DECEMBER 2025
The Local Food Club’s theme for December 2025, Street Food, was brought to life through a series of walks across India. In Mumbai, the walk focused on Dadar, a neighbourhood whose food culture is deeply tied to migration, political history, community identity, and rapid urbanisation that continues to shape it today.
Led by Neil Khopkar, the walk explored the layered social and cultural history of Dadar through the foods that anchor everyday life in the locale. In Dadar, shifting demographics, redevelopment pressures, and long-standing businesses have shaped what people eat and why they eat it.
While vada pav may be Mumbai’s most recognisable street snack, Dadar offers far more. Participants explored dishes like ameri khaman, dudhi vadi, and frankie. Through these stops, the walk highlighted the vendors and small establishments that act as culture bearers, sustaining local food legacies even as the city around them rapidly transforms.
The walk began at Shivaji Park with a Mumbai classic: Tibb’s Frankie. A soft roll wrapped around spiced fillings, the frankie is one of the city’s most iconic on-the-go meals and a perfect entry point into Dadar’s bustling food landscape.
The group then headed to Light of Bharat, an Irani café known for its chai and bun maska. Thereafter, at Panshikar, participants tasted peeyush, a sweetened milk drink that is a beloved Maharashtrian refreshment. The walk then paused at Tambul Niketan, an old paan shop considered an institution in the neighbourhood.
Moving into the inner lanes, the next stop was Surti Sweet Mart for Gujarati snacks like ameri khaman, fulvadi, and mirchi bhaji.
The final stretch reached Kohinoor Lassi, where participants cooled off with a glass of thick, sweet lassi, marking a refreshing end to the walk before heading toward Dadar station.
Glimpses of the food and moments from the street food walk in Dadar. Photos by Neil Khopkar.
“Thank you, Neil. It was a fun and informative walk. We had a great time.”
-Vartika
“The walk was well organised. Neil is very knowledgeable and makes good conversation too. The main breakfast spot was a hidden gem and we were impressed. The bun maska and chai took too long to serve. We lost time there. The Panshikar sweets were also really good. Overall, a very good walk! Kudos to Neil!
-Chaitali
“We really loved being part of the street food walk in Dadar. Neil was a wonderful guide and kept us interested with titbits about the history of the neighbourhood. It was wonderful being a tourist in one’s own city. Would really love to explore other areas of Mumbai in a similar way.”
-Babita
Neil Khopkar is the Producer Partnerships Associate at The Locavore and a professional Hindustani classical vocalist. His love for food, culture, and history has led him to conduct food and heritage walks in Mumbai. Deeply connected to Dadar, where his family has lived for generations, Neil brings an intimate understanding of the neighbourhood’s layered past and the socio-cultural forces shaping its present.