Vada Pav & Mumbai are synonymous!

 Hellloo! Welcome Back to See Mumbai My Way!

When you ask anyone what's one thing that comes to mind when you hear Mumbai, everyone knows it’s the famous Vada Pavs of Mumbai. I’ve been eating this snack since childhood and it has my heart. In this blog, I am going to tell you about my favorite Vada Pav places across Mumbai which I love.

Vada Pav has not introduced to Mumbai very long ago. Ashok Vaidya was the magician who introduced to us this mouth-watering snack. Babasaheb Thackeray encouraged Maharashtrians to become entrepreneurs in the 1960s like the South Indians who had done so by opening Udipi Restaurants. When Vaidya put up a stand outside Dadar Station in 1966, hundreds of thousands of workers were passing by on their way to the textile factories in suburban Parel and Worli. Initially, he sold Vada and Poha next to a booth serving Omelette Pav. It was one of his experiments to add extra flavor by sandwiching a Vada between two pieces of Pav and a chutney Vada Pav, the result of the experiment, became an instant hit in a matter of days.

Vada Pav's popularity skyrocketed in a matter of weeks. It became a popular snack among the working class. Making it was simple, and it was inexpensive and convenient to eat, too. Fast food company McDonald's made its debut in India in the 1990s and quickly expanded. Maharashtra, on the other hand, remained fixated on the Vada Pav, despite Because McDonald's burgers are made according to standard recipe and equipment, this was the main reason for the delay. All the burgers taste the same because of the mechanization. Vada Pav, on the other hand, is a different story. The Vada Pav sold by almost every vendor has a secret recipe and ingredient that sets it apart from the rest.

Even though there are now a variety of Vada Pav businesses in India, Mumbaikars claim that none of them can equal the rusticity and homeliness of their own roadside snack. 'Vada Pav Inc.' was a 5-minute documentary film directed by Aalambayan Sidharth in 2015 that focused on Ashok Vaidya and his career as the inventor of the Vada Pav. World Vada Pav Day is celebrated on August 23 to honor Maharashtra's greatest culinary gift to foodies.

Below is a list of my Fav Vada Pav Places I’d Love you all to try.

1.      Mangesh Vada Pav, Borivali, Mumbai

I have been eating here since my childhood and still crave the same item from his stall. As the sale is very high you will get Vada’s and samosa's hot because the new batch of Vada’s comes, they get sold quickly. Also, the taste of the chutney is so perfect that the blend of all three chutneys is very well balanced. Generally, you will see a rush during evening times because the shop is open only in the evening. A lot of people gather here to taste this Vada pav. Also, try samosa here they are a bit different and spicy. The very special thing about this joint is that Masalas and stuffing are prepared by the same chef since the stall has started so there is no change in the taste for years. Mangesh has been awarded one of the best Vada pav sellers in Mumbai. Do try once. they have 3 stalls, out of which 2 are near Borivali station(west) and one is in Babhai Naka Borivali west Opp to municipality school. They also serve kande bhaji, batata bhaji and much more.

2.      Dhiraj Fast Food

Dhiraj Special Sandwich is exactly opposite Mithibai college and Bhaidas hall very famous landmark. A very compact roadside stall nicely managed all counters (Sandwich, juice, and Vada pav.) A go-to place for every college student. During my college days, this was my almost every day go-to place. With super tasty and pocket-friendly prices, this place is surely a favorite for many students. They serve some really good butter Vada pav, amazing dosas with many varieties, and some real yummy sandwiches. They were the first ones to introduce Grilled Vada pavs and I’ve been obsessed with those since the first time I had it. the steaming hot Vada is sandwiched between buttered pave onions and dry garlic chutney. They are operating for over 5 decades.

3.      Ashok Vada Pav/ Kirti College Vada Pav

Another iconic place where I have been visiting since my childhood is to have crispy Vada pav. Ashok Vada pav aka Kirti College Vada pav center is a stall near Kirti College Dadar serves one of the finest and best Vada pav in Mumbai. Whenever I visit Dadar or nearby places I won't forget to have this iconic Vada pav. I like their unique style of serving the Vada pav with Choora. They also sell only Choora Pav which is also unique. The Vada Pav is filled with Green Chutney, Tamarind Chutney, and Red Sukha Chutney. You can have this Vada pav at any time and it will satisfy your soul. Also, if you visit there be patient as there would be a rush as expected. The evening time is the best so that u can have the hot Vada pav and enjoy the moment around the evening breeze by the seashore.

4.      Thakur Vada Pav

What if you could crunch your way through the tasty Vada Pav? In Dombivli, the Thakur Vada Pav stall is a hidden gem that serves farsan-filled Vada Pavs. There is a lot of corn chiwda, chutney, and onions in the Vada Pav. Every bite is an explosion of flavors in your mouth. Even better is that the flavor of the original Vada is not diminished but rather enhanced. Even Bhajji Pav is sold there. As a result, expect a long wait.