{"id":8387,"date":"2017-11-03T17:58:07","date_gmt":"2017-11-03T12:28:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beetellstories.com\/?p=8387"},"modified":"2022-04-06T12:41:52","modified_gmt":"2022-04-06T07:11:52","slug":"our-5-favourite-thali-joints-in-bombay-everyone-should-visit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beetellstories.com\/our-5-favourite-thali-joints-in-bombay-everyone-should-visit\/","title":{"rendered":"Our 5 favourite thali joints in Bombay that everyone should visit"},"content":{"rendered":"

So what is it about a thali<\/em> that drives people in Bombay crazy for one? You just have to say the word thali<\/em> and every Mumbaikar worth their salt will tell you about the five best thali<\/em> joints you don\u2019t know in Bombay. Having been to many of Bombay’s “renowned” and lesser-known joints across all corners (wait, do islands have corners?) of Bombay, Bee too are united with all those people who drool at the very mention of a thali<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Not that we understand the attraction ourselves. Is it the sight of all that overly greasy food? Maybe the limp puris<\/em>? Or is it all those different bhajis<\/em> that you know for sure have been touched by multiple hands in the kitchen? Or is it the inevitable post-meal bloat? Well, let’s leave the reasons to the philosophers, shall we?<\/p>\n

Before we begin, let us just clarify that\u00a0thali<\/em> in this post means the Gujarati-Marwari-North Indian thali<\/em> specifically. That is also what most of Bombay means when they say thali<\/em>. Not Malwani thali<\/em>. Not South Indian thali<\/em>. Not \u201cChinese (ugh)\u00a0thali<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n

So, without further ado, let us introduce you to the five best thali<\/em> joints in Bombay you don\u2019t know about. Or maybe you do. And maybe you like some others. But this is our list. And the food at all the places here is nice. Although they are<\/strong> thali<\/em> joints and you may want to avoid company for a while after eating at these places. And you may need a bed to hide in too.<\/p>\n

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Shree Thaker Bhojanalaya<\/strong><\/a>
\nServing Gujju food in Kalbadevi since 1945, this place is the essence of all Gujarati thali<\/em> joints in Bombay. Fast, friendly service. Large meal spread. Crowded. And everything is laden with extra ghee. 10\/10 would recommend.<\/p>\n

Chetana<\/strong><\/a>
\nAn old-school hangover in an increasingly gentrified (at least when it comes to eating joints) part of the city, everybody knows Chetana for their Daal-Baati-Churma. And yes, this is part of their Rajasthani thali<\/em> menu. Unlike most thali<\/em> joints in this list though, service at Chetana isn\u2019t always friendly. Maybe the serving staff has to eat there every day and that affects their disposition.<\/p>\n

Thackers<\/strong><\/a>
\nNot a place you should visit when you\u2019re really really hungry. Because they\u2019re always crowded, especially for weekend lunches, and you will wait so long you might be tempted to walk over to Bachelorrs<\/a> for some chilli ice-cream and sandwiches. But if you can control your hunger, then Thackers is a necessary stop on your Gujju thali<\/em> journey.<\/p>\n

Shree Laxmi Gujarati Thali<\/strong><\/a>
\nOur only entry from North Mumbai, this (unassuming) place in Andheri West has been catering to Gujjufoodcoma fetishists for longer than McDonald\u2019s has even existed. If you do go here, it is the weekend thali<\/em> you need to go for because puranpolis<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Friends Union Joshi Club<\/strong><\/a>
\nThe name is a mouthful, the place is unassuming (and difficult to find), the service has never been the best but Bee have been big fans of this tiny hole in the wall for the longest time. Lately, we have been hearing distressing reviews of the already tardy service which is okay but we\u2019ve also received reports that the food is no longer what it used to be. But because we have many memories of the amazing food we\u2019ve eaten here, this tiny place in the bylanes of Kalbadevi is still #1 on our list of thali<\/em> joints in Bombay. And yes, we\u2019re happy to tag along if you decide to go for a taste.<\/p>\n

One deservedly honourable mention on this list needs to go to Delhi Highway<\/strong><\/a> at Times Square in Saki Naka. Low on soda and high on taste, this North Indian thali place is the only one that doesn\u2019t leave us with gastric memories in our throat. We didn\u2019t include this in our top-5 only because our experience has been a little inconsistent. Amazing one day, a little pheeka<\/em> the other but well worth a visit.<\/p>\n

So that’s our list of thali<\/em> joints. Feel free to let us know your favourites\u00a0in the comments. Better yet, invite us to meet you there\u00a0to discuss your inbound requirements. We\u2019re game. Just don’t come at us with your Maharaja Bhogs and your Golden Stars and your ghastly The Village please.<\/p>\n

By Deepali Kale<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

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Never miss a blog post from Bee. We write about brand strategy, storytelling, inbound, keeping promises, small business and remote. We also write about Bombay and thali joints and food. Sign up to receive our\u00a0updates via email.<\/span><\/p>\n