Mumbai Gastronomy

Mumbai Places to eat (In and around South Mumbai)

Cuff Parade

Moshes

Cost: a very high-end restaurant a meal for two can easily cross Rs. 1000 mark. Is known for its continental, Israeli and mid-east style food also for its dessert but frankly I found it very bland and my tongue used to stronger flavors couldn’t accept it….. In all very expensive and was disappointed here.

Though the ambience is quite nice.

Colaba

Ok ill start with the much touted –

Leopold

Cost: without going for drinks, a meal for two here wont cost more than RS. 300-400 Only fare I personally would recommend is Chinese and juices… Seriously I cannot make out what’s the big deal about this place…why is it so highly recommended… Even the bar on first floor is very dingy and nothing special about it.

Café Mondegars

Nice place with good music all the time…perky atmosphere…good continental food…people flock here for couple of drinks and snacks… Only problem is the lack of space..too many people sitting in quite less space. Cost: without drinks a meal for two Rs. 300-400

Café Churchill

Cost: a meal for two Rs. 400-500 Continental and Italian are its speciality …do try the malfatti and the grilled sandwiches here.Nice fish and chips. In desserts it serves the best lemon cheese cake in the town and amazing kalhua chocolate desserts… Again is a very small eatery. Go really early to get a table. By 12 for lunch.

Theobroma

Cost: a meal for two 200-300 Now this is my regular haunt………amazing variety of grilled sandwiches served with tomato antipasto and potato fries….do try vegetable aubergine and chip-butty sandwiches……. Undoubtedly few of the best desserts (amazing array of different brownies- rum & raisin and chocolate caramel shortbread, my fav’s…..cheese cakes….strawberry, orange, chocolate soufflés) Perhaps better coffee than our omnipresent ”Baristas” and “Café coffee day”…try “café mocha” and caramel coffee and latte here….with brown sugar (not the one ur thinking).

Koyla

Cost: Rs. 600-700 a meal for two without drinks Its USP is its location and ambiance……..it’s a roof top open air restaurant with amazing atmosphere in night…..food is nothing special though I was surprised how nice their vegetable biryani was….

Bade Miyan

Cost: Rs. 150-250 a meal for two A lonely planet fav.Open only after eight at night.Springs up on the pavement behind the Taj. A few tables, or you eat in your car. No frills eatery …..heaven for non-veggies…..rolls are the name of the game here…. Veggies will be disappointed ……….as I was….

Café Royal

Cost: Rs. 400-500 for two without drinks Nice for Parsi and continental food especially its shasliks, have a nice bar for those who want some drinks

Paradise

Cost: Within Rs.300 for two Roughly opposite Cusrow Baug. Good, wholesome food. Parsi specialities like Dhansakh(flavoured rice with a meat and lentil gravy), Sali Boti (Fried meat cubes with potato chips) are very well done. They do a good Scotch broth too.

Lings Pavilion

Cost: Rs. 500 and up. Large helpings which would easily feed four. In the lane just after Regal cinema. For people who want authentic Chinese food,(inclined toward Cantonese) not the spiced up Indian Chinese. You find homesick expats from the Far East eating here. I like the pot rice with black mushrooms and prawns, and the stuffed crab claws.

Kindly avoid Delhi Darbar in this area…..its expensive and serves bland adaptation of mughlai dishes.

Kala Godha

Chetana

Cost: Rajasthani Thali – Rs.400 for two, Gujarati Thali- Rs.320 A pre-independence era institution, which is renowned for its Rajasthani Thali..unlimited servings of authentic delicacies from Rajasthan (like Dal-bati, Ker-sangari sag, etc etc….) must be tried at least once. Infact have one of the most authentic north-western Indian style chaat…. Must visit atleast once.

Bombay Blues

Cost: Rs. 500-600 for two Its (Cream Centre + non-vegetarian dishes), Cream center being another famous restaurant chain in Mumbai…… It’s a convenient mix of all kind of food, Italian, Lebanese, Indian, Mexican, Continental, etc. Famous for Indian- “Chola-Bhatura”, Paratha combos, Mini meals, Nachos, Onion rings, Sizzlers, Pastas, Sizzling brownies, Falafel, Shawarmas, etc etc. Sit, eat and relax

Copper Chimney

Cost: Rs. 500-600 for two Renowned for its Mughlai and other north Indian style fare (both veg and non-veg) Kebabs, both NWFP style and Lucknowi style, dals, North Indian fare is the thing to have here….. Tandoori style or Lucknowi dum style fare, both are available here. Nice ……really nice.

