So you just got off the train station, battled it out with a bunch of sweaty strangers and lived to tell the tale. What do you deserve? A nice, delicious snack to prep you up for the rest of the day. Check out our guide to eateries, big and small around Matunga station {east side}.
Agla station: gluttony.
A well seasoned traveller knows its Gupta Chaat Centre well enough, but we cannot help but stress on how good and innovative their chaat is. They make everything from pani puri, to bhel, veg pizza to milkshakes. But, they are most known for their sandwiches – especially the sev puri sandwich {a brave move in its time}.
Price: INR 50, INR 80 for the cheese sev puri sandwich
The newly opened WOW Burgers just on the other side of the Matunga station road is a welcome change to passengers who have now tired themselves of eating South Indian food. These guys make amazing vegetarian and Jain burgers, their speciality being the hand-cut peri peri fries and the Bhut Jolokia {a really spicy chilli from Nagaland} burger, though they have tamer options as well.
Price: INR 200 for a burger
Go nuts with your fruit juice options at ‘The Liquid Lounge’ called Gajkeshari. Pick between a large variety of fruit options, and you can even get fancy with the three-fruit juice specials. We had the Triveni with pineapple, mosambi and orange.
Price: Juices start at INR 70
At Gupta Chaat Counter {not Centre, keep up} there are warm pani puri with ragda being served on one side, and yum sandwiches being made on the other. We tried the chocolate sandwich made with delicious chocolate sauce with chunks of dairy milk on it. No regrets.
They also make a cheesy garlic bread, if you suddenly have a whim for a little Italian.
Price: INR 100
What good is a Matunga guide without any mention of South Indian food? The last word on the street is that you should go to Rama Ashray. Our recommendation is the butter idli and the Mysore dosa, both of which are phenomenal.
P.S. You’ve also got to have the filter coffee at Arya Bhavan and the uttapam at Sharda Bhavan, both of which are on the same street.
One of our favourite stores, Trendy Taste, is also right next to the station in case you want a touch of nostalgia with old-school candy, chips and more on the Western Express.