Mumbai’s thriving street food culture is synonymous with butter-laden bhaji and pillowy pav. We’re going on an indulgent trail of the best spots in the city to sample this staple. By Eshita Srinivas
For most locals in the city of dreams, pav bhaji doubles up as a midday snack and a hearty meal all through the year. The comfort food features a blend of staples like tomatoes, potatoes, onions, cauliflower, and peas and is served alongside bread rolls, onions, and a wedge of lime. Most establishments in the city, from swanky restaurants to college canteens, offer the delicacy, adding their own spin to the classic recipe. However, for the most authentic flavours, foodies recommend heading to the streets, where it all began.
The story goes that during the American Civil War in the 1860s, Indian mill workers in Bombay were forced to work overtime in order to bridge the large gap in the supply of cotton. To satiate hunger and keep them going through the day, street food vendors in the city innovated their offerings, blending leftover vegetables with popular spices before serving the same with bread sourced from local bakeries. Over time, the soupy mash firmly established its place in the culinary landscape and is now a popular go-to for locals. Several hole-in-the-wall establishments and street stalls offer the delicacy. We round up a few popular ones that will win you over, one bite at a time.
The best places in Mumbai for a plate of delicious pav bhaji
Amar Juice Centre, Vile Parle
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The best spot to refuel after a night of partying, Amar Juice Centre in Vile Parle offers everything from idlis and dosas to pizzas and sandwiches, all with a side of refreshing fruit juices. Their pav bhaji, however, sells like hotcakes and is marked by a well-spiced bhaji, a dollop of butter, and a generous sprinkle of coriander, complete with crunchy onions and a lime wedge. For something a bit more indulgent, opt for the cheese pav bhaji. There are also options like fried, cheese and dry fruits, tomato, and tomato cheese pav bhaji. Have these with a side of sweet lime or pineapple juice to really round out the night.
Sardar Refreshments, Tardeo
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If indulgence is what you seek with your plate of pav bhaji, this is the spot you should head to. Every plate at this iconic establishment comes with an astonishingly large dollop of butter that melts right into the bhaji. And if that’s not enough, the pav here is soaked in butter as well. Featured across food shows and popular travel vlogs, Sardar Refreshments (colloquially known as Sardar Pav Bhaji) might not be at the top of the lists of foodies of late, but it certainly continues to hold its own in pop culture. Drop by on a cheat day to see what the hype is all about.
Manohar Pav Bhaji, Girgaon
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This underrated, quaint spot in the city is a local go-to for buttery pav bhaji and pulao. The former features a delicious balance of flavours and comes with a generous yet well-proportioned dollop of butter. You could also get a butter-laden pav as well as fried or masala onions (kanda) to go with it. Weekends get packed, so be sure to head there early. You might also have to wait in line if you’re there during rush hour.
Maji Sagar, Tardeo
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Unlike most other spots on this list, Maji Sagar is a restaurant rather than a street food stall. The establishment is known for its South Indian fare like idli, sambar, and masala dosa. However, the pav bhaji here is worth writing home about and comes in flavour options like Kasai, cheese, paneer, and masala. The ratio of bhaji to pav here is ideal, with the former being tangy and spiced just right. The latter also comes in a masala variant which is popular amongst locals. Besides the delicious flavours, this spot is ideal for those a bit worried about hygiene during a pandemic.
Sukh Sagar, Chowpatty
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Yet another South Indian (Udipi, to be specific) restaurant, Sukh Sagar has been around for over 20 years. On the menu are a host of snacks as well as butter idli, sambar, falooda, and milkshakes. The classic pav bhaji here is quite popular and served hot with four crispy yet fluffy pavs. The delicacy is served only after 11 am and comes in a cheese-loaded and khada variant as well. Their Jain masala pav comes highly recommended as well.
Shabari, Santa Cruz
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This underrated establishment in the city serves delicious paneer butter masala, Mysore dosa, tawa pulao, falooda, and sambar. That said, it’s the pav bhaji that brings locals back for more. An extensive menu of the staple includes options like cheese, tomato, tomato cheese, masala, khada, and more. You could have your bhaji with masala pav, masala papad, and roasted papad. There’s also the option to sample a pav sandwich. Like every good classic rendition, the pav bhaji here is underlined by a ton of butter, a delicious balance of masala, and fluffy pav.
Maa Anjani Pav Bhaji Centre, Borivali
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This spot in the city is most known for its unique take on food. Pav Bhaji is a colourful affair here, with options like black pav bhaji, red pav bhaji, and green pav bhaji, which feature a tangy mash and deliciously buttery bread. If you can’t handle your spice, try the white pav bhaji. Other flavours on offer are paneer, cheese, and khada. Also recommended here are the masala pav and masala khichiya. The portions here are generous, so be sure to save up an appetite before you head here.
Shree Siddhivinayak Fast Food, Juhu
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Locals who head to Juhu to walk along the waters of the Arabian Sea as the sun sets, often pop by this spot in the city. On offer at this fast food joint are masala pav, paneer chilli, tawa pulao and a host of snacks. However, it’s the indulgent pav bhaji, made right in front of your eyes and loaded with cheese, that’s popular. Expect the perfect amount of butter and coriander on your plate as well. It does get quite crowded here, especially after dusk and on weekends, but the flavours are worth the wait.
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