Leopold Café

Okay, so this is pretty much the quintessential tourist eatery, these days known as much for the buzzy atmosphere as it is as the first choice for fans of the David Gregory Roberts novel, Shantaram. This is where wannabe literary types come in hopes of scoping their hero or perhaps catching a moment when some of the underworld activity written about in the book actually comes to life. In reality, this is simply a very overhyped dining institution, but one you'd do well to experience (if only once, and briefly) while in Colaba. Why it's such a hit with foreigners is a mystery, since the food is good but not exceptional, the atmosphere can be noisy and rather smoky, and bills are often wrong. If you're keen to get the inside scoop on how Bollywood films are made, hang out here; casting agents looking for foreigners to work as extras on current productions frequently scan the clientele for able bodies at this favored travelers' hangout.

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