My top tip would always be to not try and squeeze in too much. My executive room even had a fabulous view of the Gateway of India from my window! By clicking on or navigating the site, you agree to our use of cookies. Required fields are marked *. A favourite with tourists and well worth a visit. This iconic landmark in the city has had a tragic history in the past and unfortunately became known due to the 2008 Mumbai attacks. You’ll find Indian curries and chaat all the way down to fries, burgers and pizza! There are always people who leave and it won’t take long to get a seat. It has boutiques, galleries, restaurants, a spectacular pool and even a Starbucks! The long history of the place is the only factor at play here. However, before this, it was a popular Irani café, traveller hangout and featured in the novel Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. Map updates are paused. You will still see the bullet holes in the walls! This café was a superstar in the city years before it was ever mentioned in Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts in 2003. We came here twice for the yellow Dahl and best Tikka Paneer. Shantarams Leopold: Mumbais beloved vintage cafe with many stories to tell - Tripoto. If you've read the book Shantaram, you'll know this restaurant. The Leopold is in Colaba Causeway, a particularly good shopping district so when the other half is spent out, you can retire to the Leopold for a well deserved cold drink. Overall a fun and awesome experience. Alternatively, you could hail one of the black and yellow cabs (make sure the meter is switched on) or book an Uber. It rapidly became one of my favourite books of all time. Join 80,000 readers. Where is Leopold Cafe in Mumbai & How to get there? Shantaram was frequently recommended while traveling through India last year, and grace linked me with a copy in Berlin. I was so ignorant. It is an evergreen place and generations after generations of young people (including the young at heart) have fond remembrances here. The service is excellent from the waiters in their Leopold t-shirts. There is also an upstairs area, Very good food, teh blue berry cheese cake is as good as Big Chills in Delhi. Map updates are paused. When we finally arrive -- an or or so later? It’s usually got their name and Lion logo which is the Achaemenid Persian Lion Rhyton. The story actually mirrors parts of Gregory David Roberts life. Hotels near Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Temple, Hotels near The Indian Institute of Architects, Hotels near Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Hotels near International Institute for Population Sciences, Asian Restaurants for Large Groups in Mumbai, European Restaurants for Large Groups in Mumbai, French Restaurants for Families in Mumbai, Restaurants with Outdoor Seating in Mumbai, Asian Restaurants for Families in Andheri West/Versova. This week I’m writing from Leopold Cafe, in the heart of Colaba district, downtown Mumbai.This cafe, established 1871, is best known as centrepiece hangout in classic novel, Shantaram, based on the true story by Gregory David Roberts. The Leopold Cafe and Bar is a large and popular restaurant and bar on Colaba Causeway, in the Colaba area of Mumbai, India, located across from the Colaba Police station. Own or manage this property? It stands opposite the Olympia Coffee House on Shahid Bhagat Singh Road. 11th Jul 2020. Secondly, it is known for being a target of the tragic 2008 terrorist attack. It’s an amazing testament to his willpower! Zoom in to see updated info. It’s one of best I’ve had in India and that’s saying something as I used to live in Delhi! It'll be your comfort zone (like all of us have comfort food). If you go with beer loving friends, you can enjoy beer from their beer towers -which I had never seen before, but then saw all over the place when we visited Goa next. It would be filling enough. I did not read the novel Shantaram, but I knew about the November 2008 Mumbai attacks and I wanted to visit Leopold’s Café for that reason. -- I was nearly furious. Always having a restless soul seeking adventure, she has now travelled to over 30+ countries, many of them solo. Map updates are paused. The service person was awesome because he knew the portions and warned us before hand to first have the food we ordered and then go for the second order as he told us. Their main target being the Taj Mahal Palace. This cafe, established 1871, is best known as centrepiece hangout in classic novel, Shantaram, based on the true story by Gregory David Roberts. It’s extremely popular so if you wanted to visit at a quiet time, I would suggest visiting for breakfast or early in the morning. Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more. ... Shantaram's Leopold: Mumbai's beloved vintage cafe with many stories to tell. Looking for more places to visit in Colaba & Mumbai? I always sit here," he says -- in Leopold's Cafe [ Images], the Colaba area haunt that provides much of the backdrop to Shantaram, he continues to reflect … However, ever since, it has been drawing in many tourists who want to follow in the footsteps of the mysterious Lin Ford. But, I guess that’s why it’s so popular. Vintage place, super crowded, yet super organised. Please see my disclosure policy for details. Zoom in to see updated info. You’ll see them whizzing around, busy carrying food from the kitchens and taking orders through the labyrinth of tables. I never feel out of place on my own, very good for people watching or just chillin' with a beer and a book. Staff very friendly. The vibe is energetic. There were talks of Shantaram being made into a movie when Johnny Depp bought the rights in 2004. Leopold Cafe was founded in 1871 by Iranis and had its humble beginnings as a wholesale oil store. You can purchase souvenir shirts & mugs if you wish. Yes, you can probably find cheaper and better food at many other places, but IMO foreign tourists like me visit places like Leopold’s not for the food, but to experience it first-hand - so we just soaked up the atmosphere. Of all the very typical "Bombay" things and places mentioned in the book is the Leopold Café. Although it may gain you the title of a super-tourist, one of the staple things to do at Leopold’s is to buy one of their famous t-shirts or souvenirs! This was when ten Pakistani men, who were associated with the extremist Islamic terror group Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT), invaded several buildings in the city. Loved the atmosphere here. The novel was the reason many patrons returned after the attack. more, This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC. We also got a complementary dessert. The patrons around us were eating fried rice & seafood sandwiches which looked good. Made famous by shantaram through his one the book. We visited twice and always a quay to get in and you could see why. The café is open all day so you can pop inside for breakfast, lunch, dinner or for drinks and snacks. One of the finest hotels in the city has to be the iconic Taj Mahal Palace. Whether they will use the actual Leopold Café as a filming location or recreate it as a film set is still unknown. It's a part of Mumbai and you'll love this colonial structure with its food, drinks and staff.. He then ends up fleeing to Bombay with a fake passport! Sign Up to Get the Latest Adventures Straight to Your Mailbox! Review tags are currently only available for English language reviews. Also, the café never attempted to repair some of the damages that were made that night as a reminder. This can be a bit of a whirlwind as there is simply so much too choose from on their menu! You’ll instantly see the huge red sign that hangs above the door and a queue of patrons patiently waiting for a seat.