30 places to eat like a local in Mumbai

Do you want to eat like a Mumbaikar but do not know where to go? Then this list is for you. It is based on calories and memories accumulated over 27 years of living and eating in Mumbai.

These restaurants serve regional Indian food and are my favourite places to go. They are family/single-owner-run places. Most do not have Instagram pages. They do not take reservations. Do not serve alcohol (barring Fresh Catch). Do not offer progressive, modern Indian food and tasting menus. There are enough lists to cover those.

I have labelled the restaurants as non-AC, partly AC, AC. AC means air conditioning, the absence or presence of which gives you an idea of how upscale a place is. When both exist, food in the AC section costs more.  ACT refers to air conditioning with a clean toilet. That’s the ultimate level of poshness in this list. V means vegetarian. Menus on food delivery apps would give you an idea of the prices. The term ‘restaurant’ is a bit polite in some cases. You could call them eateries.

The numbering reflects the geographical spread of the restaurants from South Mumbai to the suburbs and is not indicative of quality. Lastly, please reach out if you spot any typos.

South Mumbai: Colaba

1. The Olympia Coffee House (Partly AC)

They are famous for their morning kheema pav/ roti. The place is packed throughout the day. They have an air-conditioned section, but the non-ac one downstairs is more atmospheric. They do not serve beef (buffalo meat). The food here can be roughly described as Mughlai food. Mughlai is a term loosely used for north Indian Muslim fare. The term Mughlai comes from Mughal and gives a feeling of royalty to food, which is meaty, oily and spice-heavy; it is meant for the masses and not emperors!

The turnover is fast, but the waiters are polite and do not make you feel rushed…even though you are!

Cuisine: Mughlai, North Indian
Must haves: Kheema, kaleji kheema, dal gosht, mutton fry, mutton biryani, caramel custard, falooda
Address: Ground Floor, Rahim Mansion 1, Shahid Bhagat Singh Marg, Near Oxford University Press, Colaba, Mumbai 400039 India. Partly AC.

2. New Martin Hotel (Non AC)

This is a tiny, garage-sized eatery on Strand Road. Very few people will remember that Strand was the name of a cinema that once stood there. A better direction today would be ‘lane opposite Theobroma.’

It is a Mangalorean-owned place which serves simple Goan Catholic fare. My wife and I used to go there once weekly when we were dating. This was in 2000-2001. The first time I went to Martin’s (as it is referred to) was in ’97, and I had been a regular there even before K (my wife and I first met). I often drop in there when at Colaba, have a meal, and pack some of her favourites from K. She protests and says that she is on a diet as she finishes it all.

Cuisine: Goan Catholic

Must haves:   Goan sausage chilli fry, pork vindaloo, steak and onion fry. The latter is not cooked rare, medium, medium rare or well done. It is ‘done to death.’ It is oily and tasty as hell. They make sorpotel once a week

Address: WR9H+FR2, PJ Ramchandani Marg, Apollo Bandar, Colaba, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400005.

South Mumbai: Fort

3. Ideal Corner (Non AC)

It is not an ‘Irani cafe/ Bakery.’ They do not have a bakery, but you can be assured of getting some good Parsi nosh here. It is a relatively ‘new’ Parsi restaurant. Just about 25 years old, younger than most Parsi/ Irani restaurants. The owner, Pervez Patel, is an avid biker. The bike on which he rode across the mountains is parked inside the restaurant. He ran a motorcycle repair shop here, which he turned into a shop selling Parsi snacks, then meals. He is a very shy person but will greet you with a big smile if you drop in and chat with you once you are a regular. Parsis tend to be dismissive of the Parsi food that is not cooked by their mums. Parvez has managed to push his way through this, and Ideal’s food is ‘Parsi approved’. This could be because the recipes were given to him by various Parsi ladies. Ideal Corner is not to be confused with Chowpatty’s Cafe Ideal.

