Soam

Soam is an all-vegetarian restaurant on Babulnath Road, close to Girgaum Chowpatty beach and across the road from a large Shiva temple. It serves Gujarati home-style cooking and the snacks and chaat that Mumbai loves, in a homely, briskly run dining room. It is popular with local families and regulars, who often wait on chairs by the entrance for a table, and it is one of the easiest places in South Mumbai to try Gujarati food beyond a thali.

The menu is long and the waiters are happy to make suggestions, even when it is busy. A good meal might combine palak cheese samosas, which have a filling of spinach and cheese inside a crisp pastry; vitamin bhel, a lighter, healthier take on the classic puffed rice snack; panki; and a glass of Surti chaas, a spiced buttermilk. Seasonal specials are a highlight, including a vegetable-laden undhiyu and a tangy-sweet aamras puri platter.

Soam suits vegetarians and anyone who enjoys trying lots of small plates. It is also a good option for families, and its menu includes lighter dishes for those who want to keep things healthy. It works for lunch or an afternoon snack as well as dinner. Prices are moderate, and takeaway is available. Portions are suited to sharing, so ordering a spread of small plates for the table is the best approach.

Weekend lunchtimes are the busiest, so expect a short wait if you arrive at peak times; weekday afternoons are usually quieter. Allow around an hour. If you are new to Gujarati food, ask the staff about sweetness and spice levels, as many dishes balance both. The restaurant's popularity with local regulars is a good sign of its consistency.

Soam's location makes it easy to combine with a walk along Marine Drive and Girgaum Chowpatty, which are a few minutes away, or with visits to Mani Bhavan in Gamdevi and the Banganga Tank on Malabar Hill. Taxis can drop you on Babulnath Road. It is a good place to rest and refuel in the middle of a day exploring the northern end of the South Mumbai peninsula.