Best thalis in Mumbai: Top 10 restaurants in Mumbai for thali lovers

Top 10 best vegetarian and non-vegetarian thali restaurants of Mumbai.

Thalis are the most dependable item on the menu of most restaurants, as they promises variety in lesser cost and a hearty and filling meal. The Indian thali consists of a rainbow meal and is not only satiating, but also highly nutritious, as it combines various grain breads with rice, vegetables, meats, curries and sweet, to make one wholesome package. No wonder then that most Mumbai restaurants have varied thalis on their menus.

We have compiled a list of best restaurants to enjoy a thali at, across Mumbai. These include the best of authentic Gujarati, Rajasthani, Maharashtrian and typical Malwani thalis. ALSO READ: Best Local Cuisine Restaurants of 2016: Top 10 local cuisine restaurants for the ultimate Indian foodie

These are the top 10 places for thali enthusiasts in the city:

1. Delhi Highway

This beautiful North Indian restaurant located in Times Square in Saki naka is done up in a Mughal style decor and their food is sumptuous enough to match. The thali here consists of Paneer masala, corn palak, methi mutter malai, pindi channa, dal makhani, raita, ghee rice, paneer kulcha, crispy jalebi, saffron flavored kheer and much more. Also unmissable is their dahi bhalla chat with crunchy papadi and fruits.

Cost for 2: Rs 1200

Where: A4, Ground Floor, B Wing, Times Square, Andheri East, Sakinaka, Mumbai

Timings: 11:30 AM to 3:30 PM, 7 PM to 11 PM

2. Samrat Restaurant

A very simply done restaurant in Churchgate, Samrat Restaurant has been a haunt by city dwellers as well as outsiders looking to eat good home-like food in Mumbai. The service here is quick and the the staff is quite hospitable. The vegetarian thali in this place comes with wheat phulkas (flat bread) with methi malai, kaju curry, dal, raita, dahi bada, gulab jamun, sweet mango pulp, papad and rice with dry fruits. ALSO READ: 5 best vegetarian thali joints in Mumbai

Where: Ground Floor, Prem Court, JT Road, Churchgate, Mumbai

Timings: 12 Noon to 11 PM

Cost for 2: Rs 900 for two people

3. Panchvati Gaurav

Panchvati Gaurav has six outlets all over Mumbai and serves one of the best vegetarian thalis in Mumbai. Their thali is great value for money with one plate comprising of 4 sabzis – paneer, aloo, chhole, beans; dal and kadhi; 3 types of breads – chapati, methi puri, rotla; 2 types of snacks – sandwich dhokla, kachori; 3 chutneys, salad, papad, pickle; 3 types of sweets and 2 types of rice – plain rice, pulav and chhas.

Where: Andheri, Malad, Thane, Marine Lines, Kurla, Lower Parel

Timings: 12 Noon to 4 PM, 7 PM to 12 Midnight

Cost for 2: Rs 500

4. A. Rama Nayak’s Udipi Shri Krishna Boarding

Nothing to boast of in the decor department, A. Rama’s have their focus on what they put on your plate and it’s always authentic and lip smacking South Indian fare. Their thalis are served on banana leaves and they have two types- one is the limited ones with choice items and the unlimited one. The thali consists of desi ghee, salt, cooked cabbage, mix sabzi, potato subzi made in tomato,cumin and green chilly, puri, chappati, papad, curd, rice, ginger chhas, rasam and sambhar, as well as your choice of sweet. All this for just Rs 190!

Where: 1st Floor, LBS Market Building, Near Matunga Central Railway Station, Matunga East

Timings: 10:30 AM to 3 PM, 7 PM to 10 PM

Cost for 2: Rs 300

5. Konkan Katta

Konkan Katta is one of the best places to visit for authentic Malwani food, with the widest range of fish thalis in the city, besides chicken and mutton thalis. They have Pomfret Curry thali, Surmayee Curry thali, Bangda Curry Thali, Raas Curry Thali, Prawns Curry Thali, and many more. The curry is accompained with kokam drink, chapati, one dry vegetable, one curried vegetable and rice. The food is filling and tastes as good as home cooked food.

Where: 5, HEK Compound, Opposite Gyan Ashram, Mahakali Caves Road, Mahakali

Timings: Today 11 AM to 3 PM, 6 PM to 11 PM

Cost for 2: Rs 400

6. JP’s Lunch Home

Simply done, clean and serviceable, JP’s Lunch Home in Goregaon East is one of our most favoured places for a filling prawns and fish thali. The meal is economical and the flavours are carefully balanced, as if made to tailor for our palate. Our personal favourite is the pomfret thali. Their sol kadi is one of the best we’ve ever tasted. Sea food lovers will love this one. ALSO READ: Best Breakfast places in Mumbai: Top 20 eateries from all over the city!

Where: Shop 1, Sahyagiri CHSL, Near Railway Station, Goregaon East

Timings: 12 Noon to 4 PM, 7 PM to 11:15 PM

Cost for 2: Rs 500

7. Pancham Puriwala

Pancham Puriwala has four kinds of vegetarian thalis- sada, special, deluxe and the Pancham thali, with the latter three being small variants of the first one. The Pancham Thali is our personal favourite and comes with five vegetables, four puris, kadhi, paneer pulao, dahi wada, sweet and chhas. The service is quick and efficient and the food is tasty and filling, as well as extremely economical.

Where: 8-10, Perin Nariman Street, Fort

Timings: 8 AM to 12 Midnight

Cost for 2: Rs 200

8. Pangat

The surmai thali at Pangat is worth a try for the spicy perfectly shallow fried rava coated surmai, served with spicy Malwani curry, rice, flat breads and salad. The bombil fry thali is equally good. In fact, Malwani cuisine is their specialty, so we recommend you go ahead and order up as much as your tummy can take. All dishes give you a great bang for your buck.

Where: Near Gokhale College, Gorai Road, Borivali West

Timings: 12 Noon to 3:30 PM, 7 PM to 11:30 PM (Closed on Mondays)

Cost for 2: Rs 650

9. Thackers

Thackers’ special Gujarati thali is a treat for Gujarati food lovers and includes one kathol, two snacks (farsans), three vegetables, puri, phulka (wheat flat bread), kadhi, dal, rice, papad, chhas and pickle. Everything is lip smackingly delicious and the entire platter costs Rs 390. ALSO READ: Best Pizza Places in Mumbai for all budgets: Top 20 restaurants for pizza lovers

Where: 1st Floor, Birla Kreeda Kendra, Chowpatty

Timings: 11:30 AM to 3 PM, 7 PM to 11 PM

Cost for 2: Rs 600

10. Chetana

Chetana is one of the best places to get a Rajasthani thali at. Their Daal Baati Thali includes Rotis, baati, choorma, bajra rotla, jowar rotis, steamed rice, dal khichdi, gatte ki subzi, palak rice, jaljeera, chhas amongst other things. Their regular thali serves Gujarati food, and they also have the Maharashtrian thali as well as something called the holiday special thali, which is basically the regular thali with additional breads and sweets. Their jalebis and puran polis are highly recommended.