Mumbai’s favorite fast food is the vada pav, a simple concoction of a deep-fried potato patty with coriander and spices (the vada) in bread (pav). Street stalls around the city are some of the best places to try this quintessential snack. We’ve got you covered with this list of Mumbai’s most popular spots to pick one up.
This small stall in Dadar is one of Mumbai’s oldest and most popular vada pav joints. Patrons include Madhuri Dixit, Shabana Azmi, Sonu Nigam and other Bollywood celebrities. Set up by Ashok Thakur over 35 years ago, the stall serves thousands of customers on a daily basis. It’s open from 11am to 9:30pm and costs about Rs 15 per vada pav.
Mr. Yashawant Moreshwar Vaze and Mrs. Uma Vaze, started serving vada pav from their home window in 1968. Soon their vadas were dubbed khidki (window) vadas, a name Mr. Vaze trademarked in 1991. Their crispy vadas continue to remain a hot favorite among Kalyan residents.
This joint’s famous vada pav will make your day with its melt-in-your-mouth-soft pav and hot, fresh and delicately spiced filling. Dhiraj is packed with customers from opening time at 7:30am to closing at 11:30pm, but service is incredibly quick, another trademark characteristic of Mumbai’s most popular vada-pav stalls. Their buttery dosas are another must-try.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Marg, Vile Parle West, Mumbai
This joint’s fresh and hot vada pav have a huge fan following in Dadar. The stall is open from 9am to 10pm and is located right by the Shiv Sena Bhavan.
Shop no. 2, Sambhaji Nagar, Akurli Road, Kandivali East, Mumbai
This famous joint, right opposite Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station, is over 70 years old. The thousands of customers it serves on a daily basis are a clear sign that Aaram is here to stay. Their soft and fresh pavs are accompanied by hot, crispy and distinctively large vadas. Their fabulous garlic chutney is not to be missed. They also serve variations of the snack, including delicious cheese vada pav.
128, Hazarimal Somani Rd, Azad Maidan, Fort, Mumbai
This Thane joint has been serving its delicious, spicy vada pav since 1978. Be sure to try the crispy, freshly cooked vada-pav with their famous, lightly spiced chutney. The stall is open from 7:30am to 10pm letting you feast on these delicacies for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Chhatrapati Sambhaji Rd, Thane West, Thane
This small stall located right outside the Byculla railway station is almost two decades old. The joint is family-run like most other small vada pav stalls in the city. Their midly spiced vadas are freshly cooked, and the result of years of experimenting by the founding family.
Outside Byculla Station (Dr. B A Road), Mumbai
This stall, over 35 years old, is a hot favorite in the city with hundreds of Mumbai locals stopping by on a daily basis. Their variations of the snack, particularly their schezwan and cheese schezwan vada pav, are popular among students of neighboring colleges.
Outside Mithibai college, Vile Parle West, Mumbai