Give a Unique Twist to India's Favourite Street Food! Check Out Some Mouth-Watering Twists to Pani Puri with 10 Places Having the Best Pani Puri in Mumbai (2019)

Pani-puri is the most famous and amongst the best street food in Mumbai. These are mainly hollow balls which are filled with flavoured mashed potato and served with tart or pudina water with spices, green chillies, salt, and black salt which makes the 'pani'. The crispy balls along with the pani together make panipuri, a lip-smacking, finger-licking spicy food of Mumbai.

Yes, it’s delicious, and there is almost no one who doesn’t love these crispy, tangy balls! But how many of you know its story?

There lies a fascinating story about the history of panipuri. Though it is debatable if it really is the truth or only a myth, the story is related to the legend of Mahabharata and is quite enjoyable.

It's believed that after Draupadi got married to the Pandavas, one day, mother Kunti handed over the entire cooking responsibility to her for testing her household skills. The ingredients had a lot of vegetables and a little dough. From there, Draupadi made round pieces of bread (puri) by using flour and stuffed vegetables inside them. The dish was appreciated by the Pandavas and mother Kunti as well. This is how the concept and first dish of puri were made.

Panipuri or golgappa was also a popular snack during the time of the Magadha empire. Moreover, many food specialists claim panipuri is not such an old dish. They say that the excellent street food came into light a few centuries ago only, around some places of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

Besides the Mahabharata, there are other stories which mark a remarkable place in the invention of the paanipuri.

Considering the travel diaries of the famous Chinese Buddhist pilgrims Xuan Huang and Faxian, panipuri made its first appearance in the Sanskrit era. One of the great Sanskrit kingdoms, the Mahajanapadas, of ancient India, saw the birth of panipuri along with other dishes like pitthow, chitba, tilba, chiwda of katani rice.

Panipuri was known as phulkis at that time. Yes! It was the first ever name given to panipuri which is still popular around some remote places of North India.

The crispy hollow balls have different names in different places of India. This heavenly street food on almost everywhere in India, starting from the metro cities to the villages. Panipuri is commonly heard in areas of Mumbai and Lucknow, while Kolkata enjoys this majestic potato stuffed chilly and tangy balls with a heartwarming name of 'puchka'.

This pleasing snack has even made a remarkable place in the blogs of many street food bloggers in India, and abroad. Western countries have grown to love many Indian delicacies, and golgappa or panipuri is one of them.

The snack got so much love that even in some places of LA, several chaat houses sell the dish. They make crispy fried balls and punch a hole at the top. The stuffing is made with onions, potato, tamarind chutney and chickpeas followed by the fresh water, and the entire delicacy is served together. You dip it and put it straight into your mouth to enjoy that blast of spices and give your taste buds a treat. Eating panipuri seems divine when you are pretty hungry! Isn't it?

Pani puri street food has earned its popularity all over India. It is the most popular snack which is enjoyed by people from all kinds of religious and cultural backgrounds.

In the areas of Eastern India such as Bihar, West Bengal, Bangladesh, and Jharkhand, it's known as 'phuchka'. The dish is served a bit differently here. The stuffing is made with boiled gram, mashed potatoes. It is served with a chutney which makes a tangy taste rather than sweet. The water which is produced is very spicy and served according to the taste of the customers.

In parts of North India, especially in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, the dish is known as 'paani ke batashe/patashe'. The batasha is the puri, which is dipped in the fresh spicy water or the 'pani'. In Lucknow, this pani is available in five different flavours, known as 'paanch swaad ke batashe.'

The Gujaratis has named the food as 'phulki' which is also used by the people of Uttar Pradesh. The dish remains the same everywhere with little changes in the water and the stuffing they serve, but the spicy and tangy taste is the ultimate constant.

In some areas of Hyderabad, Odisha and the south Jharkhand, panipuri is well-known as 'gup-chup', as one can barely speak with this spicy delight in their mouth.

Watching a man dressed in white dhoti, with long moustaches, carrying a round cauldron on his head, has been a bliss for children to older adults. This is how gol gappa sellers are found in the streets of Mumbai. The cauldron remains covered with red muslin cloth with a placard where the name of the seller is written. The seller keeps the flavour-filled liquid treasure in an aluminum pot, which is the main attraction of the dish. But things are different these days. With so many experiments being done with Indian cuisine they haven’t left out the favourite snack of India- Panipuri! Here are some mouth-watering twists to this contemporary Indian delight.

Being the most famous street food snack all over India, how can the chefs leave it in its traditional form? They have experimented a lot on the bite, which turned out very well and has received much love by food lovers all accross.

The most famous dish, the Thai Chicken Golgappas, carries a DIY approach. The dish is a portion of Thai street food, which is combined with the Indian touch. Each plate of this recipe contains six golgappa with coconut crumbles and chicken highlighting. The above ingredients make the stuffing, which is topped by a special kind of hot sauce to add that extra flavour to the dish.

Bartenders have successfully invested their efforts in making the alcoholic version of this famous street food of India. Go through any blogging website for an adventurous Friday or a Saturday night – the panipuri margarita is ready to spike you up!

