Khau Gallis in Bombay
‘Khau Galli’ is a Bombay term, which can be loosely translated into English to mean ‘Food Lane’. It is also a collective noun for the food available in these lanes, street food. From tomorrow onwards, over a few weekends, I will write about some of these khau gallis, the ones I end up going to.
Khau Gallis exist in all parts of Bombay, with each having its signature dishes but also serving staple Bombay street fare (pav bhaji, vada pav, bhelpuri and panipuri). The interesting thing is that in spite of the similarity of food, each lane has a distinctive character – it could be be the one dish that marks it out of all the other similar gallis, or the kind of clientele it has, or just the way it is influenced by its immediate surroundings.
The khau galli off SNDT has a very strong Kerala flavor not just in the food which contains coconut (a staple of Kerala food) but also in the names of the shops, some of which have names of famous Russians like Lenin and Stalin. The state of Kerala is one of the two bastions of communism in India.
There is a khau galli off Mohamedally Road, near the Minara Masjid – the lane is also called the ‘Minara Masjid galli’ – which serves the most amazing non-vegetarian Muslim food. And I have not seen any other street in Mumbai where I can get the full complement of kebabs, nihaari, daal gosht, chaanp. And then straight-from-the-pan-hot jalebis.
All the khau gallis originated from a need felt by the local populace for no-hassle, cheap food joints, serving the customary cuisine of the populace. The ‘khau galli’ off Carter Road, in posh sea-facing Bandra, serves shawarmas, sandwiches and the ilk. In middle-class Ghatkopar, they serve pav bhaaji, the staple street food of Bombay – minimum fuss, and value for money.
And this is only scratching the surface. I am sure there are even more interesting facets to these gallis or lanes. Keep watching this space to know. 
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Comments
Pls try out the South Indian snacks – masala/spring dosas, idli, medu vada, paruppa vada and more at Matunga’s khau galli, opposite Bhajan Samaj. Wash it down with piping hot filter coffee for that satiating effect.
I am a foodie and a food writer. Would like to contribute for this site.
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I think this was somewhere in Juhu (unfortunately, my memory from the time is now a blur) but there’s this one Khau Galli that has these amazing Masala Dosas (Chinese – Sichuan, Chat flavour… a never-ending exquisite list). Hope you discover it in your quest, and do let me know when you do! I need to visit that place again to revitalize my memory!
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