Mumbaikars love food. Combine this with the city's history of immigrants, and you have the most varied cuisine offered anywhere in India. Thus, eating out is a good way of exploring the culture of the city and the country.

Though you'll find Western fast-food restaurants in all areas, in this city fast food still means bhelpuri, pav bhaji or panipuri. Bhelpuri is a sweet and spicy combination of puffed rice, onions, boiled potatoes, puri, coriander, mint, chiles and chutney. Pav bhaji is a potpourri of cooked and spiced vegetables such as peas, peppers, tomatoes, potatoes and onions accompanied by a bread bun. Panipuri are lightweight puffed semolina or flour cakes, eaten with a filling of boiled pulses (lentils), spices, tamarind chutney and spicy water. Though these distinctly Mumbai delicacies are available from street vendors at every corner, we recommend trying them in good quality restaurants only.

Restaurants are scattered throughout the city, with the more upmarket ones generally located near the city centers of Colaba, Nariman Point and Marine Drive or in Bandra, Andheri and Juhu. Intense competition keeps prices in check. The commercial area of Fort offers mainly functional food for office workers who need to eat and run. Most of the budget restaurants are open early morning until 11:30 pm. More upscale restaurants usually serve only lunch and dinner.