Street Food in Mumbai

What to eat on the street in Mumbai, which neighbourhoods to eat it in, and roughly what it should cost.

What street food in Mumbai is known for

Mumbai street food is engineered around a commuting city: everything is handheld, fast and built to eat between trains.

Dishes to try

• Vada pav - spiced potato fritter in a bun, the definitive city snack.
• Pav bhaji - mashed vegetable curry with buttered bread rolls.
• Bhel puri and sev puri on Chowpatty and Juhu beach.
• Misal pav - a sprout curry with farsan, hot in both senses.
• Bun maska and Irani chai in the old cafes around Fort.

Where locals actually eat

• Chowpatty and Juhu beach - the classic evening chaat lineup.
• Mohammed Ali Road - at its peak during Ramadan nights.
• Dadar and Matunga - South Indian breakfast and filter coffee.
• Fort and Ballard Estate - Irani cafes and office lunch stalls.

What it costs

Vada pav from 20 rupees, pav bhaji 100 to 180, beach chaat 60 to 120. Irani cafe breakfast under 200.

Eating safely here

Turnover in Mumbai is extremely high, which works in your favour. Be more careful with cut fruit and juice stalls during the monsoon, when contamination risk rises.

Vegetarian and vegan notes

Most of the famous items are vegetarian by default. Mohammed Ali Road is the exception and is worth the trip if you eat meat.

Common questions