A monsoon food crawl through Mumbai: 8 stops, one umbrella, ₹400.
The full route, in order
- 10:00am, Dadar West: Ashok Vada Pav, ₹18. Cutting chai from the stall next door, ₹12. The vada is fresh from the fryer at 10 sharp; get there earlier and you're waiting.
- 11:30am, Prabhadevi: Prakash Shakes for a Sitaphal cream, ₹110. Split with a friend. The old Marathi families come here after Siddhivinayak darshan.
- 12:45pm, Bandra West: Elco Pani Puri Centre on Hill Road. Four plates of six between two of us, ₹80 per plate. The water is filtered and safe. Do not do pani puri anywhere in Mumbai except at a place with a filtered-water sign.
- 3:00pm, Fort: Aaram at Capitol Cinema junction. Missal pav ₹110 and a solkadhi ₹40. The oldest missal pav counter in South Bombay and it shows.
- 4:30pm, Kala Ghoda: Khyber for kebabs (too expensive for a crawl, ₹850 for the assorted plate) OR Kyani for bun maska ₹80 and Irani chai ₹30. I chose Kyani and I don't regret it.
- 5:45pm, Marine Lines: Vinay Health Home for panipuri and sev batata puri, ₹140. Older and less-touristed than the Bandra option.
- 7:00pm, Colaba: Bademiya kebab roll, chicken tikka roll ₹280. Yes it's touristy. Yes the roll is still good.
- 8:00pm, Fountain area: Sardar Refreshments for a final phaluda kulfi, ₹150. Best kulfi I've had outside of Delhi's Jama Masjid.
Cost check
| Stop | Item | Cost (₹) |
|---|---|---|
| Ashok Vada Pav | Vada pav + chai | 30 |
| Prakash Shakes | Sitaphal cream (split) | 55 |
| Elco Pani Puri | Two plates (split) | 80 |
| Aaram | Missal pav + solkadhi | 150 |
| Kyani & Co | Bun maska + chai | 110 |
| Vinay Health Home | Panipuri + sev batata (split) | 70 |
| Bademiya | Chicken tikka roll (split) | 140 |
| Sardar | Phaluda kulfi (split) | 75 |
| Transport (local trains + autos) | Day pass + fares | 120 |
| TOTAL for two people | 8 stops + transport | 830 |
| Per person | 415 |
How monsoon changes things
Every stop on this list is under a shed or in a room. That's not an accident. Pick your Mumbai food crawl for outdoor eating and monsoon will ruin it. The Bandra pani puri counter is under a canopy. Aaram in Fort has indoor seating. Even Bademiya has a covered pavement. The only fully-outdoor stop was Ashok Vada Pav at 10am and Dadar's rain was light enough at that hour.
The local trains are your friend. Second-class general is fine at these hours (avoid 8:30-11am rush entirely, avoid 6-9pm rush). Auto-rickshaws inside Bandra and Fort. Nothing else moves in monsoon Mumbai.
What went wrong
My umbrella died at Kyani. I put it down on a chair next to me, ate my bun maska, and stood up to leave. The metal spokes had bent from all the wind resistance across Bandra. Nothing to be done. I walked to Marine Lines in the rain, got there wetter than I'd been all day, and my next-stop kulfi tasted twice as good for it.
Buy a proper monsoon umbrella from a Mumbai shop, not a cheap one from your home city. The Mumbai ones are wind-tested. Cost me ₹350 on Monday to replace and it survived the rest of the trip.
What I'd redo
- Start earlier. 9am at Ashok Vada Pav means fresher vadas and thinner rain.
- Skip Bademiya. It's fine but for the same price you can get better at Ayub's in Grant Road.
- Add one non-food stop. Prince of Wales Museum (now CSMVS) is 15 minutes and breaks the intensity of the crawl. Or the David Sassoon Library reading room. Both free or ₹150.
- Go with two people minimum. Every plate is meant to be shared. Solo you'll be too full by stop three.
Frequently asked questions
Is Mumbai worth visiting in monsoon?
Yes if you like food and rain. No if you want a beach trip. Mumbai in monsoon has half the crowd of December and every good restaurant is open.
How much for a Mumbai street food crawl?
₹400 to ₹500 per person for a full-day 8-stop crawl including transport. Individual items run ₹18 to ₹280.
Where to eat vada pav in Mumbai?
Ashok Vada Pav in Dadar West is my favourite. Anand Stall outside Kirti College Parle is also excellent. Skip the ones outside train stations.
What went wrong on my Mumbai food crawl?
My umbrella died mid-crawl at Kyani because I'd brought a cheap one from Bengaluru. Buy a Mumbai-tested umbrella in the city (₹350 gets you a proper one).
Best time for a Mumbai food crawl?
Monsoon (July to September) if you want the dramatic version. October to February for the comfortable version. Avoid weekend evenings; the crowd is impossible.
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