Prateek Tanmay
3 min readNew DelhiJun 1, 2026 11:00 PM IST
TasteAtlas, a popular food guide, has ranked Mumbai’s iconic Ashok Vada Pav 25th in its list of The World’s Most Iconic Sandwiches, and we completely get it! An iconic street food destination in Mumbai, it has been operating for decades, having opened in 1966 and is believed to have invented vada pav. Located right next to Kirti M. Doongursee College of Arts, Science and Commerce in Dadar, they have been serving the snack to generations of food lovers, commuters, students and even celebrities.
A little history
Celebrity chef Ananya Banerjee shared the fascinating origins of the dish, revealing that vada pav was invented in the 60s or 70s by Ashok Vaidya, a street vendor near Dadar railway station in Mumbai. He combined a traditional Maharashtrian batata vada (potato fritter) with pav, inspired by the need for a quick, affordable snack for commuters and mill workers.
TasteAtlas ranked Ashok Vada Pav 25th. (Source: Instagram/@tasteatlas)
TasteAtlas’ website also mentions that Ashok made vada pav, and its popularity skyrocketed especially after the Shiv Sena, a Marathi-Hindu nationalist political party, started to promote the sandwich as an ideal working class snack.
It’s easy to eat on the go, making it perfect for busy city life. “Vada pav is more than a snack—it’s a cultural emblem of Mumbai. Its simplicity, affordability, and connection to the city’s industrious spirit have turned it into an iconic street food loved across India,” Banerjee told indianexpress.com.
Tarveen Kaur, head chef and restaurant consultant, agreed with Banerjee, adding that pav, a fluffy bread roll, was first introduced to India by the Portuguese. “The result was a culinary revelation: an affordable snack that could be eaten on the go, packed with flavour and sustenance,” she told indianexpress.com.
According to her, vada pav is the essence of Mumbai, a dish born of necessity but elevated by innovation. Its simple ingredients belie its complex cultural significance. “Found everywhere from railway stations to fine dining restaurants, vada pav remains deeply tied to its roots,” she mentioned.
Vendors continue to elevate the dish with accompaniments like coconut-garlic chutney, tamarind sauce, and fried chilies, with upscale versions playing around with cheese and fusion flavors. Despite experimentation and reinvention, Chef Kaur believes the essence of vada pav remains the same—a snack that represents Mumbai’s spirit: quick, bold, and unforgettable.
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to.
