Cafe Madras

Cafe Madras is a South Indian vegetarian cafe on Bhaudaji Road in Matunga, in central Mumbai. It is one of the city's favourite places for a South Indian breakfast or lunch, and locals cross Mumbai to eat here, especially at weekends.

The menu is built around the classics. Start with steamed idli, which here are light and slightly grainy, served with hot sambar and coconut chutney, or try idli with butter and podi, a spiced powder. The benne pessarettu dosa, folded over a spiced potato masala, is a popular choice, and the sheera, a sweet semolina dish made with plenty of ghee and chunks of fresh pineapple, is a good way to finish.

The dining room is crowded, with marbled walls, and you will often share a table with strangers. It is an excellent place for vegetarians and vegans, a good option for budget travellers, and an easy introduction to South Indian food for children, who usually enjoy idli and dosa.

Breakfast and lunch are the main draws. Expect a wait for a table, particularly at weekends, when families come from across the city; weekday mornings are the best time to avoid the longest queue. Allow 45 minutes to an hour including any wait. Walk-ins are welcome, so there is no need to plan far ahead. Prices are low for the quality of the food. Ordering is simple: decide quickly, as the staff are busy, and do not be shy about asking for more chutney or sambar. If you are with a group, order a few different dishes for the table, as the idli, dosa and sheera each show a different side of the kitchen.

For first-timers, it helps to know that the best way to eat idli and dosa is with your right hand, tearing off pieces and dipping them in sambar and chutney, although you can always ask if you would prefer cutlery.

The cafe sits on a tree-lined stretch of Matunga. It is a useful stop if you are heading north from South Mumbai towards the suburbs, or visiting the Shree Siddhivinayak Temple in Prabhadevi or eating Malvani food at Chaitanya in Dadar later in the day. Taxis can drop you outside, and the surrounding streets reward a short walk after breakfast.