Done to help a friend visiting India....nothing extensive but hope it is helpful...
Well we will divide the list of food places into two types of places…the ubiquitous street food and the elite restaurant food….
Street Food
Foods that you must try
1. A Vada Pav (spiced boiled potato in batter with a piece of bread)
This is a common man’s burger in the state of Maharashtra…also known as aloo bonda down south…you get good ones almost at any street corner…however the best ones I have eaten are available at
a. Krishna (opposite Chabbildas school in Dadar West)
b. Jumbo King outlets (their outlets are available close to most railway stations). Their garlic sauce that they serve is smacking.
c. Roadside stall outside National College, Bandra (West). The addition of onions is quite refreshing.
2. Bhel Puri (a spicy mix of puffed rice, potatoes, onions and chutneys)
This is available at most road side stalls…however to be spoilt for choices is good and some of the best bhel puri’s you get are at
a. Juhu Beach
b. Chowpatty (located close to Charni Road station)
3. Sev Puri (very similar to Bhel Puri difference is the mixture is served on small and hard)
4. Pani Puri (a hollow balloon looking puff filled with potatoes and herbed water)
This is known by various names all over India….Pani Puri being one….Gol Gappa for the Delhites…Puchka for the Bengalis….all the same with a sweet and sour water…
a. Elco Market (Bandra West)
b. Any Kailash Parbat outlet
5. Indian Pancakes (batter of pulses with varied fillings or just coriander)
This is an absolutely delectable dish…a must try….
There is only one place where I know they make them amazingly well….it is located in one of the intricate market areas of old Mumbai and might be difficult to locate unless you are with a localite
6. Ragda Pattice (a savoury pulse dish with a potato patty)
It is a dish found with a lot of variations across India. It is found at
a. Most road side stalls which server Pani Puri/Sev Puri/Bhel Puri
b. Kailash Parbat outlets
c. Tharu Mithai walla (Khar West)
7. Kebabs
A delicacy from the northern regions of India, these delectable kebabs (veg as well as non veg) are best eaten at
a. Bade Miyan located behind the Taj Mahal Hotel
b. Donna Kebab located opposite JW Mariott at Juhu Tara Road
Restaurant Food
Mumbai has an amazingly large number of restaurants of all kinds .. big..small … specialised …. general…the list is endless….listing a few of my favourites…and a few well known ones
1. Govinda
This restaurant is located on the grounds of the ISKCON temple in Juhu. The food is purely vegetarian and contains no garlic and onions as well. Pretty calm and serene a lovely place to visit
2. Cream Centre
This restaurant is available at two locations, Bandra West and Chowpatty. Delectable food and lots of variety.
3. Bombay Blues
A restaurant with a mix of cuisines. The food is quite reasonably priced and service is good. Restaurants at Bandra, off Link road and Opposite Shoppers Stop Andheri
4. New Yorkers
This restaurant is available at two locations, Juhu and Chowpatty. Delectable food and lots of variety.
5. Flags
This restaurant is available at two locations, Malad West and Churchgate. Delectable food and lots of variety.
6. Rajdhani
Traditional Gujrati food in a eat as much as you can format. Amazing home made style Gujrati food.
7. Kulfi Centre
This place offers the best kulfi’s ever. Kulfi is an Indian ice cream made with cream and milk and loads of nuts and fruits of various varieties. It is located across the Chowpatty beach at a corner.
Other dishes you could try while in Mumbai
Falooda
Bhajiyaas
Misal Pav
Zunka Bhakar
Sweet Treats from Tharu (for traditional Sindhi sweets)
Various snacks like chakris, mathris, channa chor garam
Places you could visit while staying in Mumbai
Gateway of India, Churchgate
Nariman Point, Churchgate
Chowpatty Beach
CST Terminal (Railway)
All the various markets like Crawford Market, Bhendi Bazaar, Mohmmad Ali Road
Bandra Reclaimation Area
Bandra Worli Sea Link
Juhu Beach
Elephanta Caves
Precautionary measures:
Always keep your passport and other travel documents along with your cash/travellers cheques safely. Although not all areas but some areas across Mumbai are notorious for pick pocketing.
If you are carrying a travel bag ensure important belongings are not in the outer pockets.
Autorickshaws in the suburbs are an easy way to travel, if you want to avoid being crushed in a local bus. The fare is equal to what the meter displays and always insist that the rickshaw driver runs his meter. Avoid rickshaws that are already waiting at a corner or have been idle for a long time as their meters tend to be fixed and you land up paying way too much than the actual fare
For travel in the city part taxis charge a fare of INR 15.00 for every kilometre. So if the meter says 2 00 pay the taxi guy only INR 30.00. For travel to some places you can use shared cabs that have a fixed fare.
AC cabs charge a fare of INR 20.00 per kilometre. (Not sure of this.)
You have AC buses plying on some routes.
Avoid paying alms to beggars.
For your hotel and train bookings across India visit
http://www.makemytrip.com
For more reviews and latest happenings visit
http://mumbai.burrp.com/
It’s a lovely city and the people are warm. And like any city across the world you need to be cautious. Hope you have a safe trip and enjoy the city of Mumbai.
