Mumbai's late-night food: Delicious and defiant
Sorry, New York. Mumbai is the original city that never sleeps.
Although we admit we'd wear that title a little more proudly if not for the recent changes in drinking and eating laws that have altered our once-flamboyant, late-night lifestyle. Among the victims of the regulations curbing bar hours are the late-night food hubs that used to attract hungry packs of after-hours diners and debaters.
The good news is that a handful of Mumbai late-night food places have managed to stay busy despite the city's official bar/night club closing time of 12:30am -- which, as we all know, is more like 1:30am.
Below, our tribute to the places that are still keeping our kebabs hot and our not-completely-sober conversations rolling well into tomorrow.
Bademiya
What started 70 years ago as a late-night roadside eatery on a moving cart is now a Mumbai landmark, serving kebabs and baida rotis (eggs in traditional Indian bread) to opinionated crowds who sit at rickety tables, lean on the hoods of cars or just stand, in order to eat what could be the best post-midnight kebabs in Mumbai. No argument about that.
Behind Taj Mahal Hotel, Tulloch Road, Apollo Bunder, +91 (0) 22 2284 8038
Hours: 6pm-1.30am (official closing)
Ayub’s
Late-night restaurants in Mumbai are all about convenience, a truism the staff at Ayub’s takes seriously. Super-quick waiters can rattle off the entire menu by heart, but they usually end up speeding back to customers with Ayub's legendary chicken rolls (everyone seems to want them), a Mumbai late-night food mainstay since 1983. And because the diner is a little tricky to find, it's usually not too crowded.
Shop No. 5, 43, Dr. V.B. Gandhi Marg, Fort (near Rhythm House), +91 (0) 98 2119 9147
Hours: 6.30pm-1.30am
Bharat Dairy and Juice Centre
A sanitized, late-night vegetarian destination close to Marine Drive next to Bharati Vidya Bhavan College, Bharat Dairy and Juice Centre looks like just another hole in the wall. Ask your parents -- they’ll tell you this landmark is known for salty South Indian food, chaat (Bhel and Sev Puri) and toasted take-away sandwiches. But it's most famous for its sickeningly sweet but delicious handmade ice creams, especially the roasted almond and sitafal.
Second Summer Heights, opposite Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, K.M. Munshi Marg, +91 (0) 22 2369 2921
24-hour coffee shops
A rundown of Mumbai late-night food stops wouldn't be complete without a mention of the many 24-hour hotel coffee shops that for years have added a touch of class to the post-drinks parade around town. Popular stops include the Shamiana at the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower in Apollo Bunder, Vista at Taj Lands End in Bandra and Lotus Café at JW Marriott in Juhu. But the Trattoria at Taj President in Cuffe Parade is by far South Mumbai's most popular 24-hour coffee shop, a place so lively at any time of the day that you might come for atmosphere alone. The classic Mumbai late-night food order is the Trattoria's famed pizza, which is some of the best in town. Taj President, 90 Cuffe Parade, +91 (0) 22 6665 0808
