Aram Vada Pav

Mumbai runs on vada pav, the city's iconic street food. A spiced ball of chunky potato mash is dipped in yellow chickpea batter and deep fried before it’s tucked into a split-open pav bun, along with dry red garlic chutney, green cilantro chutney, and a fried green chilli pepper or two. Among Mumbai’s many vada pav joints, 85-year-old Aram is an institution that always impresses. Wait your turn to grab the assembled-to-order snack from this sidewalk counter. While the potato filling for most vadas in the city is laced with turmeric, Aram bucks the trend, and proves that the golden powder isn’t necessary for maximum flavor. Sips of buttermilk will help break the heat as you marvel at the grand Victorian Gothic railway terminus across the street.