Mumbai being a melting pot of various communities and cultures, has many common threads connecting each of these ethnic groups. No matter what the special occasion, mithai or Indian sweets are always distributed to earmark a moment of happiness that can be shared through food. Although not entirely defined by its sweet shop culture, these mithai shops play a key role in leveraging Mumbai’s street food scene by feeding lakhs of hungry people the freshest of samosas, farsan and more.
It is this mithai shop culture – that were only limited to selling sugary treats of motichoor laddoos, kalakand, cham cham, gulab jamuns and barfi – which then exploded into a broader spectrum of shops that became known not just for their delicious, ghee-laden sweets but also for dry snacks, theplas, hot servings of chhole-bhature and jalebi-fafda. Given how vast and expansive the city has grown with time, iconic mithai shops continue to rule as favourites for a wide number of reasons. Here are six legendary sweet shops you must visit to try their offerings, at least once.
Kailash Parbat Sweet & Salties
Image Credits: Flickr
Established in 1952, Kailash Parbat is famous for its chaat, hot snacks and a variety of mithai. Their sweets like gulab jamun, fresh jalebis made-to-order and rasgulla are particularly popular. The sweet shops have also now transitioned into offering patrons a variety of their pure ghee sweets, pav bhaji, dal pakwaan, dabeli and more.
Address: Sheila Mahal, 1st Pasta Ln, Railway Colony, Apollo Bandar, Colaba
Timings: 10am-11.30pm
Cost for Two: ₹100
Mohanlal Mithaiwala
This legendary mithai shop has been around since 1885 and serve up some delectable specials that include the malai khaja, kalakand and pista rolls. With multiple outlets opened across the city, this mithai shop is also famous for its paper halwa and sandwich halwa – made with flour, sugar, dry fruits and rolled out into thin sheets. Based on the changing seasons, the iconic sweet shop also serves up seasonal specials like anjeer katli, dry fruit chikki and more.
Address: Plot 393/405, 399, Ground Floor, Lokmanya Tilak Market, Maulana Shaukat Ali Road, Grant Road
Timings: 9am-8pm
Cost for Two: ₹250
Also Read:
Shree Dattaguru Tea & Snacks
Image Credits: Wallpaper Flare
This Thane-based eatery while primarily being a tea and snacks shop famous for their misal pav and shrikhand-puri, also offers a creamy and well-made piyush, sweets like gulab jamun as well as traditional Maharashtrian breakfast specials, among other things. Make sure to get here early if you want to get a taste of their fresh samosas and warm khaman over the weekend.
Address: Station Road, Daulat Nagar, Thane East
Timings: 6.30am-9pm
Cost for Two: ₹150
Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale
Although Chitale Bandhu started in Pune, they also have a significant presence in Mumbai. Their bakharwadi, karanji and aamras are renowned, among the soan papdi, besan laddoo and puran polis. Known as Chitale Xpress in Mumbai, the multiple outlets scattered across the city are perfect to experience the true essence of these sweetmeat makers. Make sure to get the namkeen, shankarpali and Rajkot pedha back home to munch on.
Address: Shop 2, Plot 217, Shree Swami Samarth Krupa, Rande Road, Dadar West
Timings: 9.30am-8.30pm
Cost for Two: ₹100
M.M. Mithaiwala
Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons
When you step out of Malad railway station towards the west, the first thing greeting you is the neon hoardings of M.M. Mithaiwala where crowds are always waiting to get their hands on jalebi-fafda, ghee-soaked ghevar, Bengali sweets like rasgulla and ras malai; along with a wide range of savouries like frankie, alu wadi, dhokla, dahi kachori and more. Started in the early 1950s, this sweet shop went on to become a landmark establishment in the suburbs of Mumbai.
Address: Anand Road, Opposite Railway Station, Near Basanthi Bhawan, Malad West
Timings: 8.00am-11.00pm
Cost for Two: ₹450
Suleman Usman Mithaiwala
Located in the heart of Mumbai off of the bustling Mohammad Ali Road, Suleman Mithaiwala has been serving traditional mithai for over a century to the millions of people that throng the establishment for a taste of their melt-in-the-mouth malpua, mawa jalebi and malai khaja. Regarded to be a highly revered mithai shop that also has celebrity patrons like Salman Khan, Sanjay Dutt and Shilpa Shetty.
Address: 167-171, Near Minara Masjid, Ebrahim Mohd Merchant Road, Mohammad Ali Road
Timings: 2.00pm-11.15pm
Cost for Two: ₹150