Cuisine: Parsi
Must haves:  Mutton dhansak, mutton cutlets, akoori, sali per eedu, mutton kebabs, atheli margi, masoor ma gosht. Menu changes by day of the week.
Address: 12, 1st & Ground Floor, Hornby View, Gunbow Street, Fort, Mumbai

4. Hotel Deluxe (Partly AC)

The restaurant has been renovated recently and looks a lot posher than when I first went there.  Deluxe is a favourite with local Keralites, including with nurses from Kerala who work in local hospitals. It was first recommended to me by a Keralite on Twitter. I became a regular there after my first visit. I still am.

Cuisine: Kerala-ite
Must haves: Sadya (veg banana leaf meal), biryani, stew, appam, mutton fry, parotta, pomfret polichettu, fish curry
Address: 10-A, Pitha Street, Opposite Lane Of Citi Bank, Fort, Mumbai

5. Punjabi Moti Halwai (Non AC, V)

I stumbled upon Moti Halwai one afternoon when I saw someone make glass after glass of lassi for a gaggle of lawyers at the entrance of a sweetshop. I tried the lassi that afternoon and was sold on it. I  fell in love with the simple Punjabi vegetarian snacks, sweets and food on offer over subsequent visits. The great quality of food here is a reflection of the care that second-generation owner Sunil Sehgal puts into all aspects of the restaurant…procurement, cleanliness, and staff care. It is his tribute to his father, Moti ji, who had set up the place. Moti Halwai is a favourite of office goers because of the good quality food, which is not heavy on spices. I would love to call it a ‘hidden gem,’ but then is a place which runs packed to its gills a hidden gem just because you have not heard of it?

Cuisine: North Indian, vegetarian
Must haves: Lassi, gulab jamun, chhole bhature, dal pakwan, samosa, veg thali, dahi
Address: 40, Savla Chambers, Cawasji Patel Street, Fort, Mumbai

6. Pradeep Gomantak Bhojanalay (Non AC)

Gomantak food refers to the food of the Goan Hindus who live by the coast. It is similar to Malvani food, which belongs to the Malvan coastal region of Maharashtra. You need to belong to either region to know the difference. For outsiders, one could sum it up as food which is heavy on seafood and uses coconut and souring agents such as kokum. Red chillies are used extensively.

Pradeep Gomantak was introduced to me by a Goan who worked in Fort. She said that she went there when she missed home food. It is a tiny place. The food is reasonably priced and is loved by office workers in the area. Do not be fooled by the unassuming looks of the place and its prices, the quality of the food is excellent.

Cuisine: Goan

Must haves: Any fish thali, fried Bombay duck, mutton/ chicken with video, which is a multigrain, gluten-free, deep-fried puri.

Address: 15, Sheri House, Gunbow Street, Fort, Mumbai

South Mumbai: CST/ Md Ali Road

7. Puncham Puriwala (non AC, V)

This is possibly Mumbai’s oldest running restaurant (eatery) and pre-dates the opening of India’s first railway service, which connected Mumbai to Thane. The owner had walked down to Mumbai from Agra, as the story goes. He started a tiny corner shop where he sold puris and pumpkin bhaji. He would offer five puris in a plate. The name of the ‘restaurant’, if you could use such a term for such a simple eatery, is a play on the name of the founder, Puncham, and paanch (5) puris on a plate. You get multi-coloured puris here, depending on what has been added to the dough. For example, spinach will be green and beetroot, maroon.
You will be hard-pressed to find a seat during lunch hours. It is a favourite of office goers and traders from the area, as well as travellers. Its recent Instagram popularity has compounded the problem, but don’t let that deter you from enjoying a delicious bite of Mumbai’s history.

