3 Best Biryani Restaurants in Mumbai


We are a family of biryani lovers. Even my 6-year old, who is otherwise notorious for her foot habits and eating-time, will slurp up her plate of biryani in a snap. We make them at home, but also greatly relish the ones that are available in restaurants outside. Here’s a list of the 3 best places that sell biryani in Mumbai. And since different regions in India are possessive about their own Biryani taste and flavours, the 3 names shared here, are not in the form of any rank.

Kakori House for the BEST Mughlai Biryani in Mumbai: They have their outlets in Mahim Causeway, Saki Naka, Oshiwara. They offer dum-gosht Lucknowi biryani, dum murgh masala biryani, chicken noormahal biryani, mutton noormahal biryani, and a veg biryani. We are the lovers of their Dum-Gosht Biryani. So, if it is not Arselan, it’s Kakori House for us. And since they are located at Saki Naka, they deliver within 45 minutes of ordering. One packet is enough for 2 adults. A little high on their oil/ghee, the taste here is completely different. It’s more of the Awadhi style prevalent in parts of Uttar Pradesh in India. One packet comes with 6-7 small tender pieces of mutton.

kakori, jpg

BiryaniByAir for the BEST Hyderabadi Biryani in Mumbai: Friends and strangers have long enquired for the best Hyderabadi biryani in Mumbai, and frankly, we didn’t have any worthwhile name to recommend. Until we stumbled upon BiryanibyAir in Pali Hill, Bandra. Guess what? They actually fly Biryani from Hyderabad!!! It couldn’t get better than this, could it? Choose from the famous Paradise’s Chicken Biryani or Mutton Biryani from Shah Ghouse. Soon they will include non-veg biryanis from Café Bahar and Shadab too and veg-biryani from Paradise. Haleem lovers, take heart. They get Haleem from New Empire Hotel in Mozamjahi Market. We LOVED the mutton biryani from Shah Ghouse – low on oil, just the right amount of Hyderabadi spices and the perfect flavour, it bowled us over. And although not huge Chicken Biryani lovers, we liked the Chicken Biryani from Paradise too for it wasn’t as hot and spicy as it used to be. Frankly, BiryaniByAir is the best thing that could have happened to Hyderabadi Biryani-lovers in Mumbai. For now, they get the Biryanis only on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and home deliver from Bandra to Malad. Powai will be added to their list soon. Call them to book your packet for the weekend – 9699512233 http://foodbyair.myshopify.com/

for Blog revised

Biryani360 for the Most Healthy Biryani in Mumbai: Actually, it should be ‘Biryani360 for the most healthy, most flavoured and homemade-like awesome tasting biryani’. We were floored when we ate it the other day, both the Veg and the Un-Veg (a phrase they have coined for Non-Veg) Biryani, and fell in love with both of them! We, who as a family, consider Veg Biryani to be Pulao, and are not Chicken Biryani lovers, were converted!! Biryani360 was our ‘EUREKA’ Biryani. Yeah, it was that good!!! The Veg Biryani360 was awesome, absolutely awesome with just the right flavour, just the right aroma, the right right taste, and oh, what an absolutely delightful after-taste. The Chicken Biryani, was an eye-opener, a converter once again — soft succulent pieces, with the signature veggies — There is no way you will not fall in love with the Un-Veg360. They make it fresh, with the best ingredients sourced from the best places, the effect completely shows in what they give you to eat. It amazed me to think how people with the right skills and sincerity can create such wonderful things. Here was proof! The Biryani comes with Raita in a delightful packaging. We are sure convinced that “Biryani360 may just about change Mumbai’s Biryani-scape”! Note: they sell the biryani online; very well packaged and steaming hot when you open it.

Order your Biryani360 at: www.biryani360.com

Biryani360

Which are your favourite biryani places in Mumbai? Tell us about them here..:-) (And here are the best Biryani places in Hyderabad — On Biryani’s Trail in Hyderabad )


20 thoughts on “3 Best Biryani Restaurants in Mumbai

    • jayantadeepa

      Thank you!! We love the one @ITC Maratha too. Our experience @Café Noorani wasn’t good though — the biryani was not warm. Maybe we should try it another day.

  • Manas Mukherjee

    u r surely bongs!! if i am correct den arsalan and hanglas explains it. also plz come up with a list of best kolkata biryani among kolkata restaurants. its is genes of bengalis to be die hard foodies wherever dey are.

