Mani's Lunch Home — Restaurant in Mumbai

Serves Quick 'time based' meals. You eat in batches and finish off along with your group before the next group of diners are allowed in. Anyone lingering on is coaxed by the waiters and glared down upon by the next diner who has been waiting hungrily outside so far. Place is small and seats about 15 persons, at benches along the walls. Restaurant is mostly frequented by regulars. When I visited three of my batch were the corporate types wearing suits (despite the heat). One that I'd spoken to, had just returned from London and dropped by on his way home from the airport. Only dish available at lunch time was Veg Thaali. Priced at Rs 70/- (you buy a coupon before you enter). The food served is sufficient for one person. If you want extras its available for a small price of Rs 5 to 20 per dish (yes thats correct, even if its 2018 now) depending on what you order. Ive never passed by this non descript hole in the wall, in the last 30 years without seeing a crowd of hungry looking men peering in anxiously at those seated inside, hoping they leave soon. The food is cheap and extremely tasty. Complete vfm. A must visit when passing by...

One of the oldest lunch homes in Sion. I distinctly remember being introduced to this gem of a place by a college friend in the early 90s. A meal cost around 30 bucks then. But the quality of the food has remained the same as it was - wholesome, homely, and with minimal oil. The meal consists of two chapattis, one dry veggie, one veggie with gravy (usually yummy), pickle or chutney, and unlimited rasam and sambar. The meal ends with a glass of buttermilk for digestion. Even today, the meal costs just 75 bucks. If you don't mind long queues and rubbing shoulders with strangers, for good food, this place is perfect for you. By the way, they are managed by the same conglomerate which look after the older Mani's near Ruia college and the more recent...

One of the more affordable options to have clean, vegetarian, Southern (Keralite) cuisine in Mumbai. The Sion outlet is popular primarily for their thali meals. Although the price of the thali has now been raised to ~₹95 per head, it's still pretty affordable considering other options. All inclusive the cost for one average person's meal shouldn't jump beyond ₹120 (all inclusive). The outlet has even started to offer 6 dishes (all rice items like Puliyogare, curd rice, sambhar-rice, etc) as options for ₹60 per dish for takeaways during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Note: if you're visiting this place after a long time, the quality and standard of the Keralite rasam isn't as...