Cuisine: UP, Agra, vegetarian
Must haves: Puri and bhopla (pumpkin) sabzi, sukha alu, puri thalis, lassi
Address: 8-10, Perin Nariman Street, Fort, Mumbai

8. Hotel Grant House (Non AC)

‘You get the best kheema at Grant House,’ our late Jamshed uncle had once told me. Food lover and celebrity food show host Kunal Vijayakar concurred. I went there one afternoon, tried the kheema and saw that they were right. The meat in the kheema is of good quality. The spices pack a punch. They buy mutton and mince it in-house and grind their masalas too.
They have a wide range of dishes beyond kheema…the fish thali, prawns pulao, and pav bhaji are other favourites here.
Grant House was opened by the late Laxman Verma, who had moved in from Hyderabad to Mumbai. He set up a small tea centre in the police headquarters located next door. He started with tea and kheema pav. The place was referred to as ‘Police Canteen.’ They moved to a permanent fixture next door when the compound was broken down, and that’s how the ‘Police Canteen’ became ‘Hotel Grant House’. It is run by his sons Shreedhar & Shrikanth, who are at the restaurant every day, making sure that everything runs smoothly.

Cuisine: An eclectic Mumbaiyya mix
Must haves: Kheema pav, kheema bheja, seafood pulao, fish fry, pav bhaji
Address: Near MRA Police Station, Palton Road, Mumbai CST Area, Mumbai

South Mumbai: Mohammad Ali Road, Bohri Mohalla

9. Noor Mohammadi Hotel (Partly AC)

Noor Mohammadi Hotel has just completed 100 years. The founder started it by selling nalli nihari, shammi kebab and yakhni pulao. The menu has expanded over the years but is still fairly concise by Mumbai restaurant standards. They are famous for their ‘chicken Sanju Baba.’ So named after the film star, Sanjay Dutt, whose recipe they claim it is. I love the restaurant and the food on offer. Almost all dishes are slow-cooked. They serve buffalo meat, so you should check if you are squeamish about it. Don’t bother going there if you are vegetarian. Unless you want to have dal, roti, and admire the painting by the legendary Late MF Hussein on their wall, which he had drawn at the restaurant and gifted to them.
Nigella Lawson has eaten here. Twice I think

Cuisine: Mughlai, Awadhi
Must haves: Yakhni pulao, nalli nihari, chicken hakimi, kheema.
Address: 179, Wazir Building, Abdul Hakim Chowk, Bhendi Bazar, Mohammad Ali Road, Mumbai

10. Haji Tikka Corner (Non AC)

This had initially started as an open-air kebab stall at Mumbai’s Bohri Mohalla. The local Bohri shopkeepers advised the owner to take a permanent spot. Thanks to that, they got a space of their own when the area was redeveloped. The current owners took over after their father passed away. They have carried on his legacy of offering some of the best kebabs that the city has to offer. They have recently forayed into ‘tava items’ and have aced that as well.
Don’t bother going there if you are vegetarian. They make some nice tava alu, though. The place is quite Instagram-friendly if street food is your beat.

Cuisine: Kebabs
Must eats: Khiri kebabs, kofta kebabs, bheja masala, tandoori chicken
Address: 76, Raudat Tahera Street, Bohri Mohalla, Khara Tank Road, Bhendi Bazaar, Byculla, Mumbai

11. Shabbir’s Tawakkal

This is a sweet shop.  It draws its origins to the 1950s when the founder had opened a sweet shop as advised by the then Sydena (spiritual leader of the Bohra community), who had given the name Tawakkal. The initial dish sold was a sweet dish called dahi vada. The range has increased over the years and features many Bohri sweets. The family business split a few years back. One side of the family retained the Tawakkal brand name. The other was named Shabbir’s Tawakkal after the late Shabbir Mithaiwala, who broke away to start his own business. It is run by his sons now. Both sweet shops have their loyalists. I am partial to Shabbir’s as I knew Shabbir uncle, and he was very kind to me, and their stuff is really good. There is a beeline for malpuas during Ramzan over here, and they now sell tava items and slow-cooked dishes such as nihari and biryani during Ramzan

Cuisine: Bohra sweets

Must haves: Phirni, malpua, malai khaja

Address: A4/5, B/02, Ground Floor, B Wing, Ward C, Transit Camp, Bhendi Bazar, ER Road, Byculla, Mumbai

South Mumbai: Girgaon, Charni Road, Babulnath

12. Soam (ACT, V)

Most Gujarati restaurants in the city offer thalis. Swati Snacks and Soam are rare Gujarati restaurants which offer a la carte menus. Both restaurants have their loyalists. I prefer Soam. It is one of my favourite restaurants in the city despite being a vegetarian one, and that says a lot, given I am quite the carnivore.

