Greet your foodie guide in the Fort area at 4:00 PM and set off walking through the streets of Mumbai's colonial heart. Whet the whistle with a refreshing masala lime soda and dive into a tiny Hindu temple for a blessing before starting the food tour proper with a banana leave covered in 8 curries, pickles and chutneys which explode with flavor. You'll have explanations of each as you dive in with crispy papads and taste a fried spiced local fish best eaten covered in zingy lime.
As you take a guided walk past the old buildings on the way to the train station, your guide will tell you stories of life in old Bombay. En route you'll pop into one of the few remaining Persian cafes still left in the city to try their famously good apple pie and a cup of good ol' Indian chai. Continue to a famed paan house to try betal leaves wrapped up with dried fruits, nuts and syrups and get your taste buds popping with a cone of sticky sweet and sour tamarind.
It's time to ride the rails on Mumbai's commuter line. Don't worry, you won't have to wait long. These open-doored trains depart every 5 minutes and make for a great way to see a slice of real Bombay. Hop off at Chowpatty Beach and make a beeline for the street food chaat vendors. Your guide will find a little spot on the sand and you can watch the melting sun set over Mumbai while you dig into a vegetable curry oozing with paneer cheese and other street snacks like puffed rice bhel puri and crispy little shells filled with herby mash and tamarind called pani puri.
The tour isn't over yet. Your guide will bundle you into old taxis for a short journey up to the Muslim quarter known for its hearty cuisine. To allow you to digest a little, your guide will take you on a walk through a bustling fresh produce market to learn about Indian ingredients and then a wander up through Chor Bazaar where you'll discover its fascinating history. Tucked away in an impossible-to-find spot, you'll try 3 different types of mouth-watering kebabs cooked over charcoal at a tiny local eatery.
It's unthinkable to visit Mumbai without trying the desserts. You'll visit a famed parlour that's been hand-churning their ice-creams in the same way for more than a century and take an exclusive look out back to see how it’s done before digging into your exotic flavour of choice. As you walk towards the local bus stop, you'll make a quick stop for coconut cakes from an old bakery and sample creamy pheni at a local restaurant. The tour ends back at the twinkling lights of Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in the Fort area. Say goodbye to your guide while they help you call transport or direct you on how to get back to your hotel. Leave with a much deeper understanding of Mumbai culture, life and its cuisine.
