The best Northeast Indian food in Mumbai

What is it: A restaurant serving crowd pleasers from across the North East

Why we love it: Singju offers exciting little windows into the North East of India through its food with a range of brothy, comforting lesser known dishes. The restaurant serves thalis from across the states with traditional ingredients and styles where some of the fruits and all of the smoked meats and chutneys are imported from the region. You’ll also find little steps to modernize popular North Eastern staples like the U-Morok wings (Rs 499 - juicy chicken wings in a fiery chutney)  or the Meikhu-d ribs (Rs 499 - slow smoked pork ribs). The service is slow but we almost don't want to complain because it gives one plenty of time to take in the restaurant decor which includes artefacts and condiments from across the states, some of which are also available for sale. 

Time Out tip: Pair your meals with the Bhoot Jolokia sauce if you want more heat - it's a bit vinegary, but with the ability to make your scalp tingle delightfully.

Opening hours: Mon-Sun. 12pm-11.30pm.

Price: ₹1200 for two

Address: Shop 12, Juhu Ruturaj Cooperative Housing Society, Juhu Tara Rd, opp. SNDT Women's University, Juhu Koliwada, Santacruz (West), Mumbai, Maharashtra 400049

What is it: Sumptuous Manipuri meals in a family style restaurant 

Why we love it: Luithui Kitchen celebrates the ingredient focussed cooking style of Manipur. Hints of Naga chilli make a few dishes pretty spicy, but fermented foods snuck into stir fries and steamed and boiled vegetable dishes bring a beautiful umami to every meal. The mellow spice of the gravies, the generous, spicy meat and vegetable portions go incredibly well with the fragrant black rice. While there’s plenty of Chindian and Himalayan dishes, all made with a Luithui Kitchen touch, don’t miss out on the Luithui Special Juice (Rs 200)  a fermented black rice drink, the Seisa Salad (Rs 300) that is a spicy, tangy, crunchy buff salad and the Hoksa Luithui Special curry (Rs 500) with tender chunks of pork.

Time Out tip: The Luithui Special Juice (Rs 200) is originally a bit sour - ask the serving staff to make it ‘medium sweet’ and you’ll find it tastes a bit like toddy. 

Opening hours: Mon-Sun. 11am-11pm.

Expect to pay: ₹1,000 for two

Address: Shop no.1, 2, Kolivery Village, Vidya Nagari, Kalina, Santacruz East, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400029

What is it: Homely thalis served in a no-fuss style.

Why we love it: Walk in for a weekday lunch or dinner and you’ll meet the real patrons of this restaurant – those looking for a taste of home without paying a heavy price. They know exactly what to order. If you’re not one of them, our recommendation is the Assamese chicken thali (equally delicious with mushrooms in its vegetarian form) that has a greatly comforting aloo pitika (potato mash), a mildly nutty and warm chicken curry and a fiery green chilli thecha, served with soft, aromatic rice. The server tells me that it is a mix of joha and indrayni rice – a winning combination for a leisurely lunch. If you’d prefer some fire, try the Naga pork thali with fermented fish in the chutneys, including a rather special vegetable and dried fish chutney, another bamboo shoot chutney, and a mellow curry spiced with turmeric and rich buttery pork. The chicken dry fry with a mild kick is also worth trying. 

Time Out tip: The chutneys here are special and spicy – our picks are the Chicken Gizzard Chutney and the King Chilli with Naga Tomato.

Opening hours: Mon-Sun. 11.30am-4pm, 6pm-12am.

Price: ₹800 for two

Address: Shop No 3, Ground floor, Amber CHS, RTO Rd, Shatataraka Co Op Housing Society, Suresh Nagar, Andheri West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400053

What is it: Manipuri and Mizo cuisine served out of a tiny studio apartment-like space.

Why we love it: With windows looking down at a busy suburb and Mizo gospel music played from a speaker, Sinlung keeps it casual both in terms of ambience and menu. For a homely taste of Manipur, try the meat thali – a balanced, light on the palate meal that includes a lush bittergourd sabzi rendered in pork fat. What won our hearts though are the variety of comfort meals from Mizoram, like puri meat – giant, pillowy puris served with an unfussy pork curry, to chow satui leih – noodles swimming in a nourishing warm buff broth. The aluchop - potato cutlets coated in egg – work well alongside the thali or alternately, with some red tea. As we