Noodle bar

Cost: Rs. 600 –700 for two Not always worth the money u pay here…..but is still a nice place for some change from our regular fare…. Green Thai curry is my pick out here…….nice Indonesian and Malaysian fare But again am re-iterating that not always the satisfying place one expects it to be

Khyber

Cost : Rs. 600-700 for two interiors of this place are amazing....many may find it dingy dark , room with in a room kind of place....but its sandstone carved interiors with Anjali Ela Menon's paintings are beautiful. Renowned for its NWFP style of Kebabs and Tandoori dishes.... even veggies have quite a few good options....DO try "Salsa Paratha" here this place is expensive but still worth a visit.

Fort. & near Flora Fountain :

Fountain Sizzlers:

Cost: Rs. 400-500 The best sizzlers, I had in Mumbai, Pastas and salads aren’t behind …… Though sizzlers steal the show here but each and every dish served out here is nice….ye to find a dish here that I can criticize

Trishna & Mahesh lunch house:

Two Fav’s of Lonely planet for Konkani, Goan, Marathi and Manglorean sea food….. Being vegetarian cant say much for them but my non-veggie friends claim that they would die to go to these places …….speaks more than enough about these places.

Yazdani Bakery

Very very old bakery……..hallmark of British era, essentially Mumbaiyite Parsi bakery…..still run by lovable Parsi family ( the old parsi baba who sits there is still delight to talk to) Brun-maska (Bombay style buttered bun) with cutting ( Mumbai style chai)..to Focacia to whole wheat bread to toasts to whole grain toasts…all blows me out. Their wheat cookies, oat & raisin cookies, jeera biscuits, brownies, mawa cake, mediara cake, mushroom & corn puffs and traditional parsi pudding……try anything out here ..if not the best then definitely will match the best

Its Khari (Mumbai style broader crisp sticks) and its Christmas specialty –Rum & Plum cake (has the strongest rum and sherry flavour) are something else. An essential Mumbai institution that commands every mumbaiyites respect.

Fountain Inn

Cost: 200-300 for two Salads, juices, continental, manglorean, Italian and all is available…… Nothing special but again nothing can be criticized

Jimmy boy

Considered once as the grindstone for parsi delicacy connoisseurs……but now its unfortunately not the same old place…..food is not the same here……but still this place maintain its old charm and food if not very good ….but then combined with the atmosphere its all about the walk down the gastronomic lanes of parsi Mumbai.

Café Brittania

Now this is the place which if one goes by food only will realize still stands out for its Parsi Fare……be it Dhanshak (mutton & pulse curry with rice), berry Pulao (parsi Rice with nuts and dry fruits), Patra-ni-machh (Parsi style fish with elephantplant leaf), Boti Salli (mutton parsi style) etc etc….I go here for its vegetarian Dhanshak …….to wash it down, go for Irani chai……. Desserts – Caramel custard & Parsi Pudding…. Style of cooking is essentially parsi which even satisfy the most fastidious and puritan of parsi lot.

Pancham Pooriwala

Now if you are not too finicky about hygienic conditions and don’t care much for ambience, then this 180yrs old eatery is the ultimate place for piece of typical (uttar pradeshi, a state where Taj Mahal, Agra, Varanasi are) north Indian poori (deep fried Indian breads) and north Indian vegetables curry. Tastes amazing with there hot lemon and chilly pickle. The place is old enough to be declared a national heritage site….but haven’t lost touch with its culinary heritage.

5 spices

Cost : Rs. 250-300 for two Now this place is the ultimate definition of Economy + Quality + Quantity combo…. This Chinese eatery might be considered a bit indianized but once u order and see the generous portions they serve and how it tastes……I am pretty sure u will forget all that.. Mandarin noodles – pan fried ones, Pot rice (rice with greens, shitake mushrooms, stewed in soya sauce), burnt chilly rice, Garlic fried rice, Exotic hot wok, Buddha’s delight, Tofu with Chinese greens, spring-onion pancake, chilly garlic crispy potatos Each variety is available in non-veg version too. Desserts are another remarkable feature of this restaurant- Rocky road- (Chocolate mouse, Chocolate cake, Chocolate ice-cream, Vanilla ice-cream topped by chocolate covering and candy chips) Mission Impossible- huge chocolate mouse, and cake combo served with vanilla ice cream and chocolate topping Variety of cheesecakes Fresh strawberry cake, Chocolate gateaux (orange flavored), etc etc … The list goes onnnnnnnnnnnn…….i visit it atleast once a week atleast.

