High Note opens in Bandra with a vinyl-led bar and retro nostalgia menu

First-time restaurateur Shreyas Rathod and chef Gracian De Souza have launched High Note, a Bandra neighbourhood bar built around vinyl, live music and food-and-drink nostalgia for customers who grew up with the 1970s–1990s music eras.

— Source publishedTue, 28 Jul, 2026, 12:00 IST·First seen Tue, 28 Jul, 2026, 12:57 IST·Source ET Hospitality

What happened

First-time restaurateur Shreyas Rathod and chef Gracian De Souza have opened High Note, a vinyl-led neighbourhood bar in Bandra, Mumbai, featuring retro music,

Key facts

  • 1970s
  • 1980s
  • 1990s
  • 30-35 years

Why this matters

High Note presents a potential partnership or acquisition-watch opportunity in experience-led F&B, particularly for platforms seeking culturally distinctive bar concepts with local neighbourhood appeal.

What to watch

  • Sustained weekend reservations and meaningful weekday covers after the first 90 days.
  • Frequency of repeat event formats selling out versus reliance on influencer-led launch attendance.
  • Average spend and dwell time during live-music nights compared with standard service.
  • Competitor launches in Bandra featuring listening bars, retro menus, vinyl DJs or intimate performance programming.
  • Customer reviews citing music quality, acoustics and hospitality as strongly as ambience and nostalgia.
  • Any restrictions on amplified music, late-night operations or entertainment licensing.
  • Build a recurring calendar of vinyl listening nights, artist residencies and decade-specific menu pairings rather than relying on one-off retro events.
  • Capture customer data through reservations, membership perks and event RSVPs to identify high-value repeat cohorts and optimize programming by age group and visit occasion.
  • Develop signature food and cocktail items that can stand independently of the music concept, protecting daytime and non-event demand.
  • Explore collaborations with record stores, independent musicians, audio brands and cultural festivals to establish credibility beyond themed nightlife.
  • Monitor sound restrictions, licensing needs and neighbour complaints closely, since live-music economics can be disrupted by operating constraints.