Looking for the best misal pav in Mumbai? Spicy, savoury and with lots of pungency and heat to it, misal pav is a street food favourite and you’ll find this dish practically in every corner of the city. This popular snack and breakfast dish features a spicy red curry with sprouted beans, topped with farsan or sev, chopped onions, coriander and a dash of lemon for that zesty flavour. It’s served with soft, white pav for a comforting meal that’s also easy on the pocket.
The traditional misal pav has many iterations, and in Mumbai you’re likely to find a mix of all. From a fiery Kolhapuri misal, to the Puneri-style misal (featuring moong and matki), and more. We speak to different tastemakers and top foodies in the city for their recommendations on where to get the best misal pav in Mumbai.
Best misal pav in Mumbai
Ladu Samrat, Parel
“I quite like the misal pav at Ladu Samrat (Shop No:1 Habib Terrace Lalbaug, Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Road, Ganesh Gully, Parel. Call: 8686002016). It’s not overly spicy and has just the right amount of pulses. They even serve the misal with accompaniments like farsan and poha on the side.” Chef Niyati Rao, Ekaa
Aaswad, Dadar West
“I remember trying the misal pav at Ladu Samrat and that’s really quite good. They do a spicy version for those who like it that way. Apart from that, Aaswad (Sanskruti Building Gadkari Chowk, 4, Lady Jamshedji Road, opposite Shiv Sena Bhavan, Dadar West, Call: 24451871) does a pretty good misal pav. It’s got the right amount of heat and is served with a pool of sev and farsan on top.” Vicky Ratnani, chef and culinary consultant
“Aaswad has been a go-to for me when it comes to misal pav. What I like about theirs is that the farsan is made in-house and it's never soggy. It’s perfectly crunchy and the misal itself is tempered with this garlic-hing-jeera mixture. Not to mention, the spice levels are just right.” Hussain Shahzad, executive chef, The Bombay Canteen and O Pedro
Suruchi Misal House, Thane West
“Suruchi Misal House (Shop Number 2, Saraswati Niwas, Gokhale Road, Thane West, opposite Malhar Cinema. Call:9869635035) offers different varieties of misal, from the Puneri-style misal which is low on spice and served with a side of poha to a fiery Kolhapuri-style misal served with kanda-lasan. So, you really get a taste of Maharashtra all in one place.” Sanjyot Keer, chef, digital content creator and founder, Your Food Lab
Mamledar Misal, Thane, and Prakash Shakahari Upahar Kendra, Dadar West
“For a really spicy and fiery misal pav, I would recommend heading to Mamledar Misal (opposite Zilla Parishad, Talav Pali, Naupada, Thane West. Call: 9594847929). Apart from that, if you want to try a traditional misal without the pav then Prakash Shakahari Upahar Kendra (9/10, Horizon Building, Gokhale Road North, Dadar West. Call:022 24386094) is a good bet.” Kunal Vijayakar, actor, YouTuber and food writer