12 Restaurants To Experience Mumbai Street Food in D.C.
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One of the best ways to experience the culture of another country is to try their street food. From pupusas in El Salvador to arancini in Sicily, the variety of snacks that showcase the culinary traditions of different nations is almost endless. While not all street foods are represented in D.C.’s dining scene, we do have an exemplary array of Indian dishes that originated with vendors on the streets of Delhi, Chennai and other cities available through the many restaurants in and around the city, so much so that we can even find street snacks from India’s many regions.
Of these, Mumbai is perhaps the most prolific street snack destination in India; it is the capital of Maharashtra, one of India’s western states, and is home to where many street snacks originated. There, the streets are lined with vendors selling everything from sweets to steaming hot chai to fresh fruits to masala peanuts and a bevy of Indian savory dishes; some messy, some eaten in one bite, some fried, and all delicious.
We’ve compiled a list of the most tempting Mumbai-style street snacks in D.C. that showcase the flavors of that city’s bustling street food culture, including pani puri at Tamashaa, kebabs at Bombay Velvet, and batada buns at Karizma. Many of these places have multiple options that hail from Mumbai, so consider these dishes to be just the beginning of your Maharashtrian street food dining adventure.
For more Desi and South Asian dining inspiration, here’s our guide to South Asian brunch in D.C., where to experience South Indian cuisine in D.C., and a guide to D.C.’s Indian restaurants.
