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Koolar & Co. is one of the oldest restaurants in Mumbai. With its vintage décor and old school charm, it’s become a popular hangout joint for local college students and tourists alike. The Kheema Pav, Wrestler’s Omlette and Iraani Chai are their specialities, and you’ll be able to enjoy them for under $6USD (Rs 350 approx).
This is another one of Mumbai’s favourites and its a paradise for seafood lovers. Try the butter garlic crabs, Thissari Masala and Prawn Koliwada — because anything spicy and deep-fried is always a yes-yes. This place is slightly more expensive than the others on this list but it’s worth it.
Apart from serving some great cocktails (try the Latin Sour), Asado also has a fantastic lunch menu. If you’re not doing so well with Indian spices, this is a haven for continental grilled food. They’ve also got great desserts, the Tres Leches — a spongy cake with three forms of ‘leches’ (milk) — definitely steals the show.
It’s nearing the end of the day and this is the best place for samosas. These triangular pastry bags stuffed with potatoes, peas and chili, are best devoured with some hot chai on your hotel balcony during the monsoons.
You can’t leave Mumbai without trying our most popular delicacy: vada pav from Ashok Vada Pav, Kirti College. It’s also known as the Indian Burger and seriously, your visit isn’t complete until you put one of these coriander, potato, spicy sandwiches of deliciousness into your face.
Juhu beach. #juhu #beach #juhubeach
Bhel puri is the most common chaat on the streets of Mumbai. It is a tangy tongue tickler, made of puffed rice and a mishmash of potato, tomato and sweet-sour-spicy chutneys. After being ambushed with all those flavors, you will need to soothe your palate with the Indian version of a crushed ice-lolly, gola. You can eat all that and more, accompanied by the sunset at the beautiful Juhu Chowpatty Beach, which definitely classifies as one of Mumbai’s finest experiences.
Mumbai’s misal pav won the award for “The World’s Tastiest Vegetarian Dish” by the 2015 Foodie Hub Global Awards, and Aaswad is where you should go to get it. Misal pav is the amalgamation of our bread rolls (pav) and a hot, lentils-based curry. This should be supplemented with a thick-yellow drink made from buttermilk and shrikhand (a creamy yogurt based sweet dish) called piyush.
That’s Sutarpheni-Mill Fooey at @thebombaycanteen with tangy lime flavour custard on top! . . . A must visit when in Bombay!! . . . #bombaycanteen #foodcoma #foodgasm #instafood #food #instagram #instapic #instagram #mumbai
This upscale Indian café and bar is known for serving ‘desi’ food with a twist. The menu is quite strange and quirky. The kejriwal toast, which is basically, eggs on toast with a bit of cheese thrown in between and a sprinkling of chopped green chillies on top, is to die for. Inspired by Mumbai’s most sought after chaat, this restaurant has taken bhel puri off the streets and turned it into a sophisticated dish with squid as the hero, the seafood bhel. Bombay Canteen also serves a unique and interesting range of cocktails.
Mumbai’s most-famous kebab place, Bademiya has been dominating the street-food scene for many years now. The Bheja fry and sheek kebabs are our all-time favourites. Bheja fry is essentially goats brain fried in masala to make a soft, melt in the mouth dish. Apart from offering great value for money, this place is also popular for staying open late. If you’re craving kebabs at 1am, this is the food stall you should hit. Don’t miss the quirky way in which the bonnet of your car, propped up with a pepsi bottle, turns into your dinner table. 