32 cheap eats rooms in Mumbai, editor-picked. the best low-budget rooms in Mumbai: the places editors actually return to. All Mumbai food.
Kyani and Co ★ 4.8
marine-lines · 657 Jer Mahal Estate, Dr Dadabhai Naoroji Road, Marine Lines, Mumbai 400002
Kyani and Co opened in 1904, making it Mumbai's oldest Irani cafe. Bun maska, brun maska, mawa cake and the sweet milky chai have not changed in a century.
Tip: Mornings until 11:00 are the best time; the cafe fills with regulars by lunch.
Kyani and Co ★ 4.8
marine-lines · 657 Jer Mahal Estate, Dr Dadabhai Naoroji Road, Marine Lines, Mumbai 400002
Kyani and Co in Mumbai: irani cafe room. Mumbai's oldest Irani cafe (1904) hides behind a faded yellow facade on Marine Lines; the regulars.
Tip: Bun maska and Irani chai, share a mawa cake; cash easiest. Cash and card both accepted.
Sassoon Dock Fish Market ★ 4.7
colaba · Sassoon Dock Road, Colaba, Mumbai 400005
Sassoon Dock Fish Market in Mumbai: market room. Mumbai's oldest wet dock (1875) hides at the southern tip of Colaba; the koli morning sees only.
Tip: Arrive between 05:00 and 07:00; cash and a cooler bag for the catch.
Cafe Madras ★ 4.6
matunga · Kamakshi Building, 391/B Bhaudaji Road, Matunga East, Mumbai 400019
Cafe Madras at Kings Circle has poured South Indian filter coffee since 1940. The idli is steamed in cotton batter; the masala dosa is the benchmark.
Tip: Closed Monday; weekend mornings queue from 07:00. Cash and card both accepted.
Ashok Vaidya Vada Pav ★ 4.6
matunga · Platform 1, Dadar Railway Station (Western Line), Dadar West, Mumbai 400028
The Vaidya family stall outside Dadar Station has sold vada pav at the same platform since Ashok Vaidya invented the format in 1966. Narendra now runs it.
Tip: Cash only; arrive before 09:00 to skip the commuter queue. Cash and card both accepted.
Sardar Pav Bhaji ★ 4.6
tardeo · 166-A Tardeo Main Road Junction, Tardeo, Mumbai 400034
Sardar at the Tardeo bus depot has been the Mumbai pav bhaji benchmark for decades. Butter swims on the griddle; the masala is hot and the pav is buttered.
Tip: Counter service runs faster than table service; ask for the extra-butter version.
Ashok Vaidya Vada Pav ★ 4.6
matunga · Platform 1, Dadar Railway Station (Western Line), Dadar West, Mumbai 400028
The original vada pav stall outside Dadar Station charges INR 25 a piece. Narendra Vaidya carries on what his father Ashok started in 1966 on the same.
Tip: Cash only; arrive before 09:00 to skip the commuter queue. Cash and card both accepted.
Kyani and Co ★ 4.6
marine-lines · 657 Jer Mahal Estate, Dr Dadabhai Naoroji Road, Marine Lines, Mumbai 400002
Kyani still prices bun maska at INR 30 and Irani chai at INR 25. Two of each plus a mawa cake comes to INR 100; the breakfast price has barely moved.
Tip: Mornings until 11:00 are the best time; pay cash. Cash and card both accepted.
Sardar Pav Bhaji ★ 4.6
tardeo · 166-A Tardeo Main Road Junction, Tardeo, Mumbai 400034
Sardar charges INR 150 for the canonical Mumbai pav bhaji. Cheese version runs INR 200; counter service is faster than table service at busy lunch hours.
Tip: Counter service is fastest; ask for the extra-butter version.
Cafe Madras ★ 4.5
matunga · Kamakshi Building, 391/B Bhaudaji Road, Matunga East, Mumbai 400019
Cafe Madras at Kings Circle has poured Chennai-style filter coffee since 1940. The idli is steamed in cotton batter; the masala dosa is the benchmark.
Tip: Mondays are closed; Sunday breakfast queue starts at 07:00. Cash and card both accepted.