It is not right to box Soam as a ‘Gujarati place’. It has Maharashtrian, Parsi, and Rajasthani dishes in its repertoire, Mumbai street food and South Indian snacks. The owner, Pinky Chandan Dixit, is Gujarati. Her husband is from MP. Pinky prefers to be behind the scenes but makes sure that everything is running perfectly. The service is courteous. The food is excellent. The queues to get in can be rather long. The current endeavour is to introduce dishes that appeal to Gen Z and to up their Insta game for the same reason. Soam is popular with international tourists who want to try out local food but are not too adventurous.

They have a small shop called Soam At Home next door where you can buy masalas, snacks, pickles, etc. They have also opened Aamchee in the next lane, which is a vegetarian cafe and targets a slightly younger audience.

Cuisine: Primarily Gujarati, vegetarian

Must haves: Sugarcane juice, bhel puri, sev puri, handvo, dhebra, farsan platter, jalebi, pav bhaji, gatte ke sabzi satpadi roti, veg dhansak, masala batata shaak with puri, aam ras and undhiyu when in season, masala khichdi, jalebi, puran poli….as you can see, I am a big fan!

Address: Plot-15, 2, Ground Floor, Sadguru Sadan, Babulnath Raod, Babulnath Temple, Grant Road, Mumbai

13. Shree Thaker Bhojanalay (ACT, V)

It is located in one of the oldest commercial districts of Mumbai, Kalbhadevi. Reaching there by road could be a nightmare. Finding a parking spot is nearly impossible. You should cab it or have a driver.

It is worth the adventure though because waiting for you inside lies my favourite thali in Mumbai.  Why should that matter? It’s because I am not fond of thali joints. It takes a lot for me to like a thali, and the folks at Shri Thaker’s have done that!

Why should that matter to you? Thalis in Mumbai stand for Gujarati and Rajasthani vegetarian thalis. The relentless array of dishes brought to one in these joints foxes me. One does not get the time to savour what one is eating, and the entire experience remains a blur. The fact that it is ‘purely’ vegetarian doesn’t help!

Shri Thaker is different. I love the food here. The quality is excellent. The dishes reflect the seasonality of the produce. You can politely but firmly push the waiters away while you eat at your own pace. The fact that it is a single outlet, family-run place versus most other thali places, which are part of chains, comes through in the hospitality one enjoys here. The second-generation co-owner of STB, Gautam Purohit, once explained the method to the madness while eating a Gujarati thali to me.

You start with a bite of something sweet. Then, have ghee-doused rotis and puris made with flour and a variety of millets, along with the sabzis and dals. You can ask for repeats at any point. You can have farsan (snacks) served at the start at any point of the meal. Rice appears next, plain rice with dal and khichdi. You can choose to have both or either. One gets stuffed by the time these arrive. And there’s more. Mithai! Plus, if it’s summer, you get aamras, and in winter, undhiyu. Thacker makes the best undhiyu in town, in my opinion.

I would strongly recommend that you go back in time and walk down the bustling gulleys of Kalbhadevi after a meal at STB. There could not be a better way of upping your step count and getting to know Mumbai better. And digesting your meal!

Cuisine: Gujarati, Rajasthani, vegetarian

Must haves: Thali (There is no other option)

Address: 31, Dadisheth Agyari Lane, Off Kalbadevi Road, Kalbadevi, Mumbai

Central Mumbai: Worli, Prabhadevi

14. Maaslli Seafood Restaurant (AC)

This is a rare restaurant in Mumbai where you get GSB food. GSB stands for Gaud Saraswat Brahmins. This is one of the few Brahmin communities where eating fish (as against just vegetables) is allowed. This could be because the GSBs live across the Konkan coast, which spans Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka. Food preferences change by region, as does the dialect of Konkani spoken. The food that you get at Maaslii is light on spices, which allows the quality of the produce used to shine. This small eatery has become very popular in a short time, and be prepared to wait for a table, it’s worth it.