The delicious cocktail drink is made from panipuri, triple sec, citrus mix, and tequila, which makes the panipuri margarita a must-try drink for every phuchka lover. The drink is topped with a crispy puri followed by salt lined on the rim of the glass of the drink. The serving technique adds a spicy and tangy flavor to the drink. The drink is also served with vodka in different pubs and is loved by most street food lovers.

Experimenting with this favorite and loved street dish will never end. From regular home kitchens to the chef's kitchen, the experiment has never failed in bringing something new. The panipuri sorbet is one of such Indo-Western twists. Sorbet is a frozen dessert which is made with sweet flavoured water. Now when it is panipuri, the sour has to kick in! So you can expect a sweet n sour kick from the water while the puris are filled with delicious and smooth potato mousse.

Try this unique delight this summer, which is offered bt Papacream in Mumbai. The only flaw is that you cannot ask for another sukha puri after you finish the meal.

Everyone has that one chaat corner in their life, which they cherish forever in their memories. Some used to have a retreat after the long school hours while some may visit them with their bffs to discuss the fandas of life over golgappe. The emotional connection with the dish and the stories that every chart corner holds has been a common factor for every chaat stall.

Without doubt, panipuri is one of the top street foods of Mumbai and if you are in this city then make sure you check these places out to gobble up the succulent golgappa. Even, if you are a Mumbaikar who is in love with golgappa and share a profound connection with it, here are some of the best places you may have missed!

The Elco market is remarked as the best chaat house of Mumbai which has served mouth-watering chaat for ages now. The shop maintains a perfect balance between hygiene and taste. Since it’s a famous shop, the snack is slightly on the high side of the price range. Once you fill in your mouth with their one bite, you'll probably forget the taste of any other golgappe you may have ever had!

Address: 2/A, Elco Market, Hill Rd, Bandra West

Gurukripa is the ultimate chaat corner for the college students of SIES. The local and non-local food Bloggers have marked this place as a must-visit for everyone. The shop is famous for the varieties of puri that they sell — for example, the A1 samosa, Dahi Puri, and the renowned panipuri. The shop is located at sion near the guru kripa building. If you fail to find the shop, don't worry at all! Just follow the crowd, and you will naturally find this heaven where the rush ends.

Address: Guru Kripa Building, Road No. 24, Plot No. 40, Ahead of SIES College, Sionuri

Located at the Mumbai Devi commercial center, Zaveri Bazaar, Mumbai, people at B Bhagat Tarachand, although started with delicious Gujarati snacks which they have been serving as their old, traditional business, they've made quite a name for themselves for offering some of the delicious chaats in Mumbai including panipuri.

Address: Mumbaidevi Commercial Centre, 69/75, Zaveri Bazaar, Kalbadevi

Located at sector 9, Vashi, Mumbai, the Jhama Sweets is well-known for selling sweets along with their panipuri. No one has ever said no to the gol gappay, no matter what you have eaten before! Eating panipuri here will surely leave your taste buds with a spicy delight. The Jhama Sweet Shop is one of the shops that sell hearty meals.

Address: Sector 9, Big Splash, Vashi

If you're visiting the suburbs of Thane and see a large shop from a distance filled with people all around, be assured that it is the crowd of the Prashant Corner. The bursting shop is the all-time favourite to the locals and visitors as well. You get the same bunch for weekdays and a little more during the weekend. The main attraction of this shop is that you can finish your cheat meal with delicious scoops of homemade ice cream which are sold in pots outside the chaat house.

Address: Panch Pakadi, Madanlal Dhingra Road, Bhakti Mandir, Panch Pakhadi, Thane West

90ft above serves the famous street food in their exceptional style. The place is renowned for serving the street snack with pina colada and pomegranate flavours, which intends to divert your perspective on the spicy meal. You should come and visit the place never to miss this new and crazy panipuri shots!

Address: 90 Ft Above, The Rooftop, Vini Elegance, Above Tanishq Showroom, L.T Road, Borivali West

This place is well-known for serving sweet and spicy panipuri prepared in a very hygienic way! The flavourful snack even attracts many celebrities as customers!

Address: Amarpali Shopping Centre, JVPD Scheme, Vile Parle West

If you want a Sindhi twist in your panipuri, then this place is your ultimate destination. The area is everyone's first choice because of its hygiene. They prepare their customised masala daily for the preparation of the food. You can try the items fearlessly here!

Address: Navjeevan CHS, Next to UCO Bank, Vasi Naka Road, Chembur (E)

Ever seen a chat stall who prepares food in mineral water? No? The Punjab Sweet House does! It is the ultimate destination for the best street food in Mumbai. The place has been honoured for serving the best panipuri in Mumbai.

Address: Shop 5, Ganga Constella, Near EON IT Park, Kharadi

Jai Jhulelal Snacks gained their popularity with their famous Sindhi chaat. The owners started their business long back and still are a hit in the market and among food lovers of all ages!

Address: N S Road, 5, Patil Bhawan, N S Road, Mulund West, Opp Main Post Office, Mulund West