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South Indian comfort food in Mumbai gets a new address: Malad. The Satvik, temple-style South Indian vegetarian restaurant, Santosham, marks its first foray into the city’s western suburbs. The restaurant brings its family recipes, traditional cooking methods and generous hospitality built around the philosophy of prasadam to the neighbourhood, whose residents have been asking for Santosham to come closer to home.
The 60-seater restaurant – designed by Minnie Bhatt Design – pairs Santosham’s traditional culinary roots with a warm, contemporary setting. The place has been imagined as an inviting neighbourhood restaurant, where diners can settle in for a leisurely banana-leaf meal, a quick dosa or a cup of filter coffee.
Founded by mother-son duo Bhagyalakshmi Gohokar and Chittaranjan Gohokar, Santosham draws on a family culinary legacy rooted in home-style South Indian cooking. Bhagyalakshmi oversees over 200 heirloom recipes as the brand's head chef and co-founder and Chittaranjan brings his 20 years of experience in manufacturing and construction to lead the brand’s strategy and expansion as founder and CEO.
Food prepared with traditional methods with a dash of family history
Some dishes at Santosham come with a little family history on the side. Parippu Pradhaman is made with roasted lentils, coconut milk, and jaggery. Meanwhile, Karuveppilai Podi is inspired by curry leaves grown in the backyard of the founders’ family home.
Unlimited Satvik Banana-Leaf Sadhya, a traditional meal served on a banana leaf, remains an eternal star of Santosham's menu. Several dishes are rooted in temple-style cooking, prepared without garlic or onion, making the experience as much about the food as about the serving, refilling, and meal-sharing rituals.
What’s in the à la carte menu? Homestyle dosas and soft idlis made with naturally fermented batter, tiffin sambar, ven pongal finished with pepper, cumin, ghee, and fragrant tempering. Additionally, expect podies, chutneys, pickles, and in-house batters, prepared by the restaurant using freshly ground spices with traditional techniques.
The key focus of Santosham remains on preserving the recipes and feeling of being cared for through a meal – whether it is a Sadhya or a simple dosa, every plate carries the homely warmth and generosity.
With existing outlets across Mumbai – Marine Drive, Powai, and Thane – Santosham’s Malad opening marks another step in bringing its Satvik South Indian cooking to more corners of the city.
Where: Santosham, Shop No. 9, Ground Floor, Raj Infinia, Off Link Road, Near Movie Time, Kiosk, Malad West
Timings: Daily. 7:30am to 10:30pm.
Instagram: @santoshamfoods