India GOWhere to have breakfast in Mumbai
A Mumbai breakfast is rarely a hotel buffet. The city eats bun maska and sweet chai in old Irani and Parsi bakeries, dosa and filter coffee in the Udupi cafes of Matunga, fiery misal pav and poha in the Maharashtrian snack houses of Dadar and Girgaum, and a vada pav on the pavement. Most of it is cheap and vegetarian. Here is what to order in each kind of place and where to find it.
Five kinds of Mumbai breakfast
Almost everything here is in the cheapest ₹ price band; Sassanian Boulangerie and the coffee places in Bandra and Kala Ghoda are ₹₹.
Irani and Parsi bakeries: bun maska and chai
Zoroastrian migrants from Iran who came to India in the 19th century opened cafes across Bombay, and their breakfast is still the city's signature: bun maska (a soft bun with butter), brun maska (a hard-crusted roll split, buttered and dunked in chai), flaky khari biscuits and mawa cake, with a glass of milky Irani chai. Sassanian Boulangerie in Marine Lines (since 1913) bakes through the day; American Express Bakery in Byculla (since 1908) is a heritage bakery known for khari, brun maska and mawa cakes.
Udupi cafes in Matunga: dosa, idli, filter coffee
Matunga's South Indian quarter around King's Circle has the city's classic Udupi breakfasts. Ramashray, running since 1939, is known for rasam vada, pineapple sheera, crisp dosas and filter coffee. Cafe Madras serves rava masala dosa, idli and its own filter coffee, with panpoli to finish. Both are pure vegetarian.
Maharashtrian snack houses: misal, poha, vada
Misal pav is a fiery sprouted-bean curry heaped with crunchy farsan and eaten with soft pav; Aaswad in Dadar is the place for it; its misal was named the world's tastiest vegetarian dish at the Foodie Hub awards in London in 2015. Prakash Shakahari Upahar Kendra near Shivaji Park does poha, giant batata vada and kothimbir vadi; Panshikar in Girgaum, in its fourth generation, does farali misal, sabudana vada and thalipeeth. Cool it all down with piyush, a saffron-spiced yoghurt drink.
Vada pav on the street
The city's own snack: a spiced potato fritter in a soft ladi pav with dry garlic chutney. Ashok Vada Pav outside Kirti College in Dadar has had queues for over three decades; the vadas are fried to order in small batches.
Coffee and all-day breakfast
Kala Ghoda Cafe in the gallery district serves house-blend coffee and all-day breakfasts over two floors. In Bandra, Subko roasts Indian beans in restored heritage bungalows and bakes sourdough, and Blue Tokai, one of the pioneers of Indian specialty coffee, pairs filter coffee and cold brew with croissants. In Juhu, Prithvi Cafe in the theatre courtyard has suleimani chai, bun maska and kanda poha.
Where to go for what
Matunga and Dadar are the breakfast heartland for vegetarians: Udupi cafes around King's Circle, misal and vada in Dadar, and Ashok Vada Pav outside Kirti College.
Girgaum and Marine Lines keep the older city: Panshikar for Maharashtrian snacks, Sassanian Boulangerie for Irani bakes.
Fort and Kala Ghoda are where to start a day of sightseeing in South Mumbai, with Kala Ghoda Cafe in the middle of the galleries. Byculla has American Express Bakery.
Bandra and Juhu in the western suburbs are for slower mornings: specialty coffee at Subko and Blue Tokai, and Prithvi Cafe in Juhu.
For the rest of the day, see street food in Mumbai, what to eat in Mumbai and cafes.
Good to know before you go
A few habits of Mumbai's breakfast places save time and surprises.
- Irani cafes are disappearing — Mumbai had about 350 Irani cafes in the 1950s and only about 25 by 2005, and several famous names have shut or paused since. Check that a cafe is still serving before you cross the city for it.
- Go early to the famous Udupi cafes — Cafe Madras and Ramashray are known for breakfast and weekend queues; arriving early is the easiest way to get a table.
- Bakery counter veg, kitchen not — In Irani cafes such as Sassanian Boulangerie the bakery counter is vegetarian, but the kitchen behind it is Parsi and meat-led; ask if you are vegetarian. The Udupi and Maharashtrian places in this list are pure vegetarian.
- Fasting-day food is a thing — Farali dishes such as farali misal and sabudana vada are eaten on religious fast days; Panshikar specialises in them.
FAQ
What is a typical Mumbai breakfast?
Bun maska or brun maska with sweet Irani chai, misal pav or poha in a Maharashtrian snack house, idli and dosa with filter coffee in an Udupi cafe, or a vada pav from a street stall.
Where can I find a cheap breakfast in Mumbai?
Almost every classic breakfast is in the cheapest ₹ band: vada pav at Ashok Vada Pav in Dadar, misal at Aaswad, Udupi breakfasts at Ramashray or Cafe Madras in Matunga, bun maska in the Irani bakeries.
Where to have breakfast in South Mumbai?
Kala Ghoda Cafe in the gallery district for coffee and all-day breakfast, Sassanian Boulangerie in Marine Lines for Irani bakes, Panshikar in Girgaum for Maharashtrian snacks.
What is bun maska?
A soft bun spread with butter and eaten with milky Irani chai, the classic breakfast of Mumbai's Irani cafes. Brun maska is the hard-crusted version, split, buttered and dunked in the chai.
Is Mumbai breakfast vegetarian?
Mostly. The Udupi cafes, Maharashtrian snack houses and vada pav stalls are vegetarian, and so are the bakery counters of the Irani cafes; their kitchens often cook meat.
Sources (2)
Facts checked: 15 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.
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