Before Bandra, Churchgate and Dadar had benne dosas, filter coffees and medu vada on every corner, there existed a cafe in Matunga that served the best of them. Well, the cafe still does exist and even today holds the title of being the King of South Indian Breakfast. Yes, you guessed that right! We are talking about the iconic and legendary Cafe Madras.
For our next review on unstumbled’s Dine & Dish series, we visited Cafe Madras, and here’s our unfiltered and honest take on it!
In the Dine and Dish series, we explore various restaurants and provide honest recommendations on whether you should dine there or not!
Let’s check out Cafe Madras!
About Cafe Madras
Cafe Madras, located in Matunga East, is one of the most iconic and historic culinary institutions in Mumbai. This no-frills Udupi eatery was established in 1940 by Gopal Kamath and has been serving delicious, authentic, and high-quality South Indian breakfast dishes to generations ever since.
For over 85 years, this legendary spot has been ruling over the hearts of Mumbaikars for three sole reasons: authentic taste, affordable prices, and consistent quality over the years. Unlike other South Indian eateries in Mumbai, this spot has been creating its own recipes and serving people’s taste buds instead of following any book.
Also Read: Dine And Dish Ft. Bastian, Mumbai
Cafe Madras Food Review
Filter Coffee
How on earth can somebody go wrong with filter coffee? Well, many places do, but Cafe Madras did not at all disappoint us! Instead, it impressed us with its filter coffee. It was not too light nor too dark, not too sweet nor too bitter; it was just well-balanced. The best part was that it was hot enough and mildly frothy, just like filter coffees should be. It was the perfect choice to begin our day and review with.
Cost: INR 57
Rating: 10 on 10
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Ghee Podi Idli
Ghee Podi Idli is a famous South Indian dish that features soft steamed idlis tossed in clarified butter or ghee and podi. Podi is basically a lentil-based spicy, nutty, aromatic spice powder which is also referred to as gunpowder. We totally fell in love with this dish here and happily recommend it to you! The dish was so good that it cured T’s migraine too! Imagine.
Cost: INR 120
Rating: 10 on 10
Medu Vada
Are we even at a South Indian breakfast spot if we do not try its medu vada? We tried Cafe Madras’ medu vada, and it is surely better than Ram Ashray’s. It was soft, cloudy, and squishy from the inside, perfectly crispy on the outside. The best part is that it does not make you feel heavy. It’s light and fun!
Cost: INR 72
Rating: 8.5 on 10
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Rasam Vada
We had heard a lot about the Rasam Vada served at Cafe Madras, and we had to try it out! Rasam vada is basically a South Indian delicacy consisting of medu vada soaked in flavorful and aromatic tamarind-tomato rasam. The vada had absorbed all the goodness from the rasam, resulting in a soft, juicy, and flavorful bite.
Cost: INR 81
Rating: 8.5 on 10
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Tuppa Dosa
Tuppa Dosa is a South Indian dosa hailing from Mangalore in Karnataka, which apparently is only available at Cafe Madras. The dosa actually felt like a South Indian pancake, and every bite dipped in sambhar felt simply heavenly. We wonder why we did not ever try this before.
Cost: INR 120
Rating: 8 on 10
Final Thoughts: Dine or Dish
Our final thoughts? Well, we paid only INR 723 for such a hearty breakfast and so many dishes. We thought it was psychotically cheap and T’s Bandra self could not at all believe it. All we would say is that in this day and age, you do not get such delicious food at such a low price. Would we recommend it? Well, we would probably call you mad if you do not come here!
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More Information
Vibe: The vibe of this place is simple, bustling, and fast-paced. On weekend mornings, you will find a long queue of people outside waiting for their turn to relish a delicious South Indian breakfast. Hence, sharing tables with strangers is a very common practice here.
Address: GROUND FLOOR, KAMAKSHI BUILDING, 391/B, Bhaudaji Rd, Matunga East, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400019
Timing: 7:00 AM to 2:30 PM and 4:00 PM to 10:30 PM
Cost For Two: INR 250
