11 Maharashtrian Cuisine Specialties to Try Now

3. Vada Pav

Vada pav is Mumbai’s famous grab-and-go snack: a soft pav filled with a spicy potato fritter and layered with chutneys. The vada is made by mashing boiled potatoes with green chilies, garlic, and spices, coating the mixture in chickpea flour batter, and deep-frying until crisp. The sandwich comes with a green cilantro-chili chutney, a sweet-tamarind chutney, and often a dry garlic chutney dusted on for extra punch. In North America, many Indian bakeries sell pav, and frozen or fresh potato fritters are sometimes available at regional grocers. For a lighter take, try oven-baking the vada or shallow-frying it with minimal oil. Vada pav works well for lunchboxes, street-food nights, or late-night cravings. Pair it with masala chai or a cold yogurt drink to balance the heat. If you see a menu item called “Mumbai vada pav” at a local Indian cafe, it’s likely the classic version.