    • jayantadeepa

      LOL….only a Bong knows another Bong!! Yes Manas, we are Bengalis — Jayanta Chaudhuri and Deepa Dutta Chaudhuri.
      We will visit Kolkata this December. And the biryani line-up is something on our agenda. Thanks for helping us firm it up.
      Wonderful that you stopped by our blog. Hope you will enjoy the others too 🙂
      Regards,
      Deepa

  • Pavan Kumar Yabaluri

    Hi jayenta, came across your blog when i searched google for best biryani’s in mumbai…before anything else 2 things about me.. one i am a hardcore hyderabadi (born,educated..30odd years there) moved to mumbai twice last decade and in powai last 2 years…now the problem statement…still haven’t found a single joint that serves anything that comes close to a Hyderabadi biryani..i have checked out the above listed ones and frankly (No offence mean’t) from a hyderabdi biryani style they are nowhere close…still i am asking you to suggest…( single reason for my faith in asking you is because you have listed Shadab as the No 1 option in hyderabad even without visiting it and that is a serious information to know true blue hyderabadi biryani….

    • jayantadeepa

      Hi Pavan,
      Thanks for writing in. Yeah, the above-listed ones are for those who love the Mughlai-style. Real Hyderabadi, frankly, is hard to get in Mumbai. I bring it back from my trips to Hyderabad. What you get in Mumbai are the extremely spicy, curry style biryanis which we hate. Have you tries the Hyderabadi Biryani from Kakori House though. Guess they should be better than the rest. Also, the Biryani @ITC Central in Lower Parel is very good. Give it a try there.
      We will inform you as soon as we discover the original Hyderabadi Biryani in Mumbai.
      Wishing you a very happy 2014!!
      Regards.

    • Anonymous

      Hi Pavan, please read our updated post … Now you can get Paradise, Shah Ghouse, Shadab and other biryani in Mumbai … Piping hot – the same day, flown in specially for Mumbaikars by ‘Biryani By Air’. Bon Apetit !!

  • Anshul

    Wow! I can’t tell you how much I needed this…. I stayed in Hyd for 2 years and then settled in Mumbai. Since then I am yearning and asking all Mumbaikars where can I get a Biryani which comes close to Hyd… Though being vegetarian, I was looking at veg only! 😉 (Please don’t be turn off reading this- I know Biryani is suppose to be Non-veg..blah blah.. whatever!!)

    Nevertheless, Thanks a ton guys! I am gonna try this and revert with feedback.
    Cheers!

  • Anand Rajan

    Hi Guys,

    Am soo happy to see a blog where people are discussing about Biryani, thanks for the host, my whole hearted Thanks to you people out there. Well, am sure its clear i am a true Hyderabadi Biryani Fan. I saw the last post is on April, can you people tell me if you found something other than “Food by Air” which serves authentic Hyderabad Biryani?? atleast near to it. “Food by Air” is charging Hefty!! 600 for a Biryani is Unaffordable, probably i might have it once a month. But guys if u know some place else, it would be great. Cheers for the Blog..!!!

    • WOOF

      Hi Anand,
      Nopes! Nothing on authentic Hyderabadi Niryani other than what they get from Hyderabad itsself.

  • Rana

    I rather liked the Raan Biryani at Persian Durbar and also the one at Shalimar. The rice is nice and fragrant, without being overpowering in terms of ghee and oil, and the Raan is available cooked in a variety of ways. Other biryanis in Mumbai have been quite disappointing – and I haven’t been a fan of five star kitchens so won’t know about the one in ITC Parel. Maybe will give it a shot. Kakori House biryani – for Avadhi style biryani, it is too dry, but maybe it was just a one off. Arselan – got suckered by the hype, and had it once (from the Khar outlet), but it left me unsatisfied. Hangla’s – was good a few years ago, but the franchises today are pathetic and I have stopped going there even for rolls. Perhaps Mumbai isn’t the place for biryanis, or perhaps I am spoilt by the still lingering taste of Hyderabad Biriyani of Hyderabad Biriyani (name of the restaurant) on Victoria Road, Bangalore. Now that is some biriyani – Paradise is nowhere close to this frankly! So maybe on of your trips you should visit there and find out how good Hyderabad Biriyani can really be. You have a choice of double masala if you like it spicier, and the accompaniment of Mirchi ka salan is heavenly! Just for this one restaurant I wouldn’t mind going back to Bangalore, much as I love Mumbai otherwise. They have multiple outlets – but try the one on Victoria Road which is the oldest and the first one. And yes, eat it on a banana leaf, and don’t try to order the other stuff – that is pretty mediocre. And for once, the chicken biriyani is better than the mutton! Sigh!!! Slurp, drool …

  • Shashank Chandra

    Agree with you on Kakori House. Not tried the other two but will definitely try

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