A Trip to Mumbai is Incomplete Without Sampling the Local Fare. Skip the Cafes and Try These Lip Smacking Cheap Eats! 10 of the Best Street Foods in Mumbai and Where to Eat Them (2019)

As travelers, we will want to experience everything that we can from a country. When you ask people about any place, the very first thing that comes to mind is food. And the foundation of any cultural heritage is – yes, you have guessed it – food. Millions of people around the world are known to eat street food and our country, India, is no different. In fact, the very first memory of a country tends to be the food that you ate there. No, you don’t have to try each and every street food, but there are a few obvious street food choices that you definitely need to try.

Indian street food is considered to be the hidden gem of Indian cuisine by many. In fact, there are many well-known cities such as Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Delhi that boasts of amazing street food delicacies. The cultural diversity of India can be seen in its culinary richness that they provide in the form of street food delicacies ranging from the Gujaratis, Parsis, South Indians, to name a few. Street food delicacies are prepared from the choicest of ingredients and are made right in front of you. Furthermore, they are cheap and the flavor is not toned down like in the restaurants. It’s what the people actually get to eat.

So, even now, if you are still asking the same question – Should I try out the Indian street food delicacies – and our answer will still be the same – “If not now, then when?”

Food often offers a world of exploration by itself and it remains one of the best ways of getting to know a particular place. Street food is no different – many consider it to be one of the best ways of getting to know a place. But wait – there is always a risk when it comes to eating street food.

It’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to eating street food, no matter the country. There are things that need to be remembered before diving to eat street food like checking how the vendors are preparing the food – did they wash the vegetables properly – whether their cart is bustling with people or not.

It is recommended that you should always go for those places that are quite popular with the locals. This ensures that the food is top class and it is safe to experiment there. The best way to approach it is to ask them, of course.

Food safety always comes first. You should avoid the place if you see someone using a dirty old knife or something similar. Indian street food vendors have varying levels of hygiene, so it is best to be careful and cautious.

One tip is to eat where locals love to eat as naturally people will skip those places if they see something not meeting the standard hygiene requirements. It’s best to trust your instincts and decide for yourself if that place is hygienic enough for you to eat.

When going for street food, it’s best to go for vegetarian dishes. That’s because you have no idea of how long the meat has been sitting idle before using it to prepare for dish.

But if we are talking about small meat items such as kebabs and tikkas, it’s okay as these sell fast and hence it is quite unlikely that any stale meat is going to be used for these items.

Don't worry though, the chunks of meat hanging on the skewers are not to be mistaken for stale food as they need to be marinated during the day for hours to get that distinct juicy flavor and they are always skewered during the business hours.

Buying fresh fruits or vegetables is always a great idea. But remember one thing, no matter where you buy them from – streetside or supermarket – they need to be washed thoroughly before eating. So keep away from any dish involving cut fruits and vegetables, unless they are being cut with a clean knife in front of you.

No matter what, it’s always a good idea to skip on the street drinks because there is a high chance of the water not being boiled.

Furthermore, you can’t be sure of the water, whether it is clean or dirty and which is being used to chill the drink. Hence, it’s best to skip on that part. Better yet, you can drink water from packaged bottles before taking note of the manufacturing and the expiry dates.

Better to be safe than sorry, right?

Spicy? Check. Buttery? Check. Lemony? Check. Eating plain veggies can be quite boring, but when they are spicy, buttery and lemony? Let's just say that we pretty much can't say 'no' to them.

Such a 'veggie' street food is Mumbai Pav Bhaji. It is basically a light bread which is served with a blend of mashed vegetables, that adds to the name 'Bhaji'. To enrich the taste, a dollop of butter along with onions, and tomatoes are added.

Where to eat: Cannon Pav Bhaji (located opposite CSMT Station, near CSMT)

Also quite a famous street food in Mumbai, here, in this dish, pav is served along with a spicy curry which is made with mixed sprouts or moth beans, called Misal - hence the name - and topped with onions, and tomatoes.

Where to eat: Gadkari Chowk, Shivaji Park.

Considered to be the king of street foods in Mumbai, vada pav is loved by practically all Mumbaikers.
Famous for its spicy and tangy flavor, vada pav consists of 'vada' which is basically fried mashed potatoes which are then mixed with onion, garlic, chilies, coriander among other spices and condiments.
While the 'pav' is a flatbread which is smeared with butter and sprinkled with chili powder and a bit of garlic.