Cuisine: Gaud Saraswat Brahmin food.
Must eat: Kulith saar, batata kap, stuffed crab, stuffed pomfret, seafood pulao, mutton ghee roast, Triphala curry
Address: Plot 31A, Ground Floor, Old Ambalal Chawl, Dr Annie Besant Road, Worli, Mumbai

15. Chaitanya (AC)

This was set up by a lady named Surekha Tamble. She runs a restaurant of the same name in Malwan. She moved to Mumbai when her kids came here to study. She was aghast by what was sold as ‘Malwani’ food here and decided to start her place. Chaitanya became a big success, and she shifted to a bigger premise at Prabhadevi, which still sees long queues. They have opened a more posh (ac, more space, toilet) outlet at Andheri w.
Chaitanya is considered to be the best Malvani restaurant in Mumbai at the moment. ‘Malwan’ refers to coastal Maharashtra, and its cuisine is seafood-based.

Cuisine: Malvani, Maharashtrian
Must haves: Bombil fry, prawn fry masala, pomfret thali, jwala Kashmir
Address: 3, Chinchh Bhatt Chawl, SK Bole Road, Opposite Aagar Bazar, Dadar West, Mumbai
Andheri: Nav Chaitanya: Survey 106 A, DN Nagar, Opposite Cosmopolitan School, 4 Bungalows, Mumbai
Central Mumbai: Dadar

16. Prakash Shakahari Upahar Kendra (Non AC,V)

Things don’t get as ‘authentic  Mahrashtrian’ as it does at Prakash. The waiters were famous for being grumpy. The owners were rigid enough not to serve pav with misal or batata vadas, as pavs were not originally consumed by Maharashtrian families. The snaking queues to get in would span from different generations of Maharashtrian families.
Things have changed for Prakash. They moved to a much smaller place as the building they occupied went into renovation. The shop is now hidden behind the metro construction work, which means that only true loyalists go there as you have to seek it out. The waiters have mellowed with age; the food remains just as pristine. I never miss an opportunity to drop in, even though I get lost each time!

Cuisine: Maharashtrian, vegetarian, snacks, sweets
Must haves: Puri sukha alu bhaji (my favourite puri bhaji in Mumbai), sabudana vada, poha, missal, batata vada, Piyush
Address: 9/10, Horizon Towers, Ranade Road, Dadar West, Dadar Shivaji Park, Mumbai

17. Aaswad (ACT,V)

Unlike its peers in the Maharashtrian vegetarian restaurant category, such as Prakash, Mama Kane, et al., which have remained frozen in time, Aaswad has moved ahead and tried to cater to changing customer preferences. The ambience has been refreshed. It has a clean toilet. It is airconditioned. There are queues to get in at lunch hour even though the current premises is a large two-storied one. I am an admirer of Shrikant Sarjoshi, who set up the restaurant and of his son, Suryakant, who has taken it to new heights and has targeted an audience beyond the Maharashtrian community.

Service is prompt and courteous. The food is freshly cooked. The recipes are home recipes. If you need any explanation on the dishes, then reach out to the managers, and they will help. My advice is to skip the South Indian section and go to the Maharastrian one. The snacks are more ‘fun,’ but the mains leave one impressed, too.

Cuisine Maharashtrian, vegetarian

Must haves: Piyush, misal pav, vada pava, sabudana vada, thali peeth, alu wadi, poha, puri sukha bhaji; mains: varan bhaat, masala bhaat, zunka pitla bhakri; in summer: ambe dal and aamras

Address: 4,Sanskruti, L J.Road,Gadkari Chowk,Dadar West,Mumbai

Central Mumbai: Matunga

18. A. Rama Nayak’s Udipi Shree Krishna Boarding (Non AC,V)

This is an ‘eat and move on’ place. They offer thalis (full meals). The unlimited one comes on a banana leaf. For folks who have dropped in for a quick bite, there is a set menu which is served on stainless steel plates. The dishes served are vegetarian and Mangalorean. The motto of the owners is, ‘Serve only what you will eat.’ They are so confident about the quality of their food that guests are encouraged to drop into the kitchen if they so wish.
They have a store downstairs where you can buy snacks, masalas and filter coffee powder.

