If Mumbai’s cocktail bars have been getting louder and sharper, the newly Miss Margot in Bandra is the counterpoint — a velvet-lined whisper rather than a shout. It is innovation in the glass and also about restoring a bygone mood: think pre-party glamour, late-night secrets, and the luxurious in-betweenness of a real lounge.
Miss Margot is not a bar you stumble into. It is where you arrive deliberately, dressed for the night even if you are not sure where it is going. It revives the golden age of Bombay lounge culture — a time when intention and intimacy shaped the evening, not just the cocktail menu. If bars today are designed for Instagram, this one is for conversation. Preferably after the fourth drink.
Black and gold dominate the space
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“I didn’t want a concept to take over the space,” says Kishore D F, known for shaping some of Bombay’s most iconic restaurant experiences. “I didn’t want to intellectualise it. I just wanted it to be a good cocktail lounge, where the drinks speak, the food supports rather than competes, and the music is just an accompaniment, not the main act.”
For Kishore, who once helmed the much-loved Seijo & The Soul Dish (which shut in the mid 2000s) — a high-end Asian and Japanese diner in Bandra whose distinctive roofline and design sensibility earned it a feature in TIME magazine — this marks a return to instinctive hospitality. “Cocktail culture is big right now, but sometimes it feels like people take it too seriously. I wanted to make it more fun, more accessible. A place that supports a conversation.”
The interiors
That clarity of intent extends into the design. Shabnam Gupta of The Orange Lane crafts a slow-unfolding space that is equal parts elegance and ease. Spread across 4,000 square feet with room for 128 guests, Miss Margot is built for intimacy. A wall of candles greets you at the entrance, casting flickering shadows near the host’s desk. Chandeliers lead you in, catching light off brushed gold, velvet cushions, and the long, handsome bar that grounds the room. Seating is plush and low-slung, designed for conversation and staying put.
Chic interiors and mood lighting at Miss Margot in Mumbai
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At the far end, aged Parisian mirrors stretch across the walls, etched with French graffiti and lipstick traces, casting a soft teal-emerald glow.
Tipples and nibbles
Partnering with Kishore is Dimitri “Dimi” Lezinska, a maverick of London’s 90s cocktail renaissance. His résumé spans some of the city’s most iconic bars — Atlantic Bar & Grill, Mash, Eclipse — and includes a stint managing the legendary LAB.
Dimi does not believe in listing ingredients or dressing cocktails up with performative complexity. “The drink should speak,” he says. “It should have a philosophy.” And at Miss Margot, it does. The cocktails are spirit-forward, precisely balanced, and quietly confident. There is a thoughtful play on the classics — never too much, never too little.
The Miss Margot cocktail
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We only tasted six signature drinks from the launch night menu, but they were enough to suggest a program built on restraint and clarity. When asked what cocktail one should start the evening with, Dimi paused. “No one’s ever really asked that,” he said. “But a good classic martini — it sets the mood, sharpens the senses. After that, when you’re ready to be a little more playful, then you try the cocktails with more edge.”
The Wanderlust’s Old Fashioned
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We started the night with the Classic Martini, as suggested. Clean, crisp, and unfussy. Gin and dry vermouth in perfect proportion, served without garnish. The Coral Gibson followed — a coastal take on the martini with radish pickle and a subtle note of crab. It is savoury, slightly briny, and makes its point quietly. Only Fans brought a lighter mood. A nod to the Porn Star Martini, it pairs passionfruit-infused vodka with vanilla sparkling wine. Thankfully, it does not lean too sweet.
The Swaggermaster
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For something weightier, The Wanderlust’s Old Fashioned delivered. Whiskey, saffron, barley, and bitters combine in a drink that is rich but not heavy, warm without being loud. Inquisitive Cat was the outlier. Tequila, prawn-infused Aperol, grapefruit, and blood orange kombucha — curious, a little sharp, and surprisingly cohesive. We ended with Swaggermaster. Aged rum, sherry, cherry liqueur, and amaro come together in a drink that is layered and well-paced.
The buff and marrow toast
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The food at Miss Margot is not the focus, and that is by design. Chef Parth Purandare’s menu plays a supporting role to the cocktails, offering modern European small plates with touches of Japanese and Mediterranean influence. Standouts include The Buff and Marrow toast, the Smoked Salmon with gentleman’s relish and citrus ponzu, the Barro Beet Salad with Rechado cream and spiced rice crisps, and the Tuna Negimaki with Granny Smith apple. The Confit Chicken Wings bring heat with sambal and a sharp Roquefort finish, while the Tom Yum Gambas deliver a familiar, punchy flavour.
The Tom Yum Gambas
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The Tuna Negimaki with Granny Smith apple
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Will it satisfy diners looking for large plates and classic staples? Maybe not. Purandare has hinted at introducing a few mains, but the menu’s rhythm is not built for comfort-first ordering. Whether the Indian diner adapts remains to be seen.
A meal for two (including alcohol) costs ₹4000 plus taxes
Published – July 02, 2025 11:57 am IST