Mumbai
Mumbai
AS MODERN AND SOPHISTICATED as Mumbai is, Mumbaikars cannot do without its dynamic street food culture. Nothing beats a serving of vada pav (deep fried potato dumpling placed inside a bread bun sliced in half through the middle) and cutting chai after a long day. The countless idli-sambar joints scattered across the city continue to be breakfast hubs for locals who hustle to work every morning. South Indian fare can be found easily in the suburbs of Mumbai, but Café Madras takes the cake in this category. Much like its overarching cosmopolitan character, the street food scene in Mumbai also draws from several cultures. One of the other popular street snacks, the pav bhaji, is said to have its origins in the US. Food historians trace its history back to the 1840s, when Mumbai merchants trading cotton made fortunes, thanks to the global shortage caused by the American Civil War. These businessmen started work early and finished late, so local hawkers created a fastfood snack of curried vegetables and mashed potatoes, with a side of buttery bread roll, for traders to munch at the end of a long day. Cannon Pav Bhaji, opposite Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, which opens as early as 7 am, is a popular joint that serves up a mean plate of this snack. Roadside sandwich stalls are likely to catch your fancy if you’re visiting for the first time. Save some space for this bestselling snack at the Sai Ganesh Sandwich Stall near St Xavier’s College that offers over 50 freshly-made varieties.