Love of Food | Mumbai: Long weekend, road trips, and halting for meals

A vegetarian thali at the no-frills Patil Khanaval, Murud, near Murud beach, over an hour's drive from Alibaug jetty.

While the food options in Mumbai are endless, every once in a while a change of scenery and a long drive with the promise of delicious food is a welcome idea. The impending long weekend is the perfect excuse to pack your wanderlust and drive to these amazing food joints located just a drive-away distance from the city:

Buvachi Misal, Lonavala

Buvachi Misal

The misal at this tiny eatery in Lonavala is worth a drive from Mumbai. Push past the hungry crowd of families, bikers and cyclists and go straight for the misal. There are three kinds — spicy, medium-spicy and regular. Be the daredevil and try the spicy one. The fiery red curry comes topped with crunchy farsan and lots of chopped tomatoes and onions. The accompanying buttered pav tames things down a bit. The misal tastes exactly like it did when Maruti Gaikwad started Buvachi Misal, three decades ago. That’s probably one of the reasons for the unrelenting popularity of this place. Not a misal fan? Try the perfectly browned kanda bhajji and vada pav.

Where: Behind Fariyad Resort. Tel: 9422350836. Drive time: 3 hours

Patil Khanaval, Murud

Fish thali at Patil Khanaval

Dine under the coconut trees at Patil Khanaval, Murud.

Ukdiche modak at Patil Khanaval.

Brace yourself for a no-frills setting, plastic chairs, brisk service... the reward, however, is an absolutely delicious seafood thali with hot-off-the-pan fried fish, Malvani fish curry, spicy mussels, sol kadhi and soft rice bhakris. The food is rustic and the setting is outdoors, under swaying coconut trees. Reserve the ukdiche modak as the steamed rice dumplings tend to fly off the menu really fast.

Where: Near Murud beach. Tel: 088068 18881. Drive time: Take the Ro-Ro to Alibaug. It’s 1 hour 31 mins drive from Alibaug Jetty.

Saltt, Karjat

Saltt at Karjat is a pleasant getaway.

Pizza at Saltt Karjat.

If you want to truly reconnect with nature while gorging on lip smacking food then head to Saltt in Karjat. In just under two hours you will be chomping on piping hot wood fired pizzas, deliciously layered lasagne and sumptuous noodles along with freshly brewed beer at this 170-acre farm. Post a leisurely meal take a walk on verdant green lawns or catch the sunset by the lake. There’s also a cute nursery and the small vintage-car collection to explore.

Where: Oleander Farms Pvt. Ltd, Karjat Chowk Road, Vavarle Village, Karjat. Tel: 9967725518. Drive time: 1 hour, 30 minutes.

Shree Datta Snacks

Delicacies from Shree Datta Snacks.

Plenty of places serve vada pav in Mumbai, but few do justice. As with everything put out by its kitchen, Shree Datta delivers a vada pav that’s perfectly crisp outside, soft and spicy inside with a dynamite red chili garlic chutney alongside. The mildly flavoured kothambir wade and crispy sabudana vadas are also a crowd-favourite for good reason. But it’s the karwas that will really shock you — so buttery it just disappears in the mouth. Go with a gang, order a feast and drown it all with tall glasses of  kokum sharbat.

Where: On the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. Tel: +91 97677 00649. Drive time: 2 hours 30 minutes.

Anglo Indian Café, Lonavala

This bistro with its gorgeous white columns, high ceiling and French windows is an instant mood lifter. The food is global with a desi twist. Go for the perfectly smokey sourdough pizzas, dosa-batter onion rings, aglio olio burrata pasta, desi paella and smoked chipotle paneer tikka. But the best thing there is the uninterrupted hill views. Wait for the dramatic sunset and then drive back home.

Where: Kune Village, Lonavala. Tel: 8766055364. Drive time: 1 hour, 44 mins approx.

Sunny Daa Dhaba, Lonavala

This dabha-style restaurant is popular for its hearty Punjabi fare. Luscious butter chicken, sizzling kebabs, spicy mutton rogan josh, velvety dal makhni and garlic-studded naan are the most ordered dishes on the menu. The masala chhaas and jalebi make for perfect endings. Portions are huge so order judiciously. Bonus points for the huge televisions screening IPL.

Where: Old Mumbai-Pune Highway, Mundhavara Phata, Before Lonavala. Tel: Old Mumbai-Pune Highway. Tel: +91 98907 61643. Drive time: 3 hours

Dairyland parlour

This vegetarian restaurant from the legendary Parsi Dairy is worth a drive for the melt in the mouth dudh nu puff, lip-smacking malai lassi and sumptuous cutlets served with a fiery coriander mint chutney. The mix-veg pakora platter is fab, too. They also do various thalis of which the Parsi thalis with dhansak and gajar mewa nu achar is commendable. The gazebo-themed restaurant also houses an animal farm and a playground for children. Head to the isolated Kurze Daam for a post-lunch snooze.

Where: NH8, Nariman Nagar, Varwada, Talasari. Tel: 9820066468. Drive time: 2.5 hour drive

Kiki’s, Alibaug

Sourdough pizza at Kiki's, Alibaug.

The ambience at Kiki's, Alibaug.

Hop on to the Ro-Ro for a memorable meal in a quaint garden under a mango tree in the nearby island of Alibaug. Kiki’s is an old Alibaug favourite now in a new address. The food is a mix of cuisines — pesto and cherry sourdough pizza, grilled prawns, Turkish lamb with labneh, grilled rawas, butter garlic lobster, chunky sourdough bread, etc. There is a lot of vegetarian options to choose from, from creamy chargrilled broccoli, plump burrata on a bed of grapes to pad thai, Thai curry and Malvani curry. Leave room for the chilled tiramisu and chocolate ganache tart. The setting is magical with fairy lights and softly blowing sea breeze. Just keep in mind that the last Ro-Ro leaves at 6.30 pm!

Where: Ccaza Ccomodore, Mhatre Phata, Dhokawade II, Alibaug. Drive time: An hour on the Ro-Ro and 15-minute drive from Mandwa Jetty (the restaurant can arrange your transport)

Kinara Village Dhaba, Lonavala

Hara Bhara kabab at Kinara Village.

The rustic ambience at Kinara Village.

How about a quick getaway to a rustic village complete with charpais, camels, bullock carts and swings? This bucolic setting on the old Mumbai-Pune Highway comes with robust north Indian fare. Think creamy butter chicken and spicy tikkas. If you’re going to forgo your usual light lunch just one day call for the ghee-drenched kesar jalebi. The matka kulfi is so delicate and flavourful that to skip it would be a sin. Go early as the place has a lot to explore including the antiques that they have been collecting for more than 40 years. Evenings give way to live ghazals, palm readers and folk dancers. The Karla Caves are close by if you want to make a quick dash.

Where: Vaksai Naka, Old Mumbai Pune Highway, Lonavala. Tel: 919323639639. Drive time: 3 hours 20 minutes.