Pizza By The Bay knows exactly why it’s special: its location. Perched under one of Mumbai’s most famous Art Deco buildings on Queen’s Necklace – the most famous street in town – this pizza joint’s enjoyed icon status among both Mumbaikars and tourists for nearly 60 years.The restaurant’s seen many evolutions, from initially being called Talk of The Town when it first opened in 1968 to being the coolest jazz haunt in town as Jazz By The Bay (straight to the point with that one) to substituting the jazz for pizza.Today, what it’s got on offer is good, cheesy pizzas and pastas, with some local twists, plus classic cocktails served in Art Deco glasses, all overlooking a sea that’s especially beautiful at sunset. The pizzeria’s always the right amount of busy – bustling, but never too full to not get a table after a few minutes of wait. Perfect for a quick, casual dinner where you’re going to get exactly what you expect.
The food’s very good, but nothing that can claim the title of being the very best Italian in town – and there’s nothing wrong with that. The Aglio Olio and Pesto pastas never miss. The Flaming Margherita is a great pizza, topped with basil, tomato and a fiery (literally) layer of vodka if you enjoy a flair for the dramatic. For dessert, there’s no indulgence more nostalgic than a gooey warm chocolate walnut brownie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.It’s also incidentally a great breakfast spot, being one of the few establishments that’s open at 7am on a Saturday.