What's so special about Mumbai's street food

Mumbai has been known by many nicknames like The City of Seven Islands, The City That Never Sleeps and The City of Dreams. But it appears that the 'Gateway to Street Foods' has been neglected. Mumbai's gastronomic culture is dominated by street food.

Anywhere you look, you will find a tiny stand selling some delectable treats. Apart from the Bun Maska and the Vada Pav, it offers a variety of street food that you should not miss. Your 'cutting chai' cannot be perfect without the fantastic snacks on the eateries that you can spot at every nook and cranny of the city.

Here’s the list of the best places to eat, around the South Bombay.

Vada Pav at CTO, Fountain (CSMT), South Mumbai

If you are bewildered by where to try Vada pav among all the options in front of you, head to the Central Telegraph Office area at Fountain in South Bombay to taste one of Mumbai’s best and safest Vada pav.

Kheema Pav at Gulshan-e-Iran, Crawford Market

Known best for its extremely tasty Mughlai delicacies at low prices. The best food items to try at Gulshan-e-Iran range from their Kheema pav, chicken tikka masala, Garlic Naan, Rabdi Kulfi and Firni for dessert. It’s wonderful how after a full stomach you can ask for the bill and think how it’s not even crossing a thousand bucks. Gulshan-e-Iran is one of the best places to visit for street food.

Kebabs &Rolls at Bademiya, Colaba

Bademiya needs no introduction. It is a perfect place if you are looking to satisfy your late-night hunger pangs. Though you will have to wait a long for a table but the food here is worth the wait.

Tandoori Delicacies at Jai Jawan

After a long day walking around on Hill Road people stop here and it is best known for non-veg snacks. It has the best non-veg delicacies and you can’t resist tasting them all. Once you eat here, you will surely revisit the place.

Chole Samosa at Guru Kripa, Sion

This place is known for Mumbai’s most famous samosa, this dish is served with a gravy of chickpea and tamarind is in taste. Onion and coriander bits are sprinkled to garnish. For those who love experimenting with Street Food should definitely try Chole Samose.

The Best 4 Pav Bhaji Places in Mumbai

Pav Bhaji at Cannon Pav Bhaji, CST

Throughout the day, this basic vendor serves pav bhaji to train passengers and tourists. The pav is nicely toasted and the bhaji, which is a warm orange, is slightly spiced.

Pav Bhaji & Masala Pav at Sardar, Tardeo

Pav Bhaji is unquestionably the best street food here. Melt in the mouth pav and bhaji that is tasty, spicy and tangy, Sardar is highlighted in Zomato’s Legendary. It has perfect pav bhaji menu and take our word for it, this pav bhaji is dressed to impress.

Pav Bhaji at Maruti Pav Bhaji, Vile Parle

They serve around 10 - 12 different types of Pavs, choosing one of them would be unfair. It has a different blend of spices and they have separate dishes for Jain people too. You will definitely enjoy every bite of the piece.

Pav Bhaji at Amar Fast Food, Charni Road

Craving for Pav Bhaji and also want easy on your pocket? Your answer to this question will be, yes. Visit Amar Juice Center. You can have over 10 varieties of Pav Bhaji including Cheese Pav Bhaji and Special Pav Bhaji.

Falooda at Baadshah, Crawford Market

Baadshah has been around for quite a while at Crawford Market. Serving great value for delicious food, they’re especially known for their thundering falooda. Their pav bhaji is also worth a try.

Parsi Cuisine at Kyaani and Co, Grant Road

Kyaani & Co has now become the go-to place when no one knows where to go for food. The food at Kyaani includes some bun maska, a few glasses of Chai, desserts, baked titbits and Jujubes (it is Jelly candies covered in sugar). Their Chocolate mousse, Rose Jelly, Khari, Cheese Scrambled Eggs, Irani Chai, Kheema, Mawa Cake is also worth a try.

Ice Cream Sandwich or Biscuit at K. Rustom, Churchgate

Find plenty of flavours ranging from Black currant to coffee, kacchikairi, strawberry, chocolate, almond crunch, raspberry and many more nestled between two wafers. It is a legendary ice cream parlour of Mumbai. K Rustom has been serving hundreds of people every day and fan following keeps on increasing.

Masala papad at Kalbadevi

Freshly made crispy papad topped with masala & veggies has become a favourite snack among Mumbaikars, who always opt for everything more than Vada pav. A simple delicacy in itself, the Masala papad is tantalizing in its ways.

Meetha Paan at Shiv Sagar, Girgaon

Ending this amazing list on a sweet and mouth freshening note. The paan we get at Shiv Sagar is one of the best. It is very cheap and filled with a number of great ingredients and then refrigerated. Having cold paan in your mouth, on the front of Marine Drive is one of the best feelings in the world.

In Conclusion, Mumbai Street Food is incomplete with its Khau Gallis. They serve as a convenient lunch stop for office workers and for tourists who are enjoying the city's spectacular colonial architecture. It is one of the city's most popular street food hotspots, you find it everywhere in Mumbai.

The primary attractions in every Khau Galli are Pav bhaji, Vada Pav, Sandwich, Dosa and Chaat.  The invention of Pav Bhaji is said to have happened at the Canon Pav Bhaji restaurant and it is located in this exact Khau Galli, right Infront of CSMT railway station.

The uniqueness of Mumbai is beyond words, from crowded railway stations to famous Dabbawalas, multi-millionaires to suburban slums, glittering Bollywood to the classic Vada Pav, Pav Bhaji & Kheema Pav. If you are planning a trip to Mumbai, make sure to visit the right place and book your stay through MyTravaly.

This story is written by Dhawal Goshar: Content Writer, MyTravaly