Mumbai & Street food are inseparable. From Pav bhaji, malai gola, vada pav, bheja masala to banarsi pan, you say it and you get it. It’s amazingly tasty and colorful. Different parts of Mumbai depict different specialties of street food.

Street food of Mumbai is the food sold by hawkers from portable stalls in Mumbai. It is one of the characteristics of the city. The city is known for its distinctive street foods.Although street food is common all over India, street food in Mumbai is noted because people from all economic classes eat on the roadside almost round the clock and it is sometimes felt that the taste of street food is better than restaurants in the city. Many Mumbaikars like a small snack on the road in the evening.People of Mumbai cut across barriers of class, religion, gender and ethnicity are passionate about street food.Street food vendors are credited by some for developing the city’s food culture. Street food in Mumbai is relatively inexpensive as compared to restaurants and vendors tend to be clustered around crowded areas such as colleges and railway stations.

Being from Mumbai, I am a big fan of street food. This blog post if about my favorite street food joints in Mumbai. So let’s begin

Vada Pav/Bhaji Pav @ Prabhadevi

Vada Pav/Bhaji Pav is noted as the most popular street food in Mumbai. One of the best is from Ashok Vada Pav Stall near Shivaji Park and Prabhadevi.  Prabhadevi is famous for the holy Siddhi Vinayak Temple and Shivaji Park is known for Udyan Ganesh.

It’s every Mumbaikar’s grab-and-go snack. Potato patties mashed with garlic, chillies and coriander are dipped in chickpea flour, fried golden, then laid in “pav” – a springy white bap that’s well buttered, spread with coriander chutney and sprinkled with garlic and chilli powder.

Chana Jor Garam @Shivaji Park

Chana Jor Garam is an amazingly mouthwatering tangy snack made from black grams, lemon juices and onions. It’s thought makes my mouth water:) Every evening after some healthy gossip with my friends at Shivaji Park I had Chana Jor Garam 🙂

Tibbs Frankie @Shivaji Park

You cannot miss this juicy frankie if you are visiting Shivaji Park. Its crunchy from outside and tender from inside.

Ussacha ras=Sugarcane Juice @Dadar Station

Fresh Sugarcane juice vendors are synonymous with Mumbai roads and offer a cheap form of refreshment. After the challenging train journey nothing can sooth you but the fresh sugarcane juice at Dadar Station:)

 Pav Bhaji @Juhu Chowpatty

The Pav Bhaji at Juhu Chowpatty is a MUST if you visit Mumbai. Not only the taste but even the preparation is mindblowing. Huge pan, free flowing butter and the breeze from Juhu chowpatty carrying the fragrance is a lifetime experience 🙂

Paan @Mucchad Paanwala

Paan, a betel leaf preparation eaten as a mouth fresher post meals in India.Almost every street corner in Mumbai is home to a popular paanwala whom the locals vouch for. Mucchad Paanwala from Breach Candy is the most famous paanwala not just in Mumbai but also outside Mumbai.

Their homemade gulkand is yummy and the Meetha paan infused with coconut is worth a try.

Triple Schezwan Hakka Noodles @Juhu Chowpatty

Triple Schezwan Hakka Noodles at Juhu Chowpatty are incredible. Super spicy, steaming hot and delicious.

Pani Puri, Ragda Pattice & Sev Batata Puri @ Vile Parle Station

Sitaphal Creme and Strawberry Cream @Haji Juice Center, Tardeo

Royal Falooda @Badshah, Crawford Market

Badshah opposite crawfort market is known for over more than 60 years for serving excellent Faloodas (an indian milk based dessert). You can also order for milkshakes and ice creams.

Ragda Pattice @ Juhu Chowpatty

Shree Krishna Vada outside Dadar Station

Kadak Paav, Chai & Bhaji

An ideal breakfast for me especially on Sunday mornings. All the 3 items will be available in most of the gullis of Mumbai 🙂

Sardar Pav Bhaji @ Tardeo

Samosa & Jalebi @ Samadhan, Mahim

The match of spicy and crispy Samosa with sweet and crunchy Jalebi is like made in heaven. I have been eating these atleast once in month since childhood. This was always on the menu for festivals, get together, etc

Pani Puri @ Elco Pani Puri, Santa Cruz

The craft is part of the fun: vendors poke a thumb into a crisp fried sphere, fill it with potato, chickpeas, onion and sprouted lentils, then dunk it into a sweet-and-sour mix of tamarind and jaggery, then a liquid blend of coriander, mint and garam masala. Eat it whole, and unless you have a stomach of steel, don’t go anywhere but Elco Pani Puri Centre, where they use mineral water.

South Indian Breakfast @Ayappa, Matunga

This stall is a crowd puller. It is not any other breakfast outlet. It’s a dhaba with its forte in irresistible South Indian Nashtas. The authenticity of the food is way better than any sophisticated restaurant. Can try various types of dosa/idlis/vadas and don’t miss the chutnies with sambar. The pineapple sheera is just too good.

Malai Gola @Khau Gallli

Shaved ice dipped in condensed milk, drizzled with some chocolate syrup is to die for at Pooja Malai Gola in Khau Galli, Vile Parle.

Kebabs @Sarvi, Mohammad Ali Road

Mohammed Ali Road is the benchmark for skewered kebabs, which hang from smoking stalls like sizzling curtains. But towards the north end, veer left on to Dimtimkar Road and head to Sarvi. It’s been around for 90 years, has no sign, looks fire damaged, and grills the most tender beef seekh kebabs in the city. Crisp on the outside and melting in the middle, with a hint of mint – rumour has it they grind papaya into the meat. Get there early evening, as they sell out fast.

Ragda Pattice @Kailash Parbat, Colaba

This twin delight is a combination of ragda, soft spicy rugged flavored chickpeas, and pattice, mashed potatoes shaped into fat patties and fried. The ideal way is to eat it is to crush the ragda with the pattice and pile on the accompaniments — finely chopped onions, tangy tamarind sauce and fiery green chutney. Mash it all up and dig in for the true flavor of Mumbai.

A favorite street food, it is part of the chaat family and is commonly found all over. A good place to try it is Kailash Parbat, Sheela Mahal, 1st Pasta Lane, Colaba.

Bade Miyas at Colaba

No Mumbaikar seems to have been to Bademiya before 3am – a testament to the late-night allure of its charcoaled, meaty goodness. A glorified open-air kitchen on wheels, Bademiya sits in a backstreet directly behind the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. Waiters in red aprons appear from a cloud of smoke and hand over plastic menus, but the chicken tikka rolls are the best option. Slid off skewers, the meat is wrapped in a steaming roomali roti – as thin and soft as a handkerchief – and topped with strips of fried onion. No sauce required, its juices are enough.

Kala Khatta @Girgaum Chowpatty

Shaved ice with  kala katha flavor and seasoned with some sea salt and lemon 🙂 Girgaum Chowpatty offers variety of street foods under one canopy.

Hope you enjoyed this Culinary delights of Mumbai Streets..Afterall Ye Hain Mumbai Meri Jaan 🙂

References from Wiki, Zomato, CNN Traveller, Mumbai Guide,etc