Crawford Market

Rajdhani

Cost: Rs.125 per person The thali that epitomizes the grand dad of all thali’s…Gujarati one , unlimited edition. Starting with two starters (samosa’s, Khandavis, Dhoklas, Patras, Veg-Bhajias, Batata vadas)…. Then comes the Dahi Vada (balls of grounded pulse in curd with spices and chutney on it) Thali consist of 6 –7 different kind of veg curries, with two kid of Gujarati dal (curried pulses), gujarati kadhi ( youghurt curry with gram flour seasoned by curry leaves and mustard and red chilly)….4 different pickles and chutnies, papad, salad, 4 different kind of Indian breads, one Indian dessert (always go for Gulab Jamun), Khichdi ( Porridge made of pulse & rice) and rice Another unique dish served in this eatery is Barbequed chaas ( butter milk with seasoning of charcoal smoke and spices kept on the charcoal)…..unique This place in the crowded street of Crawford market is always filled to the brim during the lunch and dinner time…. Has a huge fan following…………include me in it.

Badshah

Another 100+ yrs old eatery, famous for its “falooda Kulfi” (Indian style hand churned ice cream with soft vermicelli)…it is said that the formulae is secret..Well I couldn’t care less if they just keep on serving it.

Churchgate

Gaylords: Now the place is bit expensive but the fare served here is tasty ( both Indian & continental)…..i go here for the bakery it has….. Serves one of the best foccacia and French loaves. Choconut cookies, Almond tarts, Beagles, Doughnuts, Banana-walnut loaf, muffins, different vegetarian and non-vegetarian snacks, Hazelnut and fruit pastries, each one of them is nice. Especially the pies be it walnut, mud, apple or peach and its cheese cakes and its fruit cups and its chocolate brandy rum and dry lemon twist must be tried

Rustamji & co.

Don’t go by the name, lying just ahead of the dilapidated BCCI office lies this ice-cream shop, usually manned by amazingly active Parsi Aunty who is quite old and her two subordinates. Its specialty is ice cream sandwiches with thick slab of heavy ice cream (made of emulsified milk) between wafers…..flavours are the prime specialty varying from Seasons fresh fruits to lime-lemony to lot many.. I like it…..and if you go by the crowd that gathers here every night and eve……this place is certainly worth a visit.

Natural’s

This is a renowned chain of fresh fruit ice creams…..hand churned fresh fruit ice creams, usually of fruits of the seasons with usual chocolate and dry fruit ones…..The USP of this chain is the flavour of fruit ice cream it serves…….as unique as Black Jamun to Mulberry to Guava ….. Go there when they are making fresh warm waffles and get a fresh warm waffle to go with ur scoop.

Indian Summer

Cost : Rs. 400-500 for two The dishes served here are not as good as the menu says they are……. Mediocre eatery with impressive menu but it wont make much of a difference if one misses it.

Kamling & Chopstix

Two Chinese eateries , both mediocre , bit expensive when u compare the portions with the price. Chopstix still is worth a visit.

Shivsagar

Regular Indian eatery ……good Indian food but nothing special, food can be bit oily. Known for its “Pav-bhaji”.

Mathura Dairy Farm:

Cost : Rs. 80 – 100 for two A quaint eatery in a very happening lane, lying between Hotel Ambassador and Kamling retaurent , this place is often overlooked as just another dairy and north Indian sweet shop But it also surves nice meals ….which will definitely suit the budget of Backpackers. Place serves north Indian style chapattis, dal, veg curries and snacks like samosas, kachodis etc etc…also serves wide array of north Indian sweets…. It is more than 50 yrs old…. Not a place where u will get an elaborate menu….and upscale service…..but the food is nice and filling…..that too cheap.

Mocha

Renowned coffee & Hukkah bar ……I prefer the juhu & Bandra outlet as compared to Churchgate one, the array of delicacies offered here especially the shakes ( apple pie shake), Coffee’s, Snacks ( fodues, paninis, quiches), desserts ( lava-lava, Chocolate Avalanche, Waffles with honey and cream)… And afcourse the so-called “in-thing”- hookah…. Ambience and music is another incentive to go here.