A Rama Nayak Udipi Shri Krishna ★ 4.5
matunga · 1st Floor LBS Market Building, Lakhamsi Nappu Road, Matunga East, Mumbai 400019
A Rama Nayak's Udipi Shri Krishna Boarding has run the unlimited South Indian thali in Matunga since 1942. Banana leaves, ghee roast, sambar refills.
Tip: Lunch only here; book the upstairs hall ahead for groups of six or more guests.
A Rama Nayak Udipi Shri Krishna ★ 4.5
matunga · 1st Floor LBS Market Building, Lakhamsi Nappu Road, Matunga East, Mumbai 400019
A Rama Nayak's Udipi Shri Krishna Boarding has run an unlimited South Indian thali in Matunga since 1942. Banana leaves, ghee roast, sambar refills.
Tip: Lunch only on weekdays here; book the upstairs hall ahead for groups of six or more guests.
Yazdani Bakery ★ 4.5
fort · Ground Floor, Fountain Akbar Ally, St Thomas Cathedral, Fort, Mumbai 400001
Yazdani has fired bread and brun in a small Fort alley off Akbar Ally for more than six decades. The brun is still pulled from a wood-fired oven each morning.
Tip: Closed Sundays; bread sells out by 14:00. Cash and card both accepted.
Kyani and Co ★ 4.5
marine-lines · 657 Jer Mahal Estate, Dr Dadabhai Naoroji Road, Marine Lines, Mumbai 400002
Mumbai's oldest Irani cafe (1904) is also its oldest Irani bakery. The bakery counter at the front sells bun, brun. Editor's TableJourney pick.
Tip: The counter rounds prices to the rupee; cash easiest. Cash and card both accepted.
Sassanian Boulangerie ★ 4.5
marine-lines · 98 Marine View, 1st Marine Street, Dhobi Talao, Mumbai 400002
Mr Rustom K Yazdabadi opened Sassanian on 1st Marine Street in 1913. The bakery oven has stayed lit ever since; bun maska, brun, fried egg pav, mawa cake.
Tip: Breakfast prices are still 1980s low; cash works easiest. Cash and card both accepted.
A Rama Nayak Udipi Shri Krishna ★ 4.5
matunga · 1st Floor LBS Market Building, Lakhamsi Nappu Road, Matunga East, Mumbai 400019
A Rama Nayak Udipi Shri Krishna is a udupi south indian room in Matunga. The unlimited thali; come hungry, take the lift to the first floor.
Tip: The unlimited thali; come hungry, take the lift to the first floor.
Cafe Madras ★ 4.5
matunga · Kamakshi Building, 391/B Bhaudaji Road, Matunga East, Mumbai 400019
Cafe Madras serves filter coffee and a Mysore masala dosa for around INR 200 across two. The thali at lunch comes in similarly priced; cash and card both.
Tip: Closed Mondays; arrive at 07:00 on weekends. Cash and card both accepted.
A Rama Nayak Udipi Shri Krishna ★ 4.5
matunga · 1st Floor LBS Market Building, Lakhamsi Nappu Road, Matunga East, Mumbai 400019
A Rama Nayak's unlimited thali on banana leaves runs INR 280 a head. Sambar, ghee roast, four vegetable curries, rice and dessert. Cash easiest.
Tip: Lunch only on weekdays; weekend dinner runs quietest. Cash and card both accepted.
Sassanian Boulangerie ★ 4.4
marine-lines · 98 Marine View, 1st Marine Street, Dhobi Talao, Mumbai 400002
Rustom K Yazdabadi opened Sassanian on 1st Marine Street in 1913. The bakery oven has stayed lit ever since; bun maska, brun, fried egg pav and mawa cake.
Tip: Mawa cakes sell out by lunch; arrive early. Cash and card both accepted.
Chowpatty Beach Bhel and Chaat Carts ★ 4.4
chowpatty · Chowpatty Beach, Marine Drive, Girgaon Chowpatty, Mumbai 400007
Chowpatty Beach sunset means dozens of bhel and chaat carts firing up. Bhel puri, sev puri, pani puri, dahi puri from numbered carts down the promenade.
Tip: Cart numbers 1 to 10 are the established ones; cash easiest.
Elco Restaurant and Market ★ 4.4
bandra-west · 46 Hill Road, Bandra West, Mumbai 400050
Elco on Hill Road has been the Bandra chaat benchmark for decades. The pani puri counter is at the front, the seated restaurant at the back.
