Mumbai’s Middle Eastern food did not arrive with a restaurant group; it came with communities. The Dawoodi Bohra kitchens around Bhendi Bazaar, the Irani cafes founded by Zoroastrian migrants from Yazd, and the Arab-facing kitchens that served Gulf traders all predate the current fashion for hummus and pita.
Ramzan nights at Mohammed Ali Road are the single best window into this food, and the one month when the old city cooks at full strength.
South Mumbai
Colaba · Fort · Ballard Estate · Churchgate · Kala Ghoda · Nariman Point · Kemps Corner| Name | Where | What it is known for |
|---|---|---|
| Sarvi Restaurant1921 | Nagpada | Seekh kebab and bheja from a kitchen a century old. |
| Noor Mohammadi Hotel1923 | Bhendi Bazaar | Nihari and chicken sanju baba. |
| Bohri Mohalla kitchens | Bhendi Bazaar | Smoked kheema, raan, bara handi — Dawoodi Bohra cooking, at its best in Ramzan. |
| Cafe Noorani1923 | Haji Ali | Kebabs and rolls at a junction everyone passes. |
| Mohammed Ali Road stalls | Minara Masjid, Mohammed Ali Road | The street itself; for one month a year the largest kitchen in the city. |
Central Mumbai
Lower Parel · Worli · Prabhadevi · Dadar · Mahalaxmi · Byculla · Matunga| Name | Where | What it is known for |
|---|---|---|
| Byculla and Madanpura kitchens | Byculla, Madanpura | Neighbourhood Middle Eastern and Mughlai away from the tourist routes. |
| Nagpada shawarma counters | Nagpada | Everyday grilled meat, eaten standing. |
Western Suburbs
Bandra · Khar · Santacruz · Vile Parle · Juhu · Andheri · Versova| Name | Where | What it is known for |
|---|---|---|
| Persian Darbar | Bandra West and Andheri | Kebabs, biryani and Irani-style grills. |
| Hill Road and Linking Road shawarma counters | Bandra West | The everyday version of this food. |
| Kurla and Jogeshwari Arab kitchens | Kurla, Jogeshwari | Serving Gulf-returned families; mandi and grilled meats. |
What to order
- Smoked kheema at a Bohri kitchen — the smoke is done with a live coal in the pot
- Bara handi at Bohri Mohalla, from midnight
- Shawarma on Bandra’s Hill Road, the everyday version of this food
- Malpua and firni during Ramzan, on Mohammed Ali Road
- Attar from the Bhendi Bazaar shops on the way out — the perfume trade is in the same lanes
Other cuisines
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