HELLO! Eat Buy Try: What's on Team HELLO!'s hot list this August 2025

The lifestyle world is innovating so vigorously, there's more to discover since you began reading this sentence. Across the country, there's a new restaurant launching almost every month, a prime shopping pick that the internet cannot stop gushing over or an experience like never before that has made its way to your city. While it allows for plenty of choice, it can also be tricky to choose what's worth your time and money to dine at, shop for and visit. Enter Team HELLO!'s Eat Buy Try list: a curated list of personally-recommended choices for a variety of experiences across the country. It's the hand-picked hotspots for you to head to, so you don't have to spend a second on those that don't make the cut.

This month on Team HELLO!'s Eat Buy Try, we're sipping on low-alcohol wine, trying North Indian cuisine and much more.

Dayle Pereira-Alemao, Associate Editor

Eat At: Loya, The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai 

Loya, which is situated in the storied five-star hotel; adjusts the spotlight onto authentic North Indian ingredients and recipes, served in expectantly exquisite style, all beginning with a jal jeera welcome shot. Their cocktail menu experiments with local ingredients and showcases them through the likes of Gulab; a rose and cardamom-infused vodka concoction as well as Mulethi, that combines mulethi-infused gin with honeycomb. Dal Ki Chaat started the meal with a bang and packed punchy local sweet and tangy flavours in a divine morsel assembled right at the table; making it the most luxurious chaat I’ve ever eaten. The celebration of time-honoured cooking techniques like dhungar and sigdi shines through in the Timbri Jhinga, deliciously flavoured with bhang jeera chutney, and Sigdi Macchi, charcoal-cooked and tender as ever. The Dal Jhakiya, made of moong and arhar dal and tempered with jhakiya seeds, makes for a comforting bite when eaten with the Malera Roti, a heavier cultured dough flat bread finished extravagantly with cashews and sesame seeds. Their dessert menu, Mittha has plenty of Indian staples to choose from but Kulfi Pop offers the most variety with ice-creams in flavours of saffron, paan and rose. 

Buy: Crocs

Ever since their debut in India over a decade ago, Crocs have developed the reputation as ‘the monsoon shoe’. And while their circular counts and platform clogs provide the ideal drainage and height for walking through puddles, they’ve now entered their era of being unconventionally stylish casual cool shoes. Ever since I saw women pull off tube socks and clogs all across South East Asia, I waited with bated breath for the day Crocs would hit the cool wave on home turf. Finally it has, which is why I’m obsessed with them this season; not just for their winning monsoon qualities. The Bae, an elevated clog style, is currently my monsoon favourite. Not only does it showcase the trademark pattern, it does so with a 2.4-inch outer sole. Not only can a short girl get behind it, anyone who hates puddle splash back will follow suit. Now with dual-strap sandals to toe-hold flips flops, there's much more amongst their offerings than their signature clogs; and with zany Jibbitz to up the oomph, it's no wonder why they are a top rainy day choice.

Try: Sula's Muscat Blanc

Sipping on a glass of wine is one of life's simple pleasures but the thought of its heady aftermath from its alcohol content, I've found, can be a downer, especially on the kind of night you don't want to end. Which is why I was in for a pleasant surprise when Sula Muscat Blanc marked its arrival. The crisp white wine comes with a flavour profile that's high in fruitiness with a balance of acidity and sweetness that round it off harmoniously. Its notes of lychee and rose petals pair beautifully with creamy flavours, seafood and chicken dishes. With just 7.5% alcohol by volume, it makes for a refreshingly light choice to sip on.

Tasneem Patanwala, Digital Writer

Eat At: Elemental Table at DEA, Worli, Mumbai

From the moment I entered DEA, I was entranced by the restaurant’s beauty. A giant tree stands in the middle of the restaurant based in Mumbai’s Worli, known as the Tree Of Life, The roots of the tree are spread across as a path on the restaurant’s ground. Based on the philosophy of flair, fire and fermentation, DEA’s elemental table is one of a kind experience with food that is rivalled by only a few. The eight course elemental meal sketched by Chef Jayesh Patnaik immerses the patron in the story behind dishes. Each creation on the menu is built around seasonal, high-integrity ingredients, drawn from both local sources and global influences. Expect expressive, layered dishes like Fire-Threshed Baby Chicken with Lactoberry Jus and Fingerling, Lamb Loin with Wakame and Caramelised Crème Fraiche, or the striking Mushroom Parfait with Black Garlic Butter and Milk Bun. Each dish is paired with an equally sumptuous drink. With only 25 people being hosted by the elemental table at a time its quite an intimate and opulent affair. Hosted twice every month, the elemental table is an experience worth having with your special someone. 

