Five best South Indian restaurants in Mumbai

by Antoine Lewis

1. Mani’s Lunch Home Matunga (E)

A simple, coconut-heavy, mostly oil-free meal is served in a thali or banana plate. RIL’s Mukesh Ambani has been spotted at this Tam Bram lunch place. Mornings and evenings, they offer snacks here and at the older Mani’s next to Ruia College.

2. A Rama Nayak’s Udipi Shri Krishna Boarding, Matunga (E)

Not to be confused with the A Ramanayak on King’s Circle; this place is in the LBS Buliding next to the station. The food is simple and light. You can choose between a limited and unlimited meal. The highlight of the meal is the rasam which is unlimited.

3. Cafe Madras King’s Circle

It’s small but filled with goodness. Starting from the stiff kaapi to the heart-attack inducing white butter-topped idlis, Cafe Madras does some of the best tiffin in Mumbai. Ask for the mulagapodi powder with your dosas. A favourite place of Sun Pharma’s Dilip Shanghvi.

4. Sharada Bhavan Matunga (E)

A quaint little place with marble-topped tables, a wall menu and lungi-clad waiters. Perfect for breakfast, their idlis are cottony soft, the upma fluffy and the mulagapodi has a delightful bite. One of the few restaurants in the area to serve neer dosas and pongal.

5. Dakshinayan

Tardeo/ Malabar Hill/ Juhu Though a somewhat Mumbai-fied version of Tamilian food, you can still expect a rather tasty meal. They’re popular for snacks like mini idlis, nachni dosai as well as main dishes like appamstew and Malabar paratha with curry. Don’t miss out on sambar rice and bisibele bath.