Chefs Know Best—Mumbai
When it comes to experiencing a city through its food, local chefs know best. That’s why we regularly tap the address books of some of the world’s most renowned chefs to guide you through the culinary scene of their cities.
SACHIN POORJARY’S
MUMBAI
Following his childhood dream of becoming a chef, Sachin Poojary began his culinary path at Mumbai’s Taj Mahal Palace. After completing his training through the Taj’s kitchen management program and at Morimoto in New York, he rose to become chef de cuisine at Wasabi by Morimoto in Mumbai. Today, he showcases his Japanese and Indian cooking expertise at INDDEE in Bangkok, where he takes his guests on a journey through the diverse subcontinental cuisines of South Asia. The restaurant was awarded its first Michelin star in 2024, just six months after it opened.
- Local Street FoodAshok Vada Pav
Mamledar Missal
Elco Panipuri
Shyam Chaatwala - RestaurantsCafe Mysore
Shree Thaker Bhojanalay
Arya Bhavan by Muthuswamy
Kyani & Co. - Unique culinary experienceUdipi Shri Krishna Boarding
- sweetsMumbadevi Jalebi wala
Shree Gangour
MAison Ë What is the best way to start a culinary journey through Mumbai?
Sachin poorjary Mumbai is a metropolitan city and a crossroads of many communities. The best way to discover its vibrancy and food diversity is through its famous street food and easy-going, small family-run restaurants.
M.Ë Which local street food should you not miss out on?
S.P. For vada pav I’d go to Ashok Vada Pav near Kirti College for its authenticity. Make sure to grab a cup of chai right next to it at the Rajasthani Chai Wala. For missal pav I’d go to Mamledar Missal at Thane. It’s a lentil-based thin gravy with Maharashtrian spices served with pav (soft bun) and crunchy farsan on top. Bhurji pav (masala egg) can be found locally, practically wherever you stay. For chaat and a Bombay sandwich (a vegetable sandwich with two slices of bread, Amul butter, and a special spice mix and green chutney) go to Elco Panipuri at Bandra or Ram & Shyam Chaatwala at Santa Cruz. Gupta Bhelpuri House in Malad is good for chaats but there is also a cheese chili toast worth taking note of. For samosa, Guru Krupa at Sion is great. Finally, the paan (mouth freshener inside betel leaves) with the best ingredients would be from Muchhad Paanwala, the famous mustached paan seller in Breach Candy—he even makes his own gulkand (preserved rose petals).
M.Ë What restaurants do you make sure you visit when you’re in the city?
S.P. Cafe Mysore in Matunga, because my son is very fond of the ghee dosas over there. With my wife being Gujarati, I can never miss the thali at Shree Thaker Bhojanalay (since 1945) at Kalbadevi, a Gujarati restaurant. I also make sure to visit Arya Bhavan by Muthuswamy in Matunga for the Southern thatte idli (a small “plate size” idli) and filter coffee. Then I like to stop by at Kyani & Co., a legendary Iranian restaurant and bakery, for the Parsi bakery dishes such as the cream rolls and kheema pav, which inspired our Khari Chai dish at INDDEE.
M.Ë Is there a unique culinary experience in Mumbai that you would point out to travelers?
S.P. I’m from Udupi in the south and a meaningful experience for me is the typical southern banana leaf experience at Udipi Shri Krishna Boarding (Ramanayak)—very simple, wholesome homestyle cooking since 1942.
M. Ë Where do you go when you fancy something sweet?
S.P. For good falooda, Badshah Colddrinks and Snacks in Crawford Market is a great address. “Natural Ice Cream” has more than 20 branches all over the city. It is a great brand for local fruit flavored ice cream such as sapota, tender coconut, custard apple, and mangoes.
As for mithai walas (traditional Indian sweet-makers), it is a must to visit Mumbadevi Jalebiwala at Bhuleshwar for their fafda jalebi (a savory-sweet chickpea flour snack from Gujarat, which you enjoy with a chili & some papaya salad). Purshottam Kandoi Haibhai Damodar Mithaiwala (any branch near you) is another good place for farsan (savory snacks) and mithais (sweets), especially to bring back home with you.
Parsi Dairy Farm in Marine Lines is great for Parsi sweets. It’s also famous for its sweet rich and dense curds that they sell in clay pots. Sweet Bengal at Pawai is a great place to try sandesh in its multiple varieties. Bengali sweets have less sugar than other regional Indian sweets. Everything is simply good at the Shree Gangour sweets shop in Juhu—be sure to take a box of mixed variety sweets with you.
M.Ë Do you have any other tips on how to eat your way through the city?
S.P. Before you go out to eat in the city, it is worth experiencing an early morning trip to Sassoon Dock to discover local seafood. To eat seafood, you should head to Trishna at Kalaghoda. To explore local vegetables, go to the Crawford Vegetable Market. Right across from that market you can find some nice food stalls including Badshah Colddrinks and Snacks for falooda, which I mentioned before. No visit to India is good without experiencing the spice shops. One of the most famous and best places to shop is the Mirchi Galli area near Juma Masjid.