Mumbai food at a glance
The 5 things you must eat in Mumbai, going by how often locals recommend them: Pani puri at Elco (Hill Road); Vada pav at Aaram Vada Pav (Opposite CSMT); Vada pav at Bhau Vada Pav (Mulund station); Chole samosa at Guru Kripa (Sion West); Misal pav at Vinay Health Home (Girgaon).
All 33 spots in the Mumbai food guide
Picked from what locals recommend on Reddit and food forums. Prices are per person: ₹ under ₹150 a person, ₹₹ ₹150–400 a person, ₹₹₹ ₹400–900 a person, ₹₹₹₹ over ₹900 a person.
| Spot | Type | Area | Must order | Price | Best time | Popularity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aaram Vada Pav | Street Food | Opposite CSMT, Fort | Vada pav | ₹ | Any time you pass CSMT | Legend |
| Bhau Vada Pav | Street Food | Mulund station (also Ghatkopar, Bhandup) | Vada pav | ₹ | Any time you're on the Central line | Legend |
| Guru Kripa | Street Food | Sion West | Chole samosa | ₹ | Breakfast for dal pakwan, any time for samosa | Legend |
| Elco | Street Food | Hill Road, Bandra West | Pani puri | ₹₹ | Early evening | Legend |
| Vinay Health Home | Street Food | Girgaon, near Charni Road | Misal pav | ₹ | Morning | Legend |
| Ashok Vada Pav | Street Food | Kirti College Lane, Dadar West | Vada pav | ₹ | Off-peak afternoons (the queue is the catch) | Local Favourite |
| Amar Juice Centre | Street Food | Vile Parle West, near Juhu | Pav bhaji | ₹₹ | Evening | Local Favourite |
| Kailash Parbat | Street Food | Pasta Lane, Colaba | Pani puri | ₹₹ | Afternoon | Local Favourite |
| Shri Krishna Batata Wada | Street Food | Dadar West, near Chhabildas School | Batata wada | ₹ | Whenever you're in Dadar | Hidden Gem |
| Badshah | Street Food | Opposite Crawford Market, near CSMT | Pav bhaji | ₹₹ | After a Crawford Market shopping run | Hidden Gem |
| Britannia & Co. | Cafés | Ballard Estate, Fort | Berry pulao | ₹₹₹ | Weekday lunch (lunch only, Monday to Saturday) | Legend |
| The Nutcracker | Cafés | Kala Ghoda, Fort (more outlets citywide) | Truffle scrambled eggs | ₹₹₹ | Weekend brunch | Legend |
| Mag St. Cafe | Cafés | Bandra West | Sourdough pizza | ₹₹₹ | Lunch | Legend |
| Subko | Cafés | Bandra West (also inside Kitab Khana, Fort) | Specialty coffee | ₹₹₹ | Afternoons with a book | Local Favourite |
| Boojee Cafe | Cafés | Fort (also Bandra) | Breakfast plates | ₹₹₹ | Breakfast | Local Favourite |
| Prithvi Cafe | Cafés | Prithvi Theatre, Juhu | Irish coffee | ₹₹ | Before or after a show | Local Favourite |
| Candies | Cafés | Pali Hill, Bandra West | Shawarma | ₹₹ | Lazy afternoons | Local Favourite |
| Yazdani Bakery | Cafés | Fort | Brun maska | ₹ | Morning, while the bread is fresh | Local Favourite |
| Cafe Military | Cafés | Near Flora Fountain, Fort | Kheema pav | ₹₹ | Afternoon | Hidden Gem |
| Sassanian Boulangerie | Cafés | Marine Lines | Akuri | ₹₹ | Breakfast | Hidden Gem |
| The Bake House Café | Cafés | Kala Ghoda, Fort | Desserts | ₹₹ | Unhurried afternoons | Hidden Gem |
| The Bombay Canteen | Restaurants | Kamala Mills, Lower Parel | The seasonal menu | ₹₹₹₹ | Weekend brunch or dinner (book ahead) | Legend |
| Masque | Restaurants | Laxmi Mills, Mahalaxmi | The tasting menu | ₹₹₹₹ | A special-occasion dinner | Legend |
| Ram Ashraya | Restaurants | King's Circle, Matunga East | Dosa | ₹ | Early breakfast | Legend |
| Joey's Pizza | Restaurants | Andheri West | Butter chicken pizza | ₹₹ | Dinner | Legend |
| Trishna | Restaurants | Kala Ghoda, Fort | Butter garlic crab | ₹₹₹₹ | Lunch or dinner (book ahead) | Local Favourite |
| Mahesh Lunch Home | Restaurants | Fort (also Juhu) | The day's seafood, cooked to your spice level | ₹₹₹₹ | Lunch | Local Favourite |
| Gajalee | Restaurants | Vile Parle East (also Juhu) | Bombil fry | ₹₹₹ | Lunch | Local Favourite |
| Bastian At The Top | Restaurants | Kohinoor Square, Dadar West | Crab | ₹₹₹₹ | Sunset dinner (book ahead) | Local Favourite |
| Swati Snacks | Restaurants | Tardeo (also Nariman Point) | Panki | ₹₹ | Lunch (expect a wait) | Local Favourite |
| Aaswad | Restaurants | Opposite Shiv Sena Bhavan, Dadar West | Misal pav | ₹₹ | Brunch | Local Favourite |
| Delhi Darbar | Restaurants | Grant Road | Mutton biryani | ₹₹ | Dinner | Local Favourite |
| Ling's Pavilion | Restaurants | Colaba | The pork specials | ₹₹₹ | Dinner | Hidden Gem |
Mumbai food: common questions
When is the best time to go to Fort & Kala Ghoda?
