Tucked behind Olive Bandra’s iconic white walls, a new character makes her entrance. She doesn’t walk in; she glows – teasing at the edges of daylight. Call Me Sofia, the city’s first Italian-style aperitivo bar, slips into the scene with quiet allure. Conceived by AD Singh and brought to life by the creative minds of the Olive Group, Sofia is best described as AD’s love child. She is not a space as much as she is a feeling, an in-between moment where the city pauses, the light softens, and evenings take their first delicious breath. Sofia doesn’t reveal herself through definition, but through mood slowly, playfully, and entirely on her own terms.
A first of its kind, Call Me Sofia opens its doors at the onset of the evening. Sofia’s world is small by design, an intimate bar that feels like a secret whispered between friends. Light spills through the semi–open space, the breeze dips in from the courtyard, and a gentle clink of glasses forms the soundtrack of early evenings. There is fun built into Sofia’s rhythm: a cheeky little window where guests can simply ring a bell and have a glass of cocktail appear in response, a small act of whimsy stitched playfully into the experience.
This spirit of playfulness sits atop a deeper foundation. The bar carries a familiar warmth and ease; but Sofia marks a new identity, a new pulse. She embodies a playful edge – cheeky, sassy, and subtly rebellious, putting her own spin on the rules of traditional bar culture. And this is the energy that breathes life into her cocktail programme, guided by Lead Mixologist Harish Chhimwal and Italian Chef Alessandro Piso.
Their approach blends Italian flavours, Mediterranean nostalgia and a sense of storytelling – enriched by Harish’s 15-year journey, which has established him as one of India’s most trusted voices in mixology. A Times Mixologist of the Year in both Delhi (2022) and Chandigarh (2024) and a former Bacardi Grand Prix finalist, Harish now steers a skilled team supported by a dedicated R&D lab in Delhi. With him are Sreerag, whose global experience has honed immersive bar programmes across continents, and Chong, a seasoned mixologist with more than a decade of expertise in menu development and technique-driven bartending. Together, they define Sofia’s cocktail identity – layered, inventive, and technically assured.
At Sofia, the cocktails command the spotlight, – driven by a low-ABV philosophy that champions aperitifs, lighter spirits, and a style of sipping that keeps the evening unfolding with charm and conversations that refuse to be rushed. Think Select, Campari, Vermouths and infused apéritifs layered thoughtfully to capture the lightness of Italian drinking culture, while still offering the comfort of familiar spirits like gins, vodkas, and bright house blends. There is whimsy in the glass: a traditional Caprese salad reimagined as a cocktail, a cantaloupe-infused selection that tastes like summer with a secret, or a house-made lemon–strawberry blend softened with merlot that flows like satin across the palate.
Each drink expresses a side of Sofia’s – her flirtiness, her quiet boldness, her streak of mischief. Even her hangover cure comes with an attitude: an espresso-forward concoction layered with cream cheese, and a lift of citrus, inspired by the playful belief that the morning-after remedy is always coffee and a little chaos.
The food here does not overshadow; it enhances. The menu is made of small plates alone – beautifully plated, thoughtfully crafted, satisfying without weighing you down. Certain cocktails come with their own petite edible companions, flavour accents that create a sensory duet between sip and bite. And unlike traditional wine bars where dishes lead the conversation, Sofia flips the script: bartenders step out from behind the counter, move across the floor, speak to guests, and guide them first to the right cocktail.
The interiors echo this same philosophy of surprise and softness. Designed by Sabina Singh, Group Director of Design, and her in-house team, the space has rustic Italian influences, brought alive with a refreshed palette. Sofia’s space feels warm, tactile, and modern without losing its rooted charm. The iconic tree, present since the beginning, is now the heart of the bar – literally. The space is looser, airier, more intimate, holding a playfulness that mirrors Sofia’s character.
As the evening shifts, the light drifts from gold to amber, shadows stretch gently across textured walls, the music melts into new moods, and everything begins to feel like a scene from a European film; unhurried, cinematic, effortlessly inviting. It is within this atmosphere that Sofia reveals herself as an experience; one that moves slowly, builds gently, and is wonderfully easy to settle into.
“Call Me Sofia captures that rare moment when daylight softens and the night begins to find its shape,” says AD Singh. “She is designed for closeness, where the ambience, the cocktails, and the conversations blend to create evenings that feel magical, meaningful, and deeply personal.”
With Call Me Sofia, the Olive Group brings Mumbai a new chapter; one that intertwines vintage Italian charm with Bandra’s laid-back heart. She is stylish yet soulful, mischievous yet warm, a space that invites the city to rediscover the pleasure of slow evenings, intimate connections, and the simple delight of stepping into the night with a drink in hand and curiosity in the air.
