What comes to mind when you think of Worli Koliwada? Sweeping sea views, a vibrant fishing community, and narrow lanes steeped in history? Hidden within those winding alleys is Koliwada Cocktail Club (KCC), an intimate bar redefining Mumbai's cocktail scene. Here, every drink is treated like a carefully plated course.
Concealed within Slink & Bardot, KCC reveals itself only after you discover its striking red door tucked away amid the village lanes. Step through it, and the bustling city melts away. In its place is a space that feels worlds apart — intimate yet opulent, understated yet unmistakably exclusive. With entry strictly by reservation, every visit feels like an invitation to something special.
The piquant welcome drink served in a glass designed like a conch shell |
Take a seat, folks—you're in for a six-course cocktail journey
Credit is due to founder Vicky Singh for building an air of mystery around KCC. "People should genuinely feel that it's not 'old wine, new bottle', but a one-off experience they've never had before. I want them to leave amazed, satisfied, and with their curiosity answered," he says.
It took Singh and his team nearly two years to perfect the six-course cocktail program. That's because KCC's offering isn't a drinks menu in the conventional sense. Instead, it is "conceived as a food menu, expressed through cocktails."
The experience begins with a piquant welcome drink that gently eases guests into what is to come. Served in a glass designed like a conch shell, the savory and deeply umami-forward cocktail captures the essence of the sea, blending tequila with mascarpone cheese, a dusting of nori and soya.
The First Course: Amuse-Bouche
The first course served alongside cured watermelon sushi |
The first course arrives in an ornate Japanese teapot. The light, invigorating Sushi cocktail — made with Japanese toasted rice vodka and a dash of watermelon and cucumber wine — is poured tableside into a matching cup. This exquisite cocktail acts as a refreshing prelude to the meal.
There is no right way to have this course, but it is best enjoyed if you take a sip of the drink, bite into the garnish of watermelon crisp and pickled cucumber served on the spoon, and then take another sip, followed by the sushi.
There is a nibble served with every course, and with the first course, it is cured watermelon sushi topped with goat's cheese and Japanese Furikake.
The Second Course: Soup
The refreshingly, cool Gazpacho comes with a tomato tart bursting of garden flavors |
Inspired by the classic chilled Spanish soup, this Gazpacho course combines an in-house gazpacho mix with tequila to recreate its signature savory flavors. Finished with a delicate onion and celery foam, it's refreshing, and complex, with hints of saltiness, unlike your usual cocktail.
Built around gazpacho's core ingredients — tomato, onion and cucumber— the cocktail is elevated with a rim of salt and dehydrated tomato that adds a bright tang to every sip. It's paired with a tomato tart made with filo pastry and stuffed with pickled cucumber and basil.
Much like a bowl of gazpacho, the pairing acts as a palate cleanser, gently easing you into the meal ahead. It's light enough to leave you wanting another, yet perfectly portioned to keep you excited for the courses still to come.
The theatrics of the cocktail program transform the KCC experience into a culinary performance, where every pour, presentation and flavor note unfolds like a carefully choreographed act — with your taste buds at the center of attention.
The Third Course: Salad
There is an edible flower stuck to the glass, and the waiter warns you to have it after the drink as it is really sweet |
A salad is all about freshness and crunch, and that's exactly what the third course delivers. The Tom Sam cocktail brings together dry gin, sonic, pickled mango, raw papaya and fermented gari to create a drink that's zesty, crisp and vibrant. It is paired with candied Som Tam peanuts, adding a sweet, nutty, fair bit of bite to the table. When you bite into the peanuts, you can literally taste the flavors of papaya and kaffir lime.
It's with this course that the portion sizes of the cocktails begin to increase.
The Fourth Course: Appetizer
Tamales and corn tostada |
Smoky, spicy, and tangy, Tamales is the only drink featuring a non-vegetarian element. The cocktail blends corn husk-infused tequila with chicken stock, lending it a rich, savory depth. It is paired with a crisp corn tostada topped with Mexican tajín, pickled jalapeños, and fresh coriander, setting the tone for a flavor-packed main course.
The Fifth Course: Main
Morel and Mi So Morel |
The fifth and main course Morel unveils a deeply layered expression of umami, where complexity meets finesse. The whiskey-based cocktail is bold yet elegantly balanced. A delicate arrangement of black and white sesame seeds adorns the glass, and the dish is served with a deeply rich and savory mushroom dish, Mi So Morel.
Quiz Singh about the most difficult course to put together, and with an air of nonchalance he replies that none were easy. "Each came with its own set of challenges. Since it's a flavor journey across six courses, every course has to outdo the one before it, while still leaving room for the next to raise the bar. Getting that progression right was probably the hardest part of the entire process. It's a fine line between a perfectly paced cocktail experience and accidentally sending someone home a course too early. We were determined to stay on the right side of that line."
He adds, "People assume the hardest part was creating the cocktails, but honestly, the glassware gave us just as many sleepless nights. They are all bespoke, so finding the right vendor and getting every detail just right took time." Each glass is not unique, and that adds to the experience.
The Sixth & Last Course: Dessert
Rocky Road served with a Gochujang dark chocolate cookie |
The miracle berry is actually a lone bean, served in a tiny tin filled with ice, refreshes the palate before the meal's concluding course |
Before the final course arrives, a unique palate cleanser takes centerstage — a single bean served chilled in a tiny tin of ice. Guests are invited to suck on the bean as it releases a sweet flavor, refreshing the palate and preparing them for the final culinary experience.
When dessert meets a cocktail, you get the rich, creamy, nutty Rocky Road, a decadent, delightful way to close the six course program. A dessert in a glass, it's a rich cocktail crafted with hot chocolate, milk-washed dark rum, coffee-infused vodka. Served with a chocolate chip cookie ice cream, it also comes with a Gochujang dark chocolate cookie with torched meringue.
Address: Thadani House 329/A Opposite Indian Coast Guard Worli Village, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400030
Cost for the cocktail program: All 6 cocktails at ₹8,500/-, any 4 cocktails at ₹6,000/-
