Part of our Mumbai food guides โ where to eat across the city, with the nearest station for every spot.
Mumbai runs on vada pav: a spiced potato fritter tucked into a soft pav with dry garlic chutney and a fried green chilli, eaten standing up between trains. Every neighbourhood has its favourite stall. These ten are the ones people happily cross the city for, and we have added the nearest station to each one so you can fit a stop into your commute.
Quick picks
- Most famous: Ashok Vada Pav, Dadar
- Right outside a station: Aaram, opposite CSMT and Graduate, Byculla
- For new flavours: Shivaji Vada Pav, Vile Parle
- Worth the trip out of town: Gajanan Vada Pav, Thane
The 10 best vada pav stalls in Mumbai
1Ashok Vada Pav
Kirti College Lane, Dadar West
The name most Mumbaikars give first. The stall sits in a narrow lane beside Kirti College, and the vadas come out of the kadhai so quickly that they are almost always hot. In 2026 TasteAtlas placed it 25th in its list of the world’s most iconic sandwiches.
What to order: The classic vada pav, then a chura pav: pav filled with the crunchy fried batter bits and chutney.
- Nearest station: Dadar (Western and Central lines), about 20 minutes on foot or a short taxi ride
- Timings: Around 11 AM to 9:30 PM
2Aaram Vada Pav
Opposite CSMT, Fort
One of the oldest names in the business and the easiest one to reach: it is right across the road from CSMT. Office workers, students and tourists all queue together here. Besides the classic, it makes cheese, Schezwan, mayo and butter-grilled versions.
What to order: A classic vada pav with fried chilli. Try the cheese version if you are going back for seconds.
- Nearest station: CSMT (Central and Harbour lines), directly opposite
- Timings: Around 8:30 AM to 8:30 PM
3Graduate Vada Pav
Near Byculla station, Byculla
The odd name has a story: the founder held a law degree but chose to run the family food business, and regulars started calling the stall “Graduate”. It reportedly sells around 3,000 vada pavs a day from its spot near Byculla station.
What to order: The classic, or the cheese vada pav that made it popular with students.
- Nearest station: Byculla (Central line), a short walk
- Timings: Around 9 AM to 9:30 PM
4Shree Krishna Batata Wada
Chhabildas Road, Dadar West
A busy little shop a short walk from Dadar station’s west side, popular with commuters grabbing breakfast or an evening snack. The batata wada is served with both a sharp garlic chutney and a sweet one.
What to order: Vada pav with both chutneys.
- Nearest station: Dadar (Western line), about 5 minutes on foot
- Timings: Around 7 AM to 10 PM
5Shree Samarth Vada Pav
Near Shiv Sena Bhavan, Dadar West
A tiny kiosk where the vadas are fried while you wait, so each one reaches you straight from the oil. It is a favourite with locals who find the Kirti College queue too long.
What to order: Vada pav with dry garlic chutney and a couple of fried chillies.
- Nearest station: Dadar (Western and Central lines), about 15 minutes on foot
6Ladu Samrat
Lalbaug, Parel
A Lalbaug institution known as much for its misal pav and kothimbir vadi as for its large, generously spiced vada pav. Come hungry and order a few things to share.
What to order: Vada pav with garlic chutney, plus a misal pav on the side.
- Nearest station: Currey Road or Chinchpokli (Central line), about 10 minutes on foot
7Shivaji Vada Pav
Outside Mithibai College, Vile Parle West
Decades of college crowds have kept this stall busy. It is the place to try the newer styles, from Schezwan vada pav to a cheese and Schezwan combination, without losing the classic taste.
What to order: Schezwan vada pav, or cheese Schezwan if you want the full student experience.
- Nearest station: Vile Parle (Western line), about 10 minutes on foot
- Timings: Around 9 AM to 10 PM
8Mangesh Vada Pav
Babhai Naka, Borivali West
An evening-only stall with a loyal following in the western suburbs. What sets it apart is the sweet chutney, made with dates, tamarind and a little chilli.
What to order: A vada pav with extra sweet chutney.
- Nearest station: Borivali (Western line), a short auto ride
- Timings: Around 4 PM to 10 PM
9Gajanan Vada Pav
Naupada, Thane West
One of Thane’s best-known vada pavs and reason enough to step off the train. The vada comes with a spicy besan and green chilli chutney that you will not find at the Mumbai stalls.
What to order: Vada pav with the house chilli-besan chutney.
- Nearest station: Thane (Central line), about 10 minutes on foot
- Timings: Around 7:30 AM to 9:30 PM
10Khidki Vada Pav
Tilak Chowk, Kalyan West
The name means “window”, and that is exactly how it works: you order and collect through a small window. A Kalyan landmark that locals have visited for generations.
What to order: The classic vada pav, eaten on the spot.
- Nearest station: Kalyan (Central line), about 10 to 15 minutes on foot
- Timings: Around 9 AM to 9 PM
Also worth a try
- Vitthal (Bhatti) Vada Pav, Sewri fries its vadas over a wood fire, which gives them a smoky edge.
- Shankar Vada Pav, Bandra Talao has been running since 1975 and is often called the “Bandra King”.
- Bhau Vada Pav, Bhandup West serves a large vada pav with dry coconut chutney and chopped onion.
Tips for your vada pav run
- Eat it straight away. A vada pav is at its best in the first few minutes, while the vada is still crisp.
- Expect queues at lunchtime and from early evening, especially at Ashok and Aaram. Mid-morning and mid-afternoon are quieter.
- Most stalls take UPI, but carry some cash for the smaller ones.
- Ask for sukha chutney (the dry garlic powder) if you like it spicy, and pair your vada pav with a cutting chai.
- Timings and prices change often, so treat the ones here as a guide.
FAQs
Which is the most famous vada pav in Mumbai?
Ashok Vada Pav near Kirti College in Dadar is the best known. In 2026 the food guide TasteAtlas ranked it 25th in its list of the world’s most iconic sandwiches.
Who started vada pav?
The snack is widely credited to Ashok Vaidya, who began selling it from a cart outside Dadar station in 1966 to feed mill workers.
How much does a vada pav cost in Mumbai?
At most stalls a plain vada pav costs a few tens of rupees. Cheese, Schezwan and butter-grilled versions cost more. Prices change often, so treat any figure as a rough guide.
Where can I get a good vada pav near CSMT?
Aaram Vada Pav is directly opposite CSMT, which makes it the easiest stop if you are arriving or leaving by train.
Is vada pav vegetarian?
Yes. The vada is a spiced potato filling coated in gram flour batter and fried, served in a pav with chutneys and fried green chillies.
Sources: ETV Bharat โ Ashok Vada Pav on TasteAtlas list ยท Curly Tales โ Graduate Vada Pav ยท Outlook Traveller โ Mumbai vada pav joints ยท Savaari โ vada pav places