Pasta & Pizzeria

Cost: Rs. 400-500 for two Now this place has one of the most brilliant locations in Mumbai …bang on marine drive…. Pizzas here are bit too crisp for me as I like the traditional and fluffy one. Pasta (especially pasta Neapolitan) are excellent…..salads and mocktails are also quite good but the portions are small and sometimes even ambience and taste isn’t able to make up for small portions. Just beside is perhaps the best pub ( from crowd, music and economy point of view) in Mumbai is located called – “Jazz by the bay”……

Samrat

Famous for its Gujarati Thalis…..nothing special out here,… Its bakery has decent value for money snacks and pasteries but nothing spectacular.

Relish

An all vegetarian continental & Italian eatery Bill for two can cross Rs. 600 mark but the quality of food served here is nice. Do try their vegetarian version of “Caesar Salad”

Tea Centre:

Tea ( “Inglish ishtyle”) of different varieties and fresh waffles……… Yum yum ……do I need to say more.

Cha Bar at Oxford Book stall

Its USP, read book sitting in good surroundings, sipping whatever kind of tea u want , reading a new pick from Oxford’s book collection.

Chowpatty & Wilson College

Cream Centre:

Same as Bombay Blues mentioned above but this one is only vegetarian place …..must say it is one of the most swankiest place I have seen …..Even while peeing you can enjoy watching the TV on screen installed above the peeing chamber in the toilet….. (who said Indians cant match some swanky New York club)

Café Ideal

Once a Parsi eatery but now days a casual hangout place which serves beer and drinks and a wide array of dishes….. Avoid Italian food here….sizzlers and veg biryani were good here.

Kulfi Centre

Established since 1960’s …..serves the hard indian milk ice cream…. Flavours available here make an interesting reading……. But trust me u will be blown off by the “Zaffrani” & “ Royal Banana” Kulfi here…

Crystal

Now another old Mumbai institution, cheap, no frills, north Indian style food. Food isn’t spectacular but if a full-fledged meal for two can be finished off with in Rs. 100 then why not. Has a mass following among old timers and students …… Its dal and chapattis definitely speak volumes of why this institution, which will look like some dilapidated old shack still attracts crowd and its rare to find space here at lunch or dinner time.

Tardeo Road

Swati Snacks

Cost: Rs. 350-400 for two Now this is what a call a place which has dug out the most unusual and different dishes from gastronomic “Vedas” of India. All-vegetarian but supposedly renowned as the best veg eatery of the town and after u have been there once you wont be surprised, why……. Impossible to get a seat here before 20-30 mins during weekdays at peak hours and on weekends, the waiting can be more than an hour.

This place derives the respect of each and every foodie in India. Drinks: Sugarcane juice: u can have it very cheap on roadside shacks also but this places sugar cane juice is something else spiked with generous flavouring of mint and lemon. Cold coffees with mint & orange flavour. Cold Green tea ( not always on the menu) The Sugarcane juice here is a must have! Don't leave this place before you have had at least one glass!

Main course: Now this place serves wide array of Mumbai chaat and light snacks like “bhelpuri”, “Sevpuri’, “paneer rolls”, “Papdi chaat”, etc etc but u can have all these ( cheaper and tastier ) at the road side shacks also. The thing to have here are its unique dishes like- Pan-ki-chatni ( garlicky steamed rice thin pancakes, served with green chilly pickle and coriander chutney)- must try ………. Thalipeeth ( a marathi style coarse grain roti ( Indian bread) served with kadhi) Bajra-ni-khichu ( stew of rice and Bajra, a coarse grain, served with red chilly & sesame seed chutney) Bajra ni khchdi with gujrati Kadhi (coarse grain stew with Gujarati style ie. Slightly sweet kadhi) Makai pulao with dhadhki kadhi (corn rice Indian style with slightly spicey kadhi) Bajra-methi rotla with peru shak ( Coarse grain thick roti with guava curry)….unique Dal dhokli - Gujrati dish - yellow, sweet dal with dhoklis floating in it - awesome stuff to have. And the best part is, it is not heavy, you will never relaize how much you ate!

I haven’t even mentioned all the items….go there and find them for urself

Desserts: Now this place is renowned for its hand churned soft ice-creams Rose flavoured ( usually with ginger or almond & pine-apple) Lemon ( not available on regular basis) simply devine. And various other fresh fruit flavours….. Besides it serves the famour Ahemdabadi Kesariya (Saffron) Jalebi.