Sofia is not just a bar. She’s a mood. And she’s only just beginning to reveal who she is.
Call Me Sofia, the city’s first Italian-style aperitivo bar, slips into the scene with quiet allure. Conceived by AD Singh and brought to life by the creative minds of the Olive Group, Sofia is best described as AD’s love child. She is not a space as much as she is a feeling, an in-between moment where the city pauses, the light softens, and evenings take their first delicious breath. Sofia doesn’t reveal herself through definition, but through mood slowly, playfully, and entirely on her own terms.
A first of its kind, Call Me Sofia opens its doors at the onset of the evening. Sofia’s world is small by design, an intimate bar that feels like a secret whispered between friends. Light spills through the semi–open space, the breeze dips in from the courtyard, and a gentle clink of glasses forms the soundtrack of early evenings. There is fun built into Sofia’s rhythm: a cheeky little window where guests can simply ring a bell and have a glass of cocktail appear in response, a small act of whimsy stitched playfully into the experience.
This spirit of playfulness sits atop a deeper foundation. The bar carries a familiar warmth and ease; but Sofia marks a new identity, a new pulse. She embodies a playful edge – cheeky, sassy, and subtly rebellious, putting her own spin on the rules of traditional bar culture. And this is the energy that breathes life into her cocktail programme, guided by Lead Mixologist Harish Chhimwal and Italian Chef Alessandro Piso.
Their approach blends Italian flavours, Mediterranean nostalgia and a sense of storytelling – enriched by Harish’s 15-year journey, which has established him as one of India’s most trusted voices in mixology. A Times Mixologist of the Year in both Delhi (2022) and Chandigarh (2024) and a former Bacardi Grand Prix finalist, Harish now steers a skilled team supported by a dedicated R&D lab in Delhi. With him are Sreerag, whose global experience has honed immersive bar programmes across continents, and Chong, a seasoned mixologist with more than a decade of expertise in menu development and technique-driven bartending. Together, they define Sofia’s cocktail identity – layered, inventive, and technically assured.
At Sofia, the cocktails command the spotlight, – driven by a low-ABV philosophy that champions aperitifs, lighter spirits, and a style of sipping that keeps the evening unfolding with charm and conversations that refuse to be rushed. Think Select, Campari, Vermouths and infused apéritifs layered thoughtfully to capture the lightness of Italian drinking culture, while still offering the comfort of familiar spirits like gins, vodkas, and bright house blends. There is whimsy in the glass: a traditional Caprese salad reimagined as a cocktail, a cantaloupe-infused selection that tastes like summer with a secret, or a house-made lemon–strawberry blend softened with merlot that flows like satin across the palate.
Each drink expresses a side of Sofia’s – her flirtiness, her quiet boldness, her streak of mischief. Even her hangover cure comes with an attitude: an espresso-forward concoction layered with cream cheese, and a lift of citrus, inspired by the playful belief that the morning-after remedy is always coffee and a little chaos.
The food here does not overshadow; it enhances. The menu is made of small plates alone – beautifully plated, thoughtfully crafted, satisfying without weighing you down. Certain cocktails come with their own petite edible companions, flavour accents that create a sensory duet between sip and bite. And unlike traditional wine bars where dishes lead the conversation, Sofia flips the script: bartenders step out from behind the counter, move across the floor, speak to guests, and guide them first to the right cocktail.
The interiors echo this same philosophy of surprise and softness. Designed by Sabina Singh, Group Director of Design, and her in-house team, the space has rustic Italian influences, brought alive with a refreshed palette. Sofia’s space feels warm, tactile, and modern without losing its rooted charm. The iconic tree, present since the beginning, is now the heart of the bar – literally. The space is looser, airier, more intimate, holding a playfulness that mirrors Sofia’s character.
As the evening shifts, the light drifts from gold to amber, shadows stretch gently across textured walls, the music melts into new moods, and everything begins to feel like a scene from a European film; unhurried, cinematic, effortlessly inviting. It is within this atmosphere that Sofia reveals herself as an experience; one that moves slowly, builds gently, and is wonderfully easy to settle into.
“Call Me Sofia captures that rare moment when daylight softens and the night begins to find its shape,” says AD Singh. “She is designed for closeness, where the ambience, the cocktails, and the conversations blend to create evenings that feel magical, meaningful, and deeply personal.”
With Call Me Sofia, the Olive Group brings Mumbai a new chapter; one that intertwines vintage Italian charm with Bandra’s laid-back heart. She is stylish yet soulful, mischievous yet warm, a space that invites the city to rediscover the pleasure of slow evenings, intimate connections, and the simple delight of stepping into the night with a drink in hand and curiosity in the air.
Sofia is not just a bar. She’s a mood. And she’s only just beginning to reveal who she is.
