HELLO! India Eat Buy Try: What's on our hot list this December 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 the HELLO! Editor'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 HELLO! India's Eat Buy Try, we're eating , buying holiday gift sets to place under our Christmas trees and trying .

Dayle Pereira-Alemao, Associate Editor

Eat At

La Panthera: The city of Mumbai abounds with European restaurants but balancing the fine line between being a stiff sit-down dinner table and bustling café can be a challenge. La Panthera walked that minute line with ease. In the midst of the financial estate of BKC lies the refined European restaurant that offers the continent's most beloved flavours in a delightfully chic and cheery setting. Walking into La Panthera feels like entering season 2 of The White Lotus. Fans will know that Sicily was practically a cast member during the season; whose similar themes of decadent architecture and Italian glamour can be witness the moment you walk into the Mumbai restaurant. It opens to a marble bar with a gleaming backdrop and moves inward with sparkling chandeliers, decorated arches and stucco ceilings with gilded lighting and low couches, making for cosy seating. The atmosphere is vibrant; with old catch-ups and chatter keeping the vibe warm. La Panthera's cocktail menu is vast and visually-descriptive, making not just picking a drink simple but also the food to pair with it. With derivations from the British Isles, some from across the Mediterranean and still others as a play on old classics, Rogue Panther combines pineapple, coconut and saffron with ease while Slippery Lane celebrates citrus notes in a large way. Their house bread, with a crisp crust and holed stuffing is a fine place to start. When the Gambas Al Ajillo arrives, its garlic-y reduction and tender prawn are ideally soaked with the accompanying loaf of sourdough. The Lobster Roll is a creamy, umami-laden morsel encased in brioche and if there's only one dish you'll eat here, make it this. Bread is central to many of Chef Manuel Olveira creations, which is perfected down to the crumb. It's evident in their pizzas too, which are crafted with dough fermented for 48 hours. That patience of the chefs tastes rewarding as a diner because their signature pie, the La Panthera, adds Nduja pork sausage to the usual concoction of tomatoes, basil and cheese to invigorate it with a flaming finish, completed with a Jalapeno Queso dip. The Grilled Tenderloin Steak is a must for meat lovers as it sings even with the simplest accompaniments of jus, potato and chimichurri. Wrapping up the meal on a sweet note is their take on a traditional Tiramisu but while its coffee ice-cream and mascarpone keep its well-known notes intact, crisp touches add a textural element to dish. European food may be the trend du jour currently but if there's one spot that has perfected it with a compact and refined menu, it's this one.

Buy

Tom Ford's Ombré Leather Holiday Duo: It's that time of the year when filling your shopping bags; be it for Secret Santa distributions or stocking stuffers at the annual holiday get-together, is dedicated to everybody around you. If history is proof, finding the right gift for men can be one of the most challenging parts of the holiday season—and that includes not burning your plum cake in the oven! Most men can be infamously difficult to gift but as Christmas warrants that you do it anyway, I discovered that you can't go wrong with the Tom Ford's Ombré Leather Eau De Parfum set. In a matte black box featuring the EDP fragrance and a travel spray, the Tom Ford fragrance is iconic for good reason. The scent opens with notes of saffron and spicy cardamom, which steadily shifts to the rugged scent of leather that is layered with earthy patchouli and vetiver. Envisioning scenes of hot days in sandy deserts while travelling on horseback are to be expected as a side-effect of smelling the rich perfume. It's one of the most impressionable winter fragrances that a man can have in his collection so a set of two, with one especially made for travel, is a holiday gift that will be an exciting sight underneath the tree.

Try

Streax Professional Skin Brightening Facial: There's no better time for a glow-up than the eve of the holiday season to prepare for the festivities and parties that abound. Cue Streax Professional, who has recently expanded into the skincare arena. After being a household name for their hair colours, treatments and products across India, opening their doors to facial care was welcome. I opted for their Skin Brightening facial to whip away the exhaustion of the busy weeks leading up to the year-end and put my faith in their 6-step routine, which comes in the form of a kit made with Rosehip Extracts and Gluthanione that's used by a trained professional in Streax-certified salons. Starting with a cleanse and scrub that felt like it was driving away the season's grit and grime from my face, it was followed by a steam to gently slough it off and then a layer of cooling toner. A rich layer of face cream came next, which served as a medium for the face massage that followed. Expertly kneading away at forehead, cheeks and jawline; a facial spot where I hold the most stress, it almost instantly left me tranquil and at ease. My final look in the mirror revealed a much more hydrated complexion, fresher-looking skin and (bonus!), a more rested mind.

(Also Read: HELLO! India Eat Buy Try: What's on our hot list this November 2025)

Sabrina Mathews, Assistant Editor 

Eat At

Andrea's Eatery, Gurugram: Dining at any of the outlets of the restaurant feels like stepping into a European bistro tucked away in the heart of the city. Their newest addition in Gurugram was no different. I lingered over their menu but stuck to my classic favourites, their Asian section. Although the restaurant boasts of its Italian and European specials, all highly superb in their own ways, but it's their Asian classics that will bring you back for more. The experience of going to Andrea's Eatery in Gurugram felt familiar yet elevated, paired with an easy, unhurried ambience. Perfect for any meal at any time of the day, it's one of those places in Delhi NCR, that keeps getting better with every dish, without even realising it. 

Buy

Mallé Wear's Creative Juice Collection: As a former serial shopper, I have made some questionable choices. Not just to my style but also to the environment. Today, I choose to make more informed choices with my wardrobe selection, whether for festive looks or simply for comfy loungewear. For someone who is more of a homebody, the latter is a favoured area for those wardrobe investments. When I received my printed t-shirt and matching track pants from Mallé Wear's Creative Juice Collection, I felt that I had made the right choice. From the packaging to the quality of the clothes, which are all made using natural fabrics, every little detail has been cared for. Good for the skin, the environment and for your wallet, what more could one ask for?

Try

Ayurvedic Hair Spa Ritual by Ohria Ayurveda at Silhouette, The Oberoi Gurgaon: I wish I indulged in experiences like these more often to relax from the busy schedules of working on the laptop. The Ayurvedic Hair Spa Ritual at Silhouette was pure indulgence rooted in tradition. From warm herbal oils to deeply restorative techniques, the experience felt grounding and transformative. I walked out with lighter thoughts, healthier hair, and a renewed respect for slow, ritual-led beauty—something everyone should experience when they want wellness that truly lingers beyond the appointment. Oh how I wiah I could do this everyday. 

(Also Read: Hot Off The HELLO! India Press: Winter fashion launches, cultural events across cities and more)