Cuisine: Kannada (south Indian), vegetarian
Must eats: They only serve thalis, fixed and unlimited. The menu changes every day. Address: First Floor, LBS Market Building, Near Central Railway Station, Matunga East, Mumbai

19. Cafe Madras (non AC,V)

They claim to be the oldest Udipi restaurant in Mumbai. Udipi is a temple town in Karnataka. The food served in Udipi restaurants is vegetarian. Service is quick and efficient. The food is fresh and wholesome. There are several popular South Indian restaurants, but I have mentioned Cafe Madras as that is the one I have visited most recently. And liked.

Cuisine: Udipi, Vegetarian

Must haves: Idli, vada, rava dosa, bisi bela bhaat. They have a store where you can buy snacks, masalas and filter coffee powder.

Address: 38 B, Circle House, King’s Circle, Near Maheshwari Udyan, Matunga East, Mumbai

Mumbai South Central: Sion, Chembur

20. Guru Kripa, Sion (Non AC,V)

Guru Kripa is the home of the ‘A1 Samosas’, which one used to get in single-screen theatres and which I loved. The samosas have a thin and crunchy coating with a spicy mashed potato filling. A1 is now a memory with multiplex theatres replacing single-screen ones, but you can still get these samosas here. One popular combination is samosa chhole. A Sindhi friend of mine asked me to try the kadhi chawal, and that is lovely, too.
There are tables kept for you to stand and eat, and there is a small inner section where you can sit and eat.

Cuisine: Sindhi, Punjabi, vegetarian
Must haves: Samosa, samosa chhole, kadhi chawal
Address: 40, Road 24, Sion, Mumbai

21. Vig Refreshments (non-AC,V)

This small snack shop is best known for its Sindhi favourites such as dal pakwan and ragda pattice. Though the owners are Punjabi. There is a fair bit of overlap between the two cuisines. They are famous for their chole. Sindhis will point out that the pakwan here is thicker than the traditional one, but why split hairs?

Cuisines: Sindhi, Punjabi, vegetarian

Must haves: Dal pakwan, ragda pattice, gulab jamun

Address: CG Road, Chembur, Mumbai

Western suburbs: Bandra (my home)

22. Candies Cafe (ACT plus al fresco)

If there is one place that encapsulates Bandra’s traditional Catholic-owned bakery culture along with the youthful aspirations of the suburb, then it has to be Candies. The aura of Candies has been eclipsed to an extent by the launch of cafes such as Boojee, Subko, Mag St Kitchen, etc, which came in with the gentrification of Bandra.  Yet Candies offers a sense of warmth that exudes comfort. The branch I would recommend is their main branch, which is beside Learner’s Academy.

Candies are unique in terms of ambience. You can place your order and sit in the ground floor section, which is airconditioned. Or you can climb and go to another section where you can take your food and sit. Then, there are al fresco spaces to sit in. The clientele includes school kids of all ages, college kids, parents, grandparents, and working folks. I wrote my book, The Travelling Belly, while sitting here.

Candies are owned by the Perrieras, who are Goan, and the initial menu consisted of dishes from Mrs Perriera’s repertoire. You get Goan Catholic snacks such as potato chops, pan rolls and mains such as roast chicken and prawn/ fish curry. The menu is diverse today and ranges from Thai green curry to chicken tikka biryani. They also make some of the nicest croissants around at an unbelievable price.

Step into Candies to get a feel of Bandra as it was before it was invaded by the avocado and kombucha brigade, though I won’t be surprised if these make an appearance in Candies soon, given that they offer gluten-free bread now.

Candies is a self-service place. Queues can get a bit chaotic on weekends with the service staff under stress. Be patient.

Cuisine: Everything that you can think of (they had sushi for a short while!)