Buy: Hashway 

The Indian streetwear scene is buzzing and Hashway are the proof. For someone who is always looking for loose tees and comfortable hoodies to wear when travelling for long hours or a lazy workday, Hashway has been a boon to find. Loose tees that can come with me everywhere yet are soft to touch and have a lush feel, this streetwear brand operates on both comfort and opulence. Whether you prefer quite luxury, pink pilates princess or a clean girl aesthetic these loose tops are a fit for all wants. So as a fellow Gen Zers listen to me on this one, this is an investment worth making. The brand available at Culture Circus with a mammoth collection of tees, hoodies, shoes and more. 

Try: Sculpting Treatment at Fit Face Studio, Bandra, Mumbai

There is a gym out there where you can lie and relax and yet leave all sculpted. I am talking about India’s first face gym, Fit Face, a face workout studio, in Bandra that is dedicated to give you a sculpted face through a focus on muscle strength, lymphatic health, and glowing skin through a unique blend of ancient techniques and modern technology. As soon as you sit in the chair your face goes on an hour long journey to be its sculptiest self. Founded by Pooja Lalwani Tamang, a renowned bridal and celebrity makeup artist, FitFace was born out of Pooja’s deep understanding of the beauty world and her desire to offer clients natural, long-lasting results without filters or shortcuts. FitFace’s signature workouts use tools like lymphatic drainage, gua sha, microcurrent therapy, EMS, and deep tissue massage to target over 40 facial muscles — the same way a gym sculpts your body. These treatments reduce puffiness, ease tension, lift sagging muscles, and enhance your natural contours, leaving you looking refreshed, radiant, and confident. Protip: wear a t-shirt that's loose around the neck. 

Sabrina Mathews, Assistant Editor

Eat at: Bombay Club

Tucked away in a corner of the swanky Dhan Mill in Delhi's Chattarpur, Bombay Club is reminiscent of colonial Bombay's Iranian classics, revamped in a modern setting. The neat white and blue interiors sure are inviting, whether you're chasing a cuppa joe between boutique hopping or finding a cosy corner to enjoy a comforting meal. Many Parsi classics like Akoori, Dhansak, Berry Pulao and Salli Boti find themselves adorned as jewels alongside coastal favourites, some with a European twist. Owing to its namesake, many regional dishes from the streets of the bustling city too, find a seat at this restaurant. The flavour bomb Vada Pav, the robust Keema Pav and a unique Thecha Pizza will surely have you coming back for more. Refreshing drinks made in-house, especially their spritzy fermented kombuchas, are the perfect accompaniment to your meals here, whether simple or elaborate. A meal without a sweet ending is simply unaccapetable. To be treated with the Mango K Rustom, a nostalgic ice cream sundae topped with the season's freshest mangoes, is certainly more for the heart than it is for the belly. 

Buy: Gazal Gupta's dark floral dress

Speaking of Dhan Mill, the tony shopping destination recently welcomed Gazal Gupta's new store. A grand mansion-style bungalow housing the designer's bridal couture pieces and an equally hard-to-ignore pret line. What makes the Pret line so special is the ability to wear the designer's artistry in ready-to-wear elegance. A striking part chic, part edgy pick from the latest collection, Wild Rosette, as the name suggests, is full of wild rosettes set in a dark background, perfect for a transitional autumn welcome. The Printed Satin Flare Dress with Umbrella Sleeves elevates everything from casual brunches to dinner dressing into an occasion to celebrate. The contemporary silhouette blends with the brand's ethos to create something effortless yet empowering for the individualistic woman wearing it. Priced at Rs 21,900 it is worth the penny should you choose to gift it to that special lady or add it to your closet as a prizes possession. 

Try: A monsoon getaway in Goa 

There's something undeniably magical about monsoons in Goa. The coastline transforms into a lush sight to behold, where the air feels fresher and the breeze is truly serene. Far from the madding crowd flooding the summer months, the monsoon in Goa invites a calm getaway for those seeking one. Right from the moment you land in Goa, especially at the newly opened Manohar Parikar International Airport, you're greeted by dense greenery amidst grey clouds. In the buzzing northern part of Goa, The Westin Goa offers a great escape for those seeking tranquillity away from city life. The tropical oasis transports you into a different realm upon entering, and yet doesn't feel devoid of the treasures of the rest of the town, like shopping havens like Rangeela and the pop-ups at the Flame Store. It would be unfair to skip the culinary landscape of this popular beach destination. With new restaurants embellishing the streets and beachside foyers of the town, it's hard to pick one; from seafood specialities in and around town, to The Westin Goa's warm and comforting hotpot meal, be rest assured that your mind, body and soul will be just as satiated on your monsoon break.