Your Guide to Delicious Mumbai Street Food: 21 Must-Try Dishes

A wise man once observed, “You haven’t really visited a nation unless you’ve sampled its cuisine.” In a nation as vast and diverse as India, it is more like You have never really visited an Indian city until you have sampled its cuisine. Every city has its own distinct taste and street cuisine.

When you first arrive in Mumbai, you would notice the delightful fragrances emanating from street food seller roadside kiosks. Be warned: you will find yourself salivating and desiring a taste. Take the time to taste any (or all, if you’re feeling ambitious!) of these delectable Mumbai street food delicacies; you won’t be disappointed.

1. Vada Pav

Vada Pav is the one street meal in Bombay that is absolutely everywhere, on every street corner (also called Vada Pao). You should give it a go. It consists of a deep-fried potato patty (Batata Vada) placed between two slices of white bread called pav. In some ways, it’s similar to an Indian burger, but extremely different from what you’re probably accustomed to.

Several chutneys are served with it by various vendors. Sweet imli (tamarind) chutney and spicy green chutney prepared with mint and coriander are the most frequent. Pickled green chilies and dry garlic chutney are also served with Vada Pav.

2. Sev Puri

Sev Puri is a famous chaat dish (street food snack) that can be found at any street food vendor in Mumbai. Crispy papdis (wheat crackers) are topped with cooked potatoes, chopped onions, tomatoes, and a variety of sweet, sour, and spicy chutneys. Vendors finish the dish with sev (thin, fried gram flour vermicelli), roasted chana dal, peanuts, and coriander. It’s similar to a fast food staple, but better. With one mouthful, you’ll understand why it’s so popular.

3. Bhel Puri

When hunger strikes, go to one of the numerous street food shops and get one of the city’s famous street foods: bhel puri. Puffed rice, chopped tomatoes, onions, potatoes, sev, peanuts, and at least two or three varieties of sweet, spicy, and acidic chutneys are used to make this famous chaat. Everything is prepared in front of you and served hot!

4. Pav Bhaji

Rich vegetable curry topped with plenty of butter and served on buttered pav. On the side, there are chopped onions, pickled chiles, and a slice of lemon. The bhaji (curry) is a kind of street cuisine that is prepared with mashed potatoes, onions, peas, bell peppers, capsicum, tomatoes, and carrots. To bring forth the actual taste of the bhaji, a variety of Indian spices are added.

5. Ragda Patties

These shallow-fried potato patties topped with chopped onions, sev, and coriander are one of the most exquisite street food mainstays, brimming with incomparable taste. Mop up the sauce with the patties, much as you would with naan (bread) in your favorite Indian restaurant back home. It’s a real delight.

6. Bhajiya (or Pakode)

Bhajiya, also known as Pakode, are vegetable fritters cooked by deep-frying potato slices, seasoned onions, paneer pieces, spinach leaves, or long green chilies in a batter consisting of besan (chickpea flour), spices, and chilies. This is an excellent street food snack to pair with chai!

7. Vegetable Cheese Toast Sandwich

This Bombay street snack has a more memorable name and is as tasty. It is made out of buttered bread toast with a variety of veggies stuffed within. The main ingredients are sliced potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, and beetroot. Most street food sellers add green chutney as well along with spices including salt, amchur, and chaat masala. To end, the sandwich is topped with 2 to 3 varieties of chutneys and a generous amount of shredded cheese.

8. Jini Dosa

Instead of mashed potatoes, Jini Dosa is stuffed with chopped onions, capsicum, green onions, Schezwan sauce, and a generous amount of butter and grated cheese. The traditional fermented batter of rice flour and lentils is used to make the Dosa (crepe). For a calming taste boost, most Jini dosa street food meals are served with white coconut chutney and tomato chutney.

9. Poha

Poha, originally a Gujarati delicacy, has taken Bombay by storm and has become one of the city’s most famous morning street dishes. Flattened rice flakes are cooked with onions, peas, peanuts, and spices. After you eat it, you’ll understand why it’s a popular street meal among locals.

