited: Food! The best bit of ordering at Wagamama is that first they present you with menus, then ask about your dietary restrictions. Are you allergic to any ingredients? If yes, then the manager in charge would further handle your orders for exclusive service. And guess what, they have a ‘PUC system’, basically Price Unit Code installed internally in the team. Yes, even I was confused when I heard about it. So I asked the manager, and he told me to check for serial numbers in front of every dish on the menu. I did spot them, but it left me confused as to why they weren’t written in order. Well, those weren’t mere numbers, but they defined the dish. 

Every number is memorised by the staff, so when you give your food order, they jot it down at your table on a sheet of paper that is present along with the specified allergies and restrictions you mentioned. So, in case your server gets changed, they can look at those numbers and understand your order and get into action to get your plates in no time. Talking about getting your order in no time, your order will be served fresh and surprisingly impressive time. We received all our dishes within 15–20 minutes, and trust us, we ordered a lot. So here’s the lowdown of what we savour:

The manager suggested a lot to us, and trust us, you gotta order them too. For appetisers, we ordered Korean lamb barbecue bao, Chicken Gyozas and Teriyaki Renkon. Our main course was undoubtedly a large bowl of Tantanmen Ramen and the OG Katsu Curry. For drinks, we had a Ginger no-jito and a Yuzu Lychee. The dessert was the showstopper, White Chocolate Ginger Cheesecake.

Now Here’s My Detailed Review Of Each Dish

Let’s start with appetisers:

1. Korean Lamb Barbecue Bao

Wagamama isn’t planning on serving you the average bao. Here, it’s a bit special because you won’t be biting into a generic white flour bao. Here at Wagamama, they take taste along with health a little seriously. They use lotus stem flour to make the soft bao that doesn’t get chewy, even forget about it and leave it on a plate for some time. I am actually not a fan of lamb or meat but the barbecue lamb changed my perspective. One bite into the succulent, juicy, well-seasoned bao, and we were surprised about no weird after-taste of that meat. But this one won me over. While I licked my fingers after finishing the bao, I understood I might have a new favourite.

Score: 4/5
Would I order again: Yes

2. Teriyaki Renkon

Wagamama seems to love the lotus stem, it seems. Basically, this dish was crunchy chips of lotus stem coated with a sweet-spicy mix and tossed well without an oily after-taste. I am a crisp addict, and this one made my night. Even after stuffing myself with the main course, I couldn’t resist having the leftover renkon sitting there pretty on the plate giving me a side eye!  Also, fun fact: this dish has been specially curated by the team just for the Indian outlet. That means you won’t get your hands on this dish in any Wagamama in the world. And what a banger they have created, I tell you.

Score: 100/5
Would I order again: Hell yeah!

3. Chicken Gyoza

So dumplings and gyoza are one of my favourites, and I had high hopes for these ones. But in my opinion, Wagamama could do better than this. The filling felt bland to me, and the dipping in the soy sauce couldn’t add much flavour to the gyoza. I would pass the next time I visit.

Score: 3/5
Would I order again: No

4. Tantanmen Ramen

When Indian people stick to Maggi or khichdi on cold evenings and sick moments, I run off to grab a bowl of ramen. So, yes, my judgmental side was in full swing when the big bowl arrived on my table. Well, I thought Tantanmen would have a coconut broth, but this was a chicken broth packed with a flavour punch. But in my opinion, the Indian taste buds would ask for more spice. Luckily, the kimchi in the ramen came to the rescue. The ramen has noodles, tender chicken bites, a bunch of coriander, menma (bamboo shoots), scallions and half a tea-stained egg with runny yolk. Overall, I think an extra pinch of salt would have been a game changer, but it tasted good and comforting.

Score: 3.5/5
Would I order again: Maybe (with a pinch of salt)

5. OG Katsu Curry

Ohhh, I waited to taste this dish for so long!! So when they ask you whether you want the OG or Indian one, what they mean is OG Katsu curry would basically not have any chilli but would be loaded with flavour. The Japanese curry that they use in the dish is a flavour bomb, I promise. It’s not spicy as per Indian taste, but you won’t be disappointed with the rich and creamy texture. The dish comes with fluffy rice laid on a bed of crunchy pieces of chicken, and the curry poured over it. The side salad would leave you asking for a little more if possible, and it was a perfect palate cleanser.

Score: 4.5/5
Would I order again: Yes

Dessert:

1. White Chocolate Ginger Cheesecake

My love for cheesecake was met with a real match at Wagamama. I love the flavour of ginger and I won’t lie, the addition of it to the dessert made it, well, dreamy! The White Chocolate Ginger Cheesecake comes with a drizzle of toffee sauce, which basically tastes like caramel but is more runny. First bite, I drifted from reality. It was perfect, the light notes of ginger, the creamy cheese, and the crumbly base of cookies. A symphony in my mouth is all I can describe.

Score: 5/5
Would I order again: Definitely, yes!

Beverages:

Well, as they were yet to receive their alcohol license, we got to taste their mocktails and here’s what I felt.

1. Ginger No-jito

If you imagined a mojito but with a hint of ginger, then my friend, you guessed it bang on. Ginger No-jito had a strong taste of ginger with a perfect balance of citrus and mint. Overall, a good refreshing drink.

Score: 5/5
Would I order it again: Yes

2. Yuzu Lychee

For my love of lychee, I went for this drink because very few establishments play around with that fruit in a true sense. If you are not aware, Yuzu is basically a Japanese citrus fruit, and it stands true to its name. It definitely overpowered the lychee, and I could hardly get the sweet notes. Not bad, but just not what I thought it would taste like and also not pretty enough for Instagram.

Score: 3/5
Would I order it again: No

Also Read: CT Review: I Went To Newly-Opened Comorin Mumbai For A Preview And I Can’t Wait To Go Back

Final Verdict?

So if you absolutely love grabbing the chopsticks and savouring Asian food, it’s time to plan a visit to Wagamama in Mumbai. It’s a come for food, stay for vibes sort of place, and I can’t wait to slurp a bowl of ramen or grab the gorgeous ginger cheesecake again, and this time I am surely grabbing my gang to conquer that communal seating!.

Cover Image Courtesy: Internal/Deeplata Garde

Deeplata Garde was invited by Wagamama for the preview of India’s first Wagamama outlet in Mumbai.