Must haves: The softest chicken sandwiches in the world (with complimentary butter crisps which you must stuff inside the sandwiches to eat it my way), egg sandwiches, croissants, mutton potato chop, mutton puff, veg puff, chicken tikka roll, burger, Thai green curry, roast chicken (leg piece), prawn/ fish Goan curry, bread and butter pudding, red velvet cupcakes, jam roll, macaroni. Buy soft bread to take home. They sell baguettes, too.

Address: Near Learners Academy School, Mac Ronells, Pali Hill, Bandra West, Mumbai (It’s Pali Naka and not Hill)

23. Khane Khas (Non AC)

In case you thought that Candies is close to my heart, then so is Khane Khas. Our Khane Khas story began while we were dating, and I went there even before I met Kainaz. It is a small restaurant at the corner of a road. The owners, Hardeep Singh and Atul Sahni, are involved with every aspect of the business. They know you by voice if you call to place an order. Khane Khas is like our home kitchen. We call in from them if our cook has bunked and we do not want to cook or are not well enough to cook. Such is the quality of their food. And we are not alone in this, many of our friends from Bandra feel the same. As do folks from outside who insist that we order from KK when they visit us.

Cuisine: Punjabi, North Indian
Must haves: Kali dal, tandoori chicken, jeera chicken, Punjabi mutton curry, shahi paneer, Afghani chicken, paneer roll, shammi kebab, Aghani chicken
Address: 4, TPS 3, Silver Croft Building, Junction Of 16th And 33rd Road, Pali Hill, Bandra West, Mumbai

24. Fresh Catch (ACT,bar)

I am often asked to suggest a good ‘Indian’ (north Indian) or seafood restaurant in Mumbai. I now have an answer for the latter in Fresh Catch by Francis.

Late Francis Fernandes who worked as a cost controller at a luxury hotel, was obsessed with cooking fresh seafood. This obsession came from his growing up at Karvar, very close to the sea, and with a mother who was passionate about cooking, too. When Fernandes quit his job, his wife Mili, who is a hair specialist in ad shoots, financed him to start his restaurant in Mahim (yay for women’s power).

Francis Fernandes named the restaurant Fresh Catch as he sourced and offered the freshest fish in the market. Francis Fernandes unfortunately passed away just as the COVID-19 pandemic started. His children, Ankita and Adit, rented a place in Bandra and opened Fresh Catch there. The Mahim space is shut for renovation. They have tried to live up to their father’s ‘freshness first’ philosophy. They have done a ‘Francis Wall’ in the Bandra restaurant as a tribute to their dad. This shows all the famous personalities who have eaten. Sachin Tendulkar is said to be a fan.

Cuisine: West coast, seafood-focused
Must haves: Prawn curry, Bombay Duck fry, Prawn pulao, neer dosa…pretty much everything
Address: Unit-201, Plot-71, Khan House, Hill Road, Bandra West, Mumbai

25. Punjab Sweet House (AC)

Bandra’ites swear by the chaats and sweets at Punjab Sweet House at Pali Naka, even though those at Elco Pani Puri are more famous. I Have been frequenting them for years and love their freshly fried samosas, ditto jalebis, mouth-watering chaats, gajar halwa (in winter), soft motichoor laddu, etc.
They have a vegetarian Punjabi restaurant called Lashkara on the mezzanine floor.

Cuisine: Punjabi, North Indian, vegetarian
Must haves: Jalebi, samosa, dahi kachori chaat, dahi samosa chaat, sev puri, Amritsari kulcha (Lashkara)
Address: Shop 3, 4 & 7, Dheeraj Arcade, Pali Naka, Pali Hill, Bandra West, Mumbai

26. Lucky Restaurant (Partly AC)

This is a ‘landmark restaurant’. Lucky lies at the start of Bandra West, and crossing it means you have entered the western suburbs. Hence, landmark!
I had my first Mumbai biryani there in ’97 and was flummoxed by it as it was quite different (more masala-packed)  from the Kolkata biryani. I love it now. The second-generation owner, Mohsin, is now a friend of mine. He keeps a hawk-eye on the business, and this shows in the great quality of food and warm service. They have fairly nice air-conditioned sections, but I like to sit in the non-AC section and watch life pass by through its door while I have my biryani.