Tip: Counter service is fastest; the upstairs seating fills at weekends.
Juhu Beach Chaat ★ 4.3
juhu · Juhu Beach Promenade, Juhu Tara Road, Juhu, Mumbai 400049
Juhu Beach's evening chaat strip runs from sundown until past midnight. Pav bhaji on butter griddles, dahi puri assembled to order, ragda pattice and bhel.
Tip: Cart numbers 11 to 20 are the established ones; cash easiest, ask for the spice level.
Yazdani Bakery ★ 4.3
fort · Ground Floor, Fountain Akbar Ally, St Thomas Cathedral, Fort, Mumbai 400001
Yazdani Bakery in Mumbai: Tucked in a tiny Fort alley off Akbar Ally, no signage, easy to miss; the wood-fired oven has stayed lit for six decades.
Tip: Brun maska with Irani chai is the order; closed Sundays. Cash and card both accepted.
Pancham Puriwala ★ 4.2
fort · 8-10 Perin Nariman Street, Fort, Mumbai 400001
Pancham Puriwala near CSMT has fried puris and served thali to Bombay commuters since 1848. UP migrants who succeeded in the puri trade opened the room.
Tip: Cash easiest; lunch service is fastest before 12:30. Cash and card both accepted.
Yazdani Bakery ★ 4.2
fort · Ground Floor, Fountain Akbar Ally, St Thomas Cathedral, Fort, Mumbai 400001
Yazdani Bakery has fired bread and brun in a small Fort alley off Akbar Ally for over six decades. Brun maska with chai is the canonical order.
Tip: Closed Sundays; the bread runs out by 14:00 most days. Cash and card both accepted.
Marine Drive Bhutta and Chai Carts ★ 4.2
marine-lines · Marine Drive Promenade, Mumbai 400020
Marine Drive at sundown means chai-walas, bhutta carts and roasted peanut sellers along the promenade. The chai is poured from a thermos into paper cups.
Tip: The Necklace lights up at sundown; carts run until past midnight.
Fort Vada Pav Stalls ★ 4.2
fort · Horniman Circle and DN Road, Fort, Mumbai 400001
Fort's vada pav circuit runs Horniman Circle, DN Road and Flora Fountain at office-lunch hours. Mill-worker rates have held; the chutney is still made.
Tip: Lunch break 12:30 to 14:00 is the busy hour; before 12:00 is calmer.
Pancham Puriwala ★ 4.2
fort · 8-10 Perin Nariman Street, Fort, Mumbai 400001
Pancham Puriwala by CSMT runs the Pancham Thali (puri, sabzi, dal, rice, papad, chutney, sweet) for INR 250 a head. Open since 1848, lunch counter only.
Tip: Lunch service runs fastest before 12:30; cash easiest. Cash and card both accepted.
Fort Vada Pav Stalls ★ 4.2
fort · Horniman Circle and DN Road, Fort, Mumbai 400001
Fort's vada pav stalls along Horniman Circle and DN Road price at INR 30 a piece. Mill-worker rates have held; the chutney is made every morning.
Tip: Office-lunch hours (12:30-14:00) busiest; calm before 12:00.
Sukh Sagar ★ 4.0
chowpatty · Ground Floor, Marina Mansion, SVP Road, Chowpatty, Mumbai 400007
Sukh Sagar at Chowpatty has run a pure-veg multicuisine menu for four decades. Pav bhaji, sandwiches, dosas and the South Indian counter run all day.
Tip: Crowded counter, table service runs slower; takeaway at the front is faster.
Pancham Puriwala ★ 4.0
fort · 8-10 Perin Nariman Street, Fort, Mumbai 400001
Pancham Puriwala is open since 1848 near csmt, no signage, no marketing; the pancham thali has been the same for four generations of mumbaikars.
Tip: Pancham Thali with extra puris. Cash and card both accepted.
Sukh Sagar ★ 4.0
chowpatty · Ground Floor, Marina Mansion, SVP Road, Chowpatty, Mumbai 400007
Sukh Sagar at Chowpatty has run a pure-veg multicuisine menu for four decades. The pav bhaji is INR 220, sandwiches and dosas around the same.
Tip: Takeaway at the front counter is faster than table service. Cash and card both accepted.