Third Wave Coffee — Restaurant in Mumbai

One of my regular morning stops after a walk at Walawalkar with my buddies and just before the gym. Third Wave Coffee near Samarth Vaibhav, right opposite Starbucks, Blue Tokai, and Coffee by Di Bella, is a great budget-friendly pick in this café-heavy lane.

They’ve got a solid ₹150 combo from 7 am to 11 am a decent coffee with a free add-on (croissant, cookie, walnut cake, bagel, etc.). The food is decent, not fancy, but perfect for a quick bite or pack-and-go.

The menu also features a good mix of sweet pastries and savoury croissant sandwiches (veg & non-veg). Some of the better ones:

Chocolate croissant, cinnamon roll, and mushroom & cheese croissant

Charcoal chicken and paneer masala croissant sandwiches

Smaller bites like Korean buns, calzones, wraps, salads and pizzas, mostly in the ₹165–₹320 range

Drinks-wise, they’ve got a wide variety ,hot & cold coffees, frappes, shakes and more. Ice creams aren’t usually listed at this outlet but may be available at select stores or as part of dessert specials.

Bonus: the upper seating area is cosy and well air-conditioned, and they have a clean washroom a detail that’s surprisingly rare but much appreciated.

Good coffee, value deals, and a relaxed vibe. Worth checking out if you're...

Try the siphon with Barbara Blend, best coffee you'll ever have in a cafe by far, less acidic and bitter.

The staff is also so enthusiastic about coffee, they describe the taste and notes of the different blends in detail so it helps making a decision.

Rule of thumb btw when deciding on coffee, always go for light or medium roast instead of dark. Sourness and bitterness from coffee comes from 2 things - Chlorogenic acid and quinic acid.

Chlorogenic is the natural acid which gives it the acidity, sourness. Quinic acid is the converted form of Chlorogenic acid during roasting, this is what gives the bitterness, this also happens during brewing. French Roast and Italian Roast for example are roasted so much that the beans would catch fire if roasted a moment more. Often Dark Roast is done to mask low quality coffee beans with low chlorogenic acid.

Hence go for light or medium roast, when brewing that would get rid of the acidic taste while still not going into the bitter flavour area, whereas you can't do that with dark roast since it's...

Finally a coffee shop which believes in serving you great coffee with an ambience which is bright and open. It has a very retro - modern vibe. Couches and paintings with natural wood finish tables and chairs. Its split level to allow you to sit where you deem fit. Has small and large tables so that you can conduct personal meetings or work on your own or have a small gathering of family, friends or even business meetings. The place has limited menu but all of it cater to a diverse palate. The Barista, Sunny is a warm and welcoming sight who is happy to help you with your choices in food or beverage. Interestingly its a place patronised by families with kids, professionals or even the odd couples wanting to get to know each other. The loos are clean and maintained well. The portion size of the meal is adequate to satiate your hunger. Just hope it doesn't become a place where people take a cheap coffee and sit for 6 hrs blocking a table and forcing the coffee shop out of business. The vibe is inviting so make a trip for...