1. Ghewar Chaat at Trèsind Mumbai The traditional Rajasthani dessert ghewar (disc-shaped sweet with a honeycomb-like texture) is a well-known favourite. At Trèsind, Mumbai, it’s combined with chaat.
Other menu favourites are nalli nihari (mutton stew) eaten with khari (puff pastry).
2. Rawa fried bombil at Chaitanya Restaurant Chefs hail the rawa fried bombil (Bombay duck marinated in semolina) at Dadar’s Chaitanya Restaurant.
A deep dive into the roots of Chaitanya tells us that the history of the family that runs it, is closely rooted in Malvani culture.
The Walke family hails from the Malvan area — Sindhudurg town famous for its fishing history — and wields their time-tested recipes at Chaitanya.
3. GSB Saraswat Cuisine at Maaslli Saddled with ingredients such as coconut oil, tamarind, jaggery, vegetables, fruits, and seafood, the vegetarian-centric GSB Saraswat cuisine is native to the coastal regions of India.
The cuisine style is native to the community of Konkan-speaking, fish-eating Brahmins that had migrated here over the last five decades. A cult classic here is the bombil thali (platter of Bombay duck).
4. Chicken Sanju Baba at Noor Mohammadi Hotel One of the most iconic dishes at Noor Mohammadi Hotel located off Mohammed Ali Road’s Bhendi Bazaar is the Chicken Sanju Baba named after the actor Sanjay Dutt.
The story goes that the recipe for this was shared by the actor on one of his visits to the hotel.
5. Savoury spicy churros at Lyla Chances are you’ve eaten the usual versions of churros (cylindrical star-striped pieces of fried dough) until now — the ones that ask you to dip them in generous helpings of chocolate.
Welcome to the other side of the churros world where things are done slightly differently. At Lyla, savoury spicy churros are served.
6. Banana walnut ice cream at K Rustom Since 1953, this spot in Churchgate has been churning magic (literally) through its sandwich ice creams. A few hit flavours are the paan (betel), ginger lemon, and choco-roasted almond crunch.
7. Pulled pork theplas at Bombay Canteen What to eat when at The Bombay Canteen? The answer is unanimous: methi theplas (flatbreads made of fenugreek) filled with Goan pulled pork vindaloo (a Goan curry characterised by its intense heat and tangy flavours).