I suggest you go here with a fairly big group so that you can order for and eat a good variety of dishes that this place has to offer - believe me, it is worth it!

This place is must visit atleast once in ur gastronomic pilgrimage.

Oh Calcutta :

This is a place for authentic Bengali food in Mumbai. Located in Tulsiwadi Lane, Tardeo (Rosewood Hotel) this is the place to go if you want to savour the tastes of Bengal/Calcutta. You just ask for this place - it is very near Swathi Snacks. No words are enough to write about the food ... visit it!

Jewel Of India & Mela :

Both places are in Worli area, with superb Buffets but the prices are pretty high Rs. 300-400 per person …….still the food (both veg & non-veg ) is big “WOW”

Nebula Just off the famous Shivaji Park Ground. The Indian and the Italian Cuisine is worth trying. Though the Italian is a tad better than the Indian. Some great dishes of Chicken and fish. Worth a try. A little expensive but not worth missing. Avoid going on Sunday evenings.

Kalbadevi

Surprisingly this area is still untouched by tourists in Mumbai…….this Mumbai’s answer to Delhi’s Chandni Chowk & Kolkata’s Bada Bazaar……a crowded, throbbing commercial centre of the city

This area has many old eateries catering to the rich businessmen who used to have their offices and shops here.

One of these eatery is still holding its post-

Bhagatchand Tarachand

Now this place is more than 50 yrs old……… Serves marwari ( rajasthani kind from its district of Marwar) food…… The rotis ( be it wheat chapattis or coarse grain ones) , dals, various veg curries …. The chaas ( butter milk , served in beer bottles……..quite innovative)….to khichiyas ( roasted papad with spices and butter on it)……every thing is damn tasty… Indian desserts like rabdi ( flavoured milk boiled to semi-solid state), Ominpresent Gulab Jamun ( the best I have had in Mumbai) ….awesome Dal ka halwa (dry sweet porridge of grounded pulses with condiments)….are no way behind in justifying a trip to this shrine to food in the heart of commercial Mumbai, braving huge crowd and traffic.

Matunga

This is the South Indian heartland of Mumbai….and is dotted by south Indian eateries, which epitomize the south Indian cuisine of Mumbai

Café Madras :

Now this place has the best Dosas and idlis one can have The sheer variety in dosas like : Ullundu Dosa Presarriettu Dosa ( thick dosa made from unshelled pulses and has filling of chopped anf fried onions and coriander) Neer Dosa ( unique..made using Green Coconuts water and its flesh…….. amazing ….. must have )

Mulgapudi – ( dry chlli powder and coarse gram flour mixed and roasted then served with hot butter), goes with everything be it dosas or idlis Sambhar servd here is robust one that reminds you of Chennai.

Also try the banana fudge here …..made from jaggery & Banana ….it’s a sticky sweet delight…

And all this wont cost more than Rs. 100-150 for two….we were a group of 6 ppl and ate like demons yet bill was cool Rs. 241……….yippieeee

Café Mysore

Now the cost here would be as same as café Madras….. And the fare here is same in quality and taste as that of café Madras………but with distinct “Udupi” style….. The real attraction of this place to me is its south Indian “Filter Coffee” (Coffee with chicory is used in a filtering process and then is boiled and aerated with sugar and Buffalo milk)…….always heard that this place served the best “filter coffee” in town ….when I had it here….i realized what I, used to the shitty instant coffee, was missing …

A Ramanayak Udupi Hallmark of traditional Udupi style south Indian Thali….. Dig innnnnnnnnnn.

Mahim

Culture Curry & Goa Portugesa

Two restaurants under the same roof

Culture curry : renowned for its Malayali ( Kerela) fare…….the appams and aviyals are not the best I had but are good….variety of dishes , couldn’t sample much me being a veggie.

Goa portugesa: Distinct goan cuisine is served here which is a combo of ( ethnic Konkani and potugese style)….do try cope-de-verde soup and kokum rice….Non veggies will have a ball, here. One of the few places which serve nice authentic Bebinca ( Goan multilayered cake made with lots of eggs and coconut milk)

History about the Gastronomic pilgrimage in Mumbai

The Original document was written by mumbai foodie Vibhu Jindal on March 10th, 2006 on the India Mike forum Original thread.Vibhu then posted the document on the mumbai for travelers group on couchsurfing when he became a member and on other sites like the Indiatree