From Coffee to Cocktails: Why Drift is Mumbai’s New All-Day Destination

When you step into Drift at Nilaya Anthology, there’s a sense of calm that washes over you. Maybe it’s the soft glow of the sculptural wave ceiling, the warmth of cane and wood tones, or the gentle rhythm of the café itself — mornings drifting into afternoons, afternoons slipping seamlessly into evenings. Whatever it is, Drift feels like a space designed not just to dine, but to linger.

EHV International (the team behind Indian Accent, Comorin, and Fireback) has given Mumbai three new restaurants in as many months, and Drift might be its most versatile yet. It’s an all-day café and bar that begins at 11 am with coffee and viennoiseries and flows into dinner, cocktails, and music long past sundown.

Food That Comforts & Surprises
Chef Sumit Sawardekar’s menu carries the duality of comfort and curiosity, rooted in his classical European training but tuned to Mumbai’s evolving palate. The all-day menu stretches from breakfast staples — the Soufflé Pancake with brown butter maple glaze, the Drift Omelette with Gruyère and chives, the Croque Monsieur dripping with Emmental béchamel — to sandwiches, burgers, and hot dogs that could become daily lunch fixes for anyone working nearby. The Fried Chicken Burger, glazed with hot honey and tucked into a pillowy milk bun, hits all the right notes, while the House Slaw Dog brings together a juicy chicken frankfurter, pico de gallo, jalapeño jam, and a tangle of slaw.

At lunch and dinner, Drift expands into small plates, pastas, and mains that lean toward elegance without losing their easygoing soul. Salads aren’t afterthoughts here — the Tender Gourd, Beetroot & Fennel Salad is unexpectedly bright, while the Blue & Goat’s Cheese Mille Feuille, layered with tomatoes, olives, green apple, and hazelnuts, manages to be substantial yet airy. The Smoked Chilli Prawns, plump and just spicy enough, are lifted with a green apple salsa and served with crusty sourdough. And the Sunchoke & Truffle Agnolotti is indulgence done right — buttery, velvety, balanced with split peas and crisp chips.

The dessert section plays to both nostalgia and refinement. A silky Crème Caramel with pistachio crumble sits alongside a Soufflé au Chocolat with vanilla ice cream. The pâtisserie counter lures you in with Basque Cheesecake, Chocolate Fudge Cake, Tiramisu, and a rotating selection of viennoiseries and breads, baked daily and displayed on a rack behind the counter. It’s the kind of café detail that adds rhythm to the day — a place where a loaf of bread or a croissant can be as much a reason to stop by as a sit-down meal.

Drinks That Dazzle
Drift isn’t just about food. As evening falls, the space transforms. The lights dim, the energy lifts, and the bar takes centre stage with a cocktail programme by Varun Sharma, EHV’s Head of Bars. The drinks blur the line between kitchen and bar, reimagining classics with a contemporary twist. The Baltic Drift is a bright, sour style tequila cocktail with sea buckthorn and agave; Desert Gold draws on the richness of baklava with walnut-infused rum, pistachio milk, and sherry; and the Waffle Punch, with rum or cognac, coffee liqueur, and house-made waffle syrup, is playful and velvety thanks to lacto clarification. Even the Cheese Negroni, made with burrata, washed gin, and tomato vermouth, manages to be both cheeky and elegant.

Coffee lovers aren’t left behind either. The all-day bar serves specialty beans with citrus, berry, or spice notes, alongside signature creations like the Espresso Cold Fashioned (espresso, honey, bitters) and Pom Tonic (espresso, clarified pomegranate and pineapple, tonic). Indulgent options include the Nutty Affogato and the layered Bicerin — coffee, chocolate, cream — while Thai iced coffee, milkshakes, and teas keep the menu wide open.

The wine list, curated by Kevin Rodrigues, EHV’s Head of Wines, is approachable but adventurous. Every pour — from Italian whites to Spanish reds to Californian picks — is available by the glass, thanks to Coravin preservation systems. It’s perfect for casual sipping or a more exploratory evening.

Design That Draws You In
The design ties it all together. Minimal yet layered, Drift is anchored by sculptural statements: the wave-like ceiling, the reimagined column turned into an art piece, and the movable back bar that shifts functionally through the day. It’s design-led, but not at the cost of warmth. The details invite you in, and the atmosphere keeps you there.

Private Spaces, Big Impressions
For those seeking something more private, Lynx — located on the same floor as Drift and Fireback — offers a versatile meeting and dining space. With eclectic interiors, a built-in projector, a private bar, and the flexibility to host both boardroom meetings and intimate social gatherings, Lynx adds another dimension to Nilaya Anthology’s hospitality offering. Menus can be curated from Comorin, Fireback, or Drift, and even Indian Accent’s chefs can step in for bespoke catering. It’s part of a larger ecosystem that allows EHV’s Mumbai restaurants to extend beyond their walls into private events and home dining.

Final Thoughts
What struck me most about Drift was not a single dish or drink, but the rhythm of the space itself. Mornings are easy and bright with coffee and pastries. Afternoons invite slower lunches or quick breaks. Evenings call for cocktails, conversations, and candlelight. And late nights, on select evenings, move to a DJ’s beat. It’s a place that mirrors Mumbai’s own pace — fast, fluid, adaptable, but always alive.

Drift isn’t a restaurant you plan for weeks in advance. It’s the kind of spot you wander into for coffee and stay through dinner, or stumble upon after work and leave much later than expected. True to its name, it’s less about precision and more about flow. You don’t just dine here. You drift.