Vada is then sandwiched in the pav and further garnished with coriander. Today, cheese is also seen to be garnished along with coriander.

Where to eat: Anand Vada Pav stall, Parleshwar Vada Pav Samrat (located in Vile Parle West)

If by any chance you are thinking of spend an evening at the Chowpatty Beach, then you can't miss bhel puri. Chaupati Beach in Mumbai is popular for housing numerous stalls for bhel puri. It is a cold and crunchy snack mixed in with puffed rice and then served with toppings of onions, chilies, potatoes, and tomatoes. Chutney is also added along with the snack to liven up the taste.

Where to eat: Sharmajee's and Badshah's (Located at Girgaon Chaupati Beach, Marine Drive)

Another popular and drool-worthy street food of Mumbai - kanda poha - is a snack, and a very popular breakfast staple that is equally enjoyed by Mumbaikars.

Made of poha - which is flaked rice - and kanda - meaning onions - and mixed with chopped potatoes, chilies, coriander, and peas.The whole mixture is then served with mustard seeds and garnished with black pepper and lime juice.

Where to eat: Shree Shuddh Upahar Gruh (located in Lokmanya Tilak market, Vashi)

Pani puri is perhaps one of those street foods which celebrate India's diversity to its fullest. Known by other names such as puchka, pani ke patashe, papdi, pani puri consists of crisp and round fried hollow balls which is then stuffed with mashed potatoes, onions and spiced chickpeas. Once stuffed, the balls are then lightly dipped into sweet and tangy liquid mixture of tamarind, jaggery, and various other spices and condiments.

Let's just say one thing - pani puri is a must-try and drool worthy street food in Mumbai.

Where to eat: Literally found on any street corner in Mumbai.

Have a sweet tooth that needs to be nourished? Why not go for falooda? Falooda is a cold drink or you can say, dessert, which is made from flavored milk, vermicelli and loads and loads of gelatin. Even though the falooda has many variations today, if possible, you should go for the traditional one - which is garnished with rose syrup.

Where to eat: Badshah Falooda (located at Crawford market, LT Marg)

Among all of the street foods in Mumbai, the bun maska is perhaps the most simple one. Originating from Iranian cuisine, this street food simply comprises of a bun that is sliced half and then, a dollop of butter is added for taste. This street food can best be enjoyed with a steaming cup of cutting chai or coffee.

Where to eat: Yazdani Bakery & Restaurant (located at Saint Thomas Cathedral, Mumbai)

Frankie is basically a juicy naan, which is coated with egg, and then stuffed with either mutton or chicken fillings. However, Frankie also comes in a vegetarian variant. It, of course, don't add the egg coating and the naan is rolled with vegetable fillings.

Where to eat: Frankie is found in nearly all of the Tibb's Frankie outlets in the city.

Kheema pao is another popular street food that the Mumbaikers swear by. According to this dish, the 'pav' consists of minced meat that is often cooked with an assortment of spices and condiments. Kheema Pao is best taken with lemon wedges, onions, chutneys or pickles.

Where to eat: You can find Kheema Pao at Olympia Coffee House, located at Shahid Bhagat Singh Marg.

Zunka bhakar is a street food which is made using chickpea flour. The batter is then garnished with chopped onions and then heated with mustard seeds and curry leaves. This nourishing yet humble fare is a local staple and in a bygone era was encouraged by the local government. Although there were once many zunka bhakar stalls that provided employment as well as affordable and wholesome food, several have closed down but you may still see a few dotting the city.

Zunka Bhakar is best taken with chopped onions, chutneys or pickles.

Where to eat: You can find Zunka Bhakar at the stalls located opposite of CST and BMC Headquarters.

Exciting, mouth-watering and finger-licking good. It’s available on the streets and is quite near to our place. Yes, that’s what we are talking about – Mumbai street food. Found on every street corner, Mumbai street food has its own specialties – with their own unique set of flavors and textures – the options are many.

Who says that the best foods can only be found in the fine dining restaurants? Come out to the streets – that’s where you are going to find a scrumptious selection of food not found anywhere else.