Restaurant India News: Thai Naam Moves to Bandra, Expands Mumbai Dining Presence

Thai Naam has announced its relocation to Bandra, marking a new phase of growth for the homegrown Thai dining concept in Mumbai. The move reflects the brand’s intent to scale its presence within the city’s competitive premium casual dining segment while retaining its core focus on authentic Thai cuisine.

Founded by Jawairia Merchant in 2020, Thai Naam began as an independent venture rooted in traditional Thai cooking principles. Now in her mid-twenties, Merchant transitioned from early culinary experimentation and competitions into professional training, eventually working under Ananda Solomon, known for introducing Thai cuisine to India. This experience has shaped the operational and culinary direction of the restaurant.

The Bandra outlet continues to operate with a cuisine-first approach, offering a menu built around traditional Thai formats including curries, stir-fries, soups, and salads. Core dishes such as Tom Yum, Som Tam, Mee Grob, Satay Kai, and Thai-style Fish Cakes remain part of the offering, alongside mains like steamed John Dory with Lemon and Garlic, Minced Chicken with Holy Basil, and a range of Thai curries. The dessert menu includes preparations such as diced water chestnuts in coconut milk.

The revised menu also introduces select Pan-Asian additions including Asparagus and Spinach Dumplings with Yellow Curry, Chicken Wontons with Burnt Chilli, Chengdu-style Lamb, and Truffle Baked Crab. This reflects a calibrated expansion of the menu to cater to evolving consumer preferences while maintaining a Thai-centric identity.

The restaurant features a 100-seater layout designed to balance capacity with customer comfort, alongside a private dining space for small group formats. The inclusion of an open kitchen aligns with current industry trends around transparency and guest engagement. Interiors incorporate design elements inspired by Thai architecture, including wooden detailing and a red-toned palette, aimed at creating a culturally aligned dining environment.

The brand’s development has also been supported by Anis Merchant, whose involvement has contributed to the business’s expansion from an individual-led initiative to a structured restaurant format. With the relocation to Bandra, Thai Naam is positioning itself to strengthen its foothold in Mumbai’s Asian dining category, targeting consumers seeking cuisine-specific dining experiences supported by consistent product delivery and operational scale.