Mumbai's streets have a lot on their platter

Mumbai’s latest street food fad seems to be Chinese bhel, which is fast replacing vada pav stalls. DNA asks Mumbaikars about their favourite street foods and the best place to have them.

Favourite street food
Pani puri
It is a refreshing evening snack after a day's hard work. If prepared well then it is just awesome. I love eating it especially during summers because of the cold water and the ingredients used can rejuvenate one's taste buds.
Recommends: A small stall opposite Sarkari Bhandar, JB Nagar, Andheri (E)

Ajay Dsouza

Favourite street food
Dahi chaat
First of all, it's non-greasy like any other street food so it is healthier than the rest. It has a variety of flavours - tangy, sweet, spicy - and even the texture varies because of the ingredients. There is nothing monotonous about a dahi chaat.
Recommends: A roadside stall at Prabhadevi junction

Ghazala Ansari

Favourite street food
Vada pav and Bhel puri
During Mumbai rains you just feel like sitting near the sea side and indulging in bhel puri or vada pav. The crispy taste of bhel with added spice just adds to the spice of monsoon. Aaram's vada pav has been rated as one of the best places and truly he is the best. The best thing about Vada pav is that it's not messy. So one can eat while travelling.
Recommends: Aaram vada pav at VT; bhel puri stall at Kemps Corner

Aditya Fotedar

Favourite street food
Paani puri
I just love paani puri, it’s tangy and a perfect roadside snack. It does not fill you up too much and at the same time leaves you craving for more. I don't have a particular place where I go. My office is at Kemps Corner so there are many street food vendors. I randomly stop at any shop for paani puri. That's the fun part of street food, you don't have to go to one particular place, its street food.
Recommends: Stalls at Breach Candy

Mehnaz Sultana

Favourite street food
Dosa and paani puri
I enjoy dosas outside my college as they are very yum; it's reasonably priced and the cooking conditions there are quite hygienic as well. Also, we have been eating dosas there for four years, and so he knows us pretty well and we get good treatment. I also enjoy eating paani puri a lot because of its sweet and tangy taste.
Recommends:  Shakti Dosa outside Mithibai College

Chandni Kanoria

Favourite street food
Vada pav and dosa
Vada pav will always be the ultimate favourite Mumbai snack. Apart from that, I love the dosas as these days there is whole range of dosas available. They have more than 25 varieties of dosas and it is quite filling, almost like a meal. I eat out at least once a week.  
Recommends: Khau galli at Ghatkopar (East) -- it is a good place in terms of pricing, variety and taste

Siddhguru Juvekar

Favourite street food
Pav Bhaji
It is the quintessential Mumbai street food. This particular pav bhaji especially makes one keep coming back as it is so delicious. Also, my mom can't make pav bhaji like the one that is available on street. I have this pav bhaji at least twice a week.
Recommends:  Maruti Pav Bhaji, Vile Parle (W)

Pallavi Shah

Favourite street food
Frankie and Dosa
I am a true street food lover. But I keep in mind the hygienic conditions of the roadside stalls while eating. I love frankie, dosa, etc, as they all have different tastes. Vada pav is not in my list because it is oily and I don’t find it very tasty.
Recommends: Chandru at Andheri for paani puri and Jai Hind college canteen for frankie and dosa

Karishma Jaisinghani

Street food reflects city’s cosmopolitan culture

Street food is an essential part of Mumbai. It is not only a part of Mumbai's culture but also its essence. The food matches with the fast-paced life of the city.

I love the taste of Mumbai's street food. The popularity of street food is bounded to locality specific stalls. When I want to eat vada pav, I prefer going to the stall which is near Chhabildas School at Dadar (W). For wade mutton/chicken, I choose the stall which is at Ranade Road opposite Sachin Restaurant.

For pani puri, I prefer the stall which was earlier on 'A' road Churchgate, but now that has shifted to Gamdevi Lane. For toast sandwich, I still go to Worli sea face. The stall's specialty is the particular aaloo ki sabji that they add that

makes the sandwich more delicious. Also, there is a stall at Khar Danda that makes awesome kheema kaleji. And the veg pulav at Nariman Point is very yummy.

The traditional taste of the street food has been modified in the recent times, but I still prefer the old taste. For instance, today many vada pav vendors add tomato and cucumber but I don't enjoy that at all. Experimenting is a part and parcel of food business and vendors do try out new varieties to bring different flavours to the usual, but sometimes the authentic taste is the best.

As more and more eating joints are opening up in the city and people are getting exposed to new titillating varieties of food; fusion food is becoming a part of Mumbai's eating culture too. It is not a bad sign because even though it is making a niche for itself in the city, the old taste is still present and still in demand.

What's really nice is that today one can get customised street food too according to his preference. For example, if I need paani puri I can tell the vendor that I want mash potato and moong rather than the ragda. The main reason behind the variety of street food available in the city is the cosmopolitan culture of Mumbai.

I like the way the Gujarati community experiments with food. This is because they are monetarily well to do. Also, they love to experiment because there is not much variety in vegetarian food items.
Kunal Vijaykar, foodie and comedian