What to Eat in Maharashtra (India)

Indian food is truly delightful and fulfilling in terms of flavour and affordability. From ritzy restaurants to street food, India has so much to offer. Every state in India has its own special cuisine. Apart from being India’s largest commercial and industrial hub, Maharashtra is also an enthralling place for food lovers. Are you visiting Mumbai, Alibaug or Lonavala soon?

Here’s your cheat sheet on what to eat in Maharashtra

Savoury fare in Maharashtra:

1) Vada Pav (Indian burger): Enjoy this wholesome meal that you can find on any street corner in Maharashtra. It consists of a deep-fried potato fritter tucked into a soft bun slathered with green mint chutney, tamarind sweet sauce and fried chilli.

2) Bhelpuri: A healthy and tangy mixture of puffed rice, tomatoes, onions, peanuts, green chillies, namkeen (salty snack), mint leaves, coriander leaves, red chilli powder, powdered spice mix, mint and sweet tamarind. You can ask them to temper down the spices for you as each plate is mixed afresh.

3) Dabeli: This flavoursome delicacy has a potato filling inside a bun embraced by a spicy and sweet sauce, and sheathed with pomegranate seeds, chopped onion, groundnuts, coriander leaves, and sev (crunchy noodles made from chickpea flour paste).

4) Sev Puri/Dahi Puri: This soulful street food is sweet, tangy, spicy, and crispy all at the same time. Capable of winning hearts instantly, it is by topping crispy flat disks with diced potatoes, onion, chickpeas, curd, flavoured sauce, pomegranate seeds, and sev. This dish must feature on your list of what to eat in Maharashtra. 

5) Pav Bhaji: This dearly loved dish is served with buttery soft buns, finely chopped onions, lemon wedges, and most importantly – a stew made up of potatoes and vegetables fried in butter with spices. This could very well be the most popular lunch dish in the region.

6) Misal Pav: As you may have guessed by now, pav means bun. In this savoury but spicy dish, pav is served with misal, a spicy curry topped with chopped onions, coriander leaves and lime juice.

7) Poha: This healthy breakfast dish uses rice flakes as a base. Cooked with onions, peanuts, mustard seeds, coriander leaves, turmeric, potatoes and lemon, it is an easy breakfast dish to prepare and consume.

8) Sabudana Vada: This crispy snack blends sago, mashed potatoes, peanuts, chillies and coriander and then deep fries the mixture into fritters. It is usually served with ketchup or mint sauce.

Sweet dishes to try in Maharashtra:

1) Modak: This divine sweet is offered to the gods during the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi. It is a dumpling lookalike prepared with rice flour, grated coconut, jaggery, nuts, almonds and pistachio.

2) Aamras (pureed mango pulp): Available only during the mango season, this is the purest way to enjoy pureed mango without any additives.

3) Puran Poli: Another special festive dish of Maharashtra. Try this sweet flatbread made with plain flour with a stuffing of jaggery, yellow gram, nutmeg powder, cardamom powder, ghee and sugar.

4) Shrikhand: End your meals with this strained yoghurt dessert, flavoured with cardamom, nuts and saffron.

With so many options available, you will never wonder what to eat in Maharashtra. Try all these dishes when you stay in one of our Alibaug or Lonavala villas and savour local flavours. You’ll find it tough to have a clear favourite.