Cuisine: Mughlai
Must haves: Biryani, kheema, kebabs, anda bhurji
Address: Shop 9, SV Road, Near Hill Road, Bandra West, Mumbai (They have a branch in Goregaon).

Western Suburbs: Andheri, Oshiwara

27. Malwani Aswad (Non-AC)

This is a small, unassuming restaurant which I stumbled upon when I worked in an office close by. I fell in love with the food and dropped in at least once a week. I found out that foodies in the city knew of the place, even though it was tucked into a corner. It is a family-run restaurant, and the quality is consistently good, the fish, meat and vegetables are sourced daily.

Cuisine: Malwani, Coastal Maharashtrian
Must haves: Pomfret fry thali, bombil fry, crab masala, prawn masala, kombdi (chicken) vade, mutton sukha, mandelic fry
Address: Shahaji Raje Marg, Bhuta High School, Near Vile Parle East, Mumbai

28. The Calcutta Club (ACT)

This is a small Bengali restaurant in Oshiwara. The food is simple and homelike. The prices are much lower than that of the more upmarket, Oh! Calcutta, which makes the food more accessible to young Bengalis missing home.

Cuisine: Bengali
Must haves: Luchi chholar dal, basanti pulao, kosha mangsho, fish fry, biryani
Address: Shop 22, Near Oshiwara Link Plaza, New Link Road, Jogeshwari, Mumbai

Suburbs: Chandivali

29. Santosham (ACT)

This is a restaurant run by mother and son duo Bhagyalakshmi and Chittaranjan Gohokar. The food on offer is vegetarian, Palakad ‘Tam Brahm’. The family ran a manufacturing business earlier, which helped them standardise processes in the restaurant. The food is light on the tummy and beautifully flavoured. The queues to get in are pretty long. Bhagyalakshmiji says that she wants to offer ‘temple food’, and this has worked.

Cuisine: Tamil, vegetarian
Must haves: Rava dosa, thatte idli, banana leaf meal, pineapple sheera
Address: CTS 43, Plot 2, Mahavir Compound, Chandivali Farm Road, Chandivali, Mumbai

Greater Mumbai: Thane

30. MH09 Shetkari

Most Indian restaurants in Mumbai offer a dish called ‘Kolhapuri mutton.’ None of which has anything to do with Kolhapur, which is in northern Maharashtra. The seven-year-old MH09 Shetkari is a rare restaurant here that serves Kolhapuri food. By ‘here’ one means Thane! You get excellent Kolhapuri mutton thalis and vegetarian food.
Owner Suraj Sankpal says that he does not offer seafood as that is not typical of Kolhapur. He has made a ‘compromise’ by adding chicken to the menu to meet the preferences of Mumbai diners. If you do meet Suraj, then you will see that he has a lot to talk about Kolhapur, and he can keep you regaled with his stories while your food comes. His mama (maternal uncle) runs the 25-year-old Shetkari restaurant in Kolhapur, which is well-known among locals for its authenticity.

Cuisine: Kolhapuri, Maharashtrian
Must haves: Mutton masala, pandara rassa, jowar roti, zunka bhakri, kheema, modak
Address: 5, Jeevan Vikas Society, Luiswadi, Near Parsik Janta Bank, Panch Pakhadi, Thane West, Thane

 

Note: It is fortuitous that the list came to 30. A few more that I would add are Ram Ashraya at Matunga and Vinay Health Home at Girgaon, but I have gone to these only once, Kayani near Metro Cinema to experience an Irani bakery, Surti Bara Handi at Bohri Mohalla (a rare place where you can try the lost art of Bara Handi cooking), Sunny at Chembur (I’ve gone there only once but it was fab) and Crystal (I am not sure if it is open). Update: I saw a reel saying Crystal has opened in Fort. Talking of Fort, I’d also recommend Folk with its regional Indian set meals which works for those who work in the area as well as for families.

The list is admittedly South Mumbai and Bandra focussed, but use this as a starting point to start your Mumbai explorations, and keep adding to the list in the comment section.