Top 10 haute spots of Mumbai's beautiful people

Wanna see famous people? Wanna rub shoulders and hang out with Bollywood’s beautiful people? Here’s where you can - at Mumbai’s top ten haute spots

1**. Hakkasan,** Krystal, 206, Waterfield Road, Bandra (West):

Hakkasan, Mumbai branch of the Michelin-star Chinese restaurant from London, opened its oakwood doors to the public on 2 June 2011. The Gilles and Boissier designed 6,500 square feet of glamorous restaurant and bar space hosts the city’s glosse posse. Everyone who is anyone is spotted dining here – seven days a week – be it Katrina Kaif, Shilpa Shetty, Imran Khan, Ekta Kapoor, Karan Johar, Aditya Chopra, Sanjay and Manyata Dutt, Ranbir Kapoor or Sonakshi Sinha.

Hakkasan is where you are most likely to be seated across a celebrity while enjoying your dim sum platter and sipping Hakkatinis. The biggest coup is filmmaker Aditya Chopra who is India’s biggest recluse; chances are you won’t recognise him — his face isn’t splattered across tabloids every morning — but he may just sign you on for his next YRF film !

2. Two One Two Bar and Grill, 12-A, Hornby Vellard Estate, opposite Nehru Centre, Worli:

The 4,000 square feet Italian restaurant opened in 2010 and is immensely popular with the stars. Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan along with kids Abhishek and Aishwarya love eating here, as does Gauri Khan with her gang of girls. Karan Johar, when in town, dines here once a week with his director friends and the Chicken salad with rocket leaves is his favourite. Salman Khan often troops in with his large Khan family – parents, brothers, sisters and their kids — for a family night out, Helen included; Baked Camembert cheese, grilled Irish lamb chops, Scottish salmon steak and Italian pasta vie for attention on their table. Hrithik Roshan too makes the trek here from Juhu for some fabulous Italian food as do the Kapoor foodies — Rishi and Ranbir Kapoor.

3. Ming Yang, Taj Land’s End, Bandstand, Bandra (West):

The Chinese restaurant is housed in the Taj Land’s End, Bandra and is favoured by none other than Shah Rukh Khan himself. Not known to be exceptionally fond of food, except chicken in any form anywhere in the world, SRK usually dines here once a month with wife Gauri, kids Aryan and Suhana, and his sister. SRK reads stories and gets some games along to entertain his kids as they feast on the assorted Chinese fare — Chicken in chilli- coriander sauce being Gauri’s favourite. Hrithik Roshan likes the steamed fish and dim sums here, and John Abraham and Shahid Kapur are frequent diners.

4. Olive Bar & Kitchen, 14 Union Park Rd, Khar (West):

Olive is where the action is, whether bar nights on Thursdays, leisurely Sunday brunches, or just any day, for that matter. It has witnessed some of Bollywood’s biggest dramas unfold – read SRK and Salman Khan’s legendary squabble here on Katrina Kaif’s birthday in July 2008. Nevertheless, this Mediterranean melting pot is a Bandra landmark, with Katrina Kaif, Salman Khan, Zayed Khan, John Abraham, SRK and almost all of Bollywood continuing their loyal patronage towards the food and ambience here. It is also Ranbir Kapoor’s favourite for his dates with his girls. Some days, it also has the wannabe crowd that calls the place Olives! Tsk tsk!

5. Le Pain Quotidien, Dhanraj Mahal, CSM Road, Apollo Bunder, Gateway of India, Colaba:

The Belgian café and boulangerie set foot in India with their first outlet in Mumbai on 11 January 2011 and the open-faced tartines that it’s famous for around the world have seduced discerning Indians too. Be warned, in your celebrity-sighting quest, the carbs will find you! But, if it’s any consolation, Juhi Chawla and Siddhartha Mallya too give in to the warm breads here. Rishi and Neetu Kapoor and Randhir Kapoor along with the ladies who lunch (especially the ones that crave to be on Page 3!) are regulars here.

6. Aurus, Ground floor, Nichani Kutir, Juhu Tara Road, Juhu:

This resto-bar and lounge has the best sea view a drink can buy! This is the kind of place you want go to if you wanna sit back and watch the waves crash along the Mumbai shore under a star-spangled night sky sipping your eclectic cocktails alongside Priyanka Chopra, Farhan Akhtar, Abhishek Bachchan and Preity Zinta who are regulars here.

7. Dome 135, Intercontinental Hotel, Marine Drive, Churchgate:

Dome offers the best view of the Queen’s Necklace in the city, if you are not too absorbed looking into the eyes of your date that is! Apart from feeling like you own the city as you absorb the view, you can run into businessman Ness Wadia, Vivek Oberoi and Fardeen Khan who are sighted here often.

8. Salt Water Café, Rose Minar Annexe, 87, Chapel Road, Bandra (West):

This restaurant, in one of the most choked lanes of Bandra, is always bustling with models and actors meeting for a cup of coffee, sometimes even for other nefarious reasons!

Fashion designer Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla, Shweta Bachchan-Nanda, Sameera Reddy, Kunal Kapoor, Cyrus Sahukar, Arbaaz Khan and wife Malaika Arora-Khan, and an assortment of stars descend on this eatery regularly.

9. Masala Bay, Taj Land’s End, Bandstand, Bandra(West):

This Indian speciality restaurant makes the list simply because the most discerning diner in all Bollywood eats here – Aamir Khan. He orders off the menu, but requests the chef to customise it to his taste. Aamir’s objective is to eat a well-balanced meal and the chefs are now attuned to his specifications. So, if you want to run into him, Masala Bay is the place to go.

10. Indigo Café, Clifton Trishul Co-op Housing Society Ltd., Oshiwara Village, off Link Road, Andheri (West):

This spin-off of the Colaba eatery is buzzing with celebrities all day, everyday. Priyanka Chopra, Shahid Kapur, Rani Mukerji, Tabu, Ranveer Singh, Anushka Sharma, Arshad Warsi and wife Maria Goretti, Ekta Kapoor… the list is endless! But the thing is – the actors talk more and eat less here! Odd, but true.

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