4 /5 Jay: After a long day of back-to-back meetings, I’d missed lunch and was in desperate need of a quick, satisfying bite to keep me going until dinner. That’s when I stumbled across a new little spot offering something that immediately caught my eye: a vada pav for just £2.
For the uninitiated, vada pav (sometimes spelled wada pao or vadapav) is Mumbai’s beloved street snack—often called the Indian burger, but with a character all its own. At its heart is the batata vada, a spiced mashed potato fritter flavored with mustard seeds, turmeric, green chilies, ginger, and garlic, all cloaked in a light chickpea flour batter and deep-fried to a golden crisp. This is tucked inside a soft, slightly sweet pav (a pillowy bread roll), usually with a smear of green coriander chutney, sweet-tangy tamarind sauce, and a sprinkle of fiery dry garlic chutney. Often, a fried green chili is slipped alongside for those who dare.
This version stayed true to its roots. The pav was warm and lightly buttered, the vada perfectly crunchy on the outside yet fluffy and fragrant inside. The chutneys were bright and balanced—herbaceous coriander with just enough kick, tamarind adding a gentle tang, and that dry garlic chutney bringing smoky heat. For £2, it was not only a bargain but a burst of authentic Mumbai street flavor in the middle of my workday.