10. Dabeli

Dabeli is the tenth Indian street dish in Mumbai that you must have if you visit the city. It is a sweet and spicy Gujarati food that can be found on the streets of Bombay. Street sellers split pav bread in half and load it with potato filling, sweet-and-spicy chutneys, and plenty of seasoned roasted peanuts. To make the dabeli bun hot and crispy, it is generally tossed in butter (and all the more thrilling to your taste buds).

11. Keema Pav

The minced chicken or mutton (goat meat) in this Mumbai street food curry dish is cooked with tomatoes, onions, ginger, garlic, and khada masalas (whole spices). It comes with one or two pavs. Keep in mind that this is obviously a non-vegetarian meal.

12. Akuri on Toast

You’ve heard of beans on toast; now meet akuri on toast. Scrambled eggs cooked in delectable Indian spices, chopped chilies, cilantro, and fried onions are served on buttered bread. The finished consistency is exactly right—not too thin, not too thick. Akuri is a popular Parsi dish that is here to stay.

13. Kulhad Wali Chai with Bun Maska

Chai is a traditional Indian tea beverage created by steeping black tea leaves in milk and water. Sugar and Indian spices such as dalchini (cinnamon), elaichi (cardamom), and dry ginger powder are also mixed in.

It is served with buttered bread buns in handleless clay cups called Kulhad (bun maska). You may also request that the street food seller add jam on the bun in addition to the butter.

14. Misal Pav

The Misal curry is composed with matki sprouts (moth beans; believe me, they taste better than their English name implies) and potatoes, as well as tomatoes, onions, and spices. It comes with a couple of pavs. Typically, the dish is topped with sev, chopped onions, coriander, and besan gathiya (roasted chickpea flour chunks).

15. Chicken Shawarma

If you’ve ever been to the Middle East, you’ll know this mouthwatering treat. It has found its way to India’s melting pot and has become a popular street meal in Mumbai. Spiced grilled chicken pieces are peeled from the spinning shawarma skewer. The wrap is often constructed with fermented all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, or a combination of the two.

The filling incorporates sour tomato chutney, mayonnaise, cabbage, and pickled beetroot in addition to the chicken for an unexpected explosion of flavor. Chicken shawarma may also be accompanied with sliced onions, capsicum, and green chutney.

16. Bhutta

Bhutta, also known as Chhalli, is corn on the cob grilled over flames on a charcoal burner. This gives such a basic vegetable its distinct taste and smoky scent. Before serving, the corn is coated with lemon and spices.

17. Kulfi

You must sample Kulfi, a typical Indian street cuisine ice cream prepared with sweetened sweet simmering milk. It’s popular for a variety of reasons, including the variety of flavors available. Pistachio, malai (custard), mango, and badam are the most popular tastes in Mumbai (almond). Grab yours to feel rejuvenated right away, but eat it immediately before it melts.

18. Meetha Paan

Paan is a refreshing snack (or, rather, stimulant) that is widely available on Mumbai’s streets. Since it contains no tobacco, meetha paan (sweet paan) does not need to be spat out like other paans.

Meetha pan is created using a betel leaf as the foundation. Dates, gulkand (a flavored rose petals combination), supari (areca nut), fennel seeds, shredded coconut, dried fruits, raisins, tutti frutti, and cherry make up the stuffing.

19. Falooda

In Mumbai, falooda is a popular dish. Sweetened flavored milk, condensed milk, ice cream or kulfi, falooda sev (cooked vermicelli), sabja seeds (sweet basil seeds), and dried fruits are used to make it. It is available at almost every street food vendor and should not be overlooked.

20. Chana Jor Garam

This easy deep-fried flattened black gram (Kala chana) dish is a fast munchy snack that Mumbai residents like. Chana is combined with diced tomatoes, onions, coriander, and spices like as chaat masala, amchur, and black salt to make this dish.

21. Ice Gola

Actually, this Mumbai Indian street snack has nothing to do with the fizzy drink of the same name. Rather, ice gola is a delectably simple treat that will leave you feeling utterly rejuvenated. It’s constructed of crushed ice with your favorite sharbats on top (or flavored syrups). You may have it taste like mango, pineapple, flowers, or anything you like. A malai gola with sweetened condensed milk is also available for added enjoyment.

Which street food delicacies are on your must-try list?