Weekday lunch, when the old cafés are all open. The old colonial city centre, where Irani cafés, bakeries, galleries and seafood dining rooms sit within a few minutes' walk of each other. Go for irani cafés, kheema pav, berry pulao, seafood, specialty coffee.
When is the best time to go to Bandra?
Late morning to evening. The suburbs' café capital, from Hill Road's chaat counters to the cafés tucked into Pali Hill. Go for pani puri, brunch, specialty coffee, sourdough.
When is the best time to go to Dadar?
Morning to early evening. Central Mumbai's Marathi heartland around Shivaji Park, where the city's vada pav and misal debates get settled. Go for vada pav, batata wada, misal, maharashtrian brunch.
When is the best time to go to Matunga & Sion?
Breakfast, or after 5 PM (many places close in the afternoon). Mumbai's South Indian quarter around King's Circle, run largely by the Udupi community, with Sion's chaat next door. Go for dosa, idli, chole samosa.
When is the best time to go to Colaba?
Afternoon to late evening. The southern tip of the city around the Gateway of India, busy with visitors by day and bars by night. Go for sindhi chaat, chinese, late dinners.
When is the best time to go to Juhu & Vile Parle?
Evening. Beach-side suburbs with pav bhaji counters, a theatre café under the trees and Konkan seafood rooms. Go for pav bhaji, irish coffee, bombil fry.
What is the difference between Fort & Kala Ghoda and Bandra?
Fort & Kala Ghoda: The old colonial city centre, where Irani cafés, bakeries, galleries and seafood dining rooms sit within a few minutes' walk of each other. Best weekday lunch, when the old cafés are all open. Bandra: The suburbs' café capital, from Hill Road's chaat counters to the cafés tucked into Pali Hill. Best late morning to evening.
How much does street food in Mumbai cost?
6 of the 10 street food spots in this guide cost under ₹150 a person, so you can try several in a day without spending much. Cafés and restaurants in the guide range from ₹150–400 a person up to over ₹900 a person.
Where can I get the best vada pav in Mumbai?
Aaram Vada Pav (Opposite CSMT), Bhau Vada Pav (Mulund station), Ashok Vada Pav (Kirti College Lane). Vada pav is Mumbai's fuel: a spiced potato fritter in a soft pav with chutneys, eaten standing up between trains.
Where can I get the best misal pav in Mumbai?
Aaram Vada Pav (Opposite CSMT), Vinay Health Home (Girgaon), Aaswad (Opposite Shiv Sena Bhavan). Misal pav is the Maharashtrian breakfast that wakes you up: a fiery sprouted-bean curry topped with crunchy farsan, with pav to mop it up.
How do I spend a day eating in Mumbai?
7:30 AM: Ram Ashraya; 10:00 AM: Vinay Health Home; 12:30 PM: Britannia & Co.; 3:00 PM: The Nutcracker; 4:30 PM: Aaram Vada Pav. The full plan is in the guide.
How are the spots in this Mumbai food guide picked?
From what locals recommend on Reddit and food forums. We read the threads, count which stalls, cafés and restaurants people keep naming, and link the threads on every spot. Nothing is paid for. Hearts show how much locals love a spot: three for a Legend, two for a Local Favourite, one for a Hidden Gem.
Last checked: October 2026