CT Review: I Travelled From Tokyo To Barcelona, One Cocktail At A Time, At Bandra’s District 11

You might have visited ample cafes in Bandra, but what if I tell you there’s one new restaurant that acts like a passport to wander through 11 districts under 1 roof? District 11 is not your average stylish spot trying to impress you just with fancy dishes and cocktails. It makes you feel the vibe of cities through a curated range of food and beverages. Here’s how the night unfolded at District 11 in Bandra for me. 

District 11: A Business School Project Turned Into A Unique Restaurant In Bandra

 

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We visit a plethora of restaurants but rarely get to know the story behind how they began. I was lucky enough to meet Shlok Malhotra, one of the founders of District 11. During a tête-à-tête, he revealed that while studying in business school, they were once asked to create a project. What started as a restaurant plan meant purely for submission never actually got submitted. But eventually, things fell into place, and that same idea transformed into a real restaurant that now sits in the bylanes of Bandra, one of Mumbai’s biggest food hubs.

But the place surprised me. Because it felt relaxed almost the minute we entered. The whole idea behind setting up the place is to attract people and turn them into regulars with great food and addictive cocktails. 

It Feels Like A Neighbourhood More Than A Restaurant

The whole idea behind District 11 apparently came from the founders travelling through cities like Tokyo, Seoul, Bangkok, Barcelona and New York. You can kind of feel that influence without the place screaming it in your face.

There’s this easy mix of street food culture and drinking culture happening together.

One table’s ordering sushi rolls with tequila cocktails. Another’s sharing chaat and pasta. Nobody’s questioning the combination because somehow it makes sense here.

Also, the space itself helps. You can sit for twenty minutes or stay half the evening without staff subtly trying to push you out. Mumbai honestly needs more places like that.

Cocktails That Actually Stay In Your Head

The drinks menu ended up being the biggest surprise for me.

The Iberian Blush was probably the best way to start the evening. Fruity strawberry notes hit first, then the tequila slowly catches up. Dangerous in the best way because it goes down very easily.

Then came the Golden Hour on Carter Road, which weirdly felt nostalgic. Citrussy, icy and slightly playful. It genuinely reminded me of those orange ice lollies people would eat while sitting by Carter Road during terrible Mumbai summers.

But the standout for whisky lovers has to be the Midtown Truffle Old Fashioned.

Now, truffles in drinks can go horribly wrong very fast. But this worked beautifully. Earthy, smooth and rich without tasting too artificial.

And if espresso martinis are your thing, the Cartel Coffee deserves attention. Strong coffee, a boozy kick, and balanced sweetness, and the smoky presentation gained a fan base of its own.

The Food Travels Around The Globe, Too

The menu jumps between places and flavours constantly, but not in a confusing way.

The Izakaya Lotus Chips came loaded with miso, citrus and sriracha flavours. Sharp, salty, spicy but the edamame underneath balanced things out nicely before it became too intense.

Then there was the Khau Gully Chaat Snack, which genuinely reminded me of eating chaat by Juhu Beach. Except slightly cleaner and crunchier because they swapped the oily puris for khakra. Honestly, I didn’t miss the messiness a little bit, though.

The NYC Stoop Bun completely stole the evening for me.

Soft bread, melted cheese, garlic butter and slight sweetness all coming together in one bite. It sounds simple but it stays with you embarrassingly long after the meal ends.

The pasta dish also deserves a mention because it did not try to reinvent anything. Comforting, nostalgic and full of flavour without trying to become “fine dining pasta”.

Then came Delhi Does It Better.

For my palate, the curry could have used a little more spice depth. But the naan? Absolutely brilliant. Crisp edges, soft centre and probably the thing everyone at the table kept tearing into first.

Also Read: CT Review: Varsoo By Soam In Mumbai Made Me Fall In Love With Khichu & Ruined Regular Dal Baati Churma!

It Understands Mumbai’s Mood Pretty Well

What District 11 gets right is the mood.

It does not force a vibe onto people. You can come dressed up for drinks or land there exhausted after work, wanting comfort food and one cocktail. Both feel equally normal.

That said, Bandra already has hundreds of options. So, surviving here means people need a reason to come back.

And honestly, District 11 might have found that reason by simply making people comfortable enough to stay longer than planned.

Cover Image Courtesy: Geetanjali Hinda