Mumbai is famous for many things; Bollywood, street markets, the world’s largest open-air laundry, and, of course, street food. Wet your taste buds as we introduce you to street foods in Mumbai with five epic street food spots you need to check out.
From pav bhaji, a thick and spicy vegetable curry served with lightly toasted floury bread rolls, to pani puri, crispy fried semolina balls filled with spicy water, chaat, potatoes, chickpeas, and chutney, Mumbai street food is as varied as it comes.
With an excellent selection of sweet, savoury, and spicy flavours to choose from, you’ll be spoilt for choice with the abundance of (enticingly cheap and delicious) street food options available all across the city.
Reflecting the city’s rich heritage and diverse cultural makeup, you can find a huge selection of delicious snacks from the thousands of street food vendors across the city.
Just like the city itself, the abundance of street food options can become quite overwhelming. In this article, we will help you narrow down your choices by revealing the five best places you need to try street food in Mumbai.
5. CST Station (Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus) – the perfect stop for commuters
The city’s central railway station, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CST Station), is a Victorian-style railway station and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Perfect for hungry commuters. There are plenty of great street food vendors located nearby serving all kinds of delicious delights.
You can find one of the best examples of pav bhaji that the city offers at the always busy and bustling Cannon Pav Bhaji. The bread rolls are light and fluffy, the curry is suitably thick and creamy, and portions are incredibly generous. The other street foods that come close are the street foods in Vietnam.
Other popular stalls include Aram Vada Pav, Bachelorr’s for Falooda, and Merwan’s for a sweet and satisfying bun maska, the perfect accompaniment for your morning chai.
4. Juhu Beach – for a tasty snack as you watch the waves roll in
Coming alive in the evening with a vast array of street food vendors serving everything from pav bhaji and pani puri to sev puri, bhel puri, and more, Juhu Beach is popular among locals looking to grab a quick bite to eat while relaxing and enjoying the sea breeze.
Head to Shree Siddhivinayak Fast Food for some epic pav bhaji, or check out any nearby chaat counters, such as Chaat Center, for delicious pani puri. Kailash Parbat, Shree Datta Snacks, and Goli Vada Pav No.1 are some other unmissable spots.
Offering a unique and relaxing atmosphere and an almost endless array of delicious options, we can’t deny that Juhu Beach is among the best spots for street food in Mumbai.
3. Khau Gallis (Food Lanes) – plenty to choose from
Translating to ‘Food Lanes’, Mumbai’s Khau Gallis are where locals congregate daily to enjoy fresh and delicious street food from some of the city’s most famous vendors.
One of the most famous is the fantastic Mohammad Ali Road, which is famous for its vibrant and varied food scene. You can find stalls serving a wide variety of mouthwatering dishes such as kebabs, tikkas, biryanis, and sweet treats.
Other epic khau gallis around the city include Ghatkopar Khau Galli, Carter Road Khau Galli in Bandra, and Andheri Khau Galli in Lokhandwala. You could really spend your whole time in the city browsing the vast array of vendors looking for the best street food in Mumbai.
2. Girgaum Chowpatty – one of the city’s most famous beaches
Located on the iconic Marine Drive in South Mumbai, Girgaum Chowpatty is one of the city’s most famous beaches, making it a must-visit spot in its own right.
A popular destination among locals and tourists alike, it should come as no surprise that the city’s street sellers flock to this area to sell their tasty treats.
If you’re feeling peckish, you’ll be overwhelmed by the vast array of smells and flavours that abound here. For tasty pav bhaji, we recommend checking out Sharmajee’s, Badshah’s is renowned citywide for bhel puri and sev puri.
1. Crawford Market – for some of the very best street food in Mumbai
For a condensed selection of delicious street food options under one roof, we recommend heading to the brilliant Crawford Market in the Fort area of South Mumbai.
Offering a vibrant atmosphere and a diverse range of goods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, spices, flowers, and more, a visit here is a real feast for the senses. A bustling hub of activity and a popular destination for locals and tourists alike, the options for delicious street food are abundant.
Chow down on a kheema pav from Gulshan-e-Iran or indulge in a sweet and delicious Falooda at Baadshah. Cafe Ideal is another iconic spot known for its delicious sandwiches, chaats, and snacks with a great range of veg and non-veg options.
You may also be interested in this top ten places to try street food in France. And oh! When you visit these locations in France, we recommend you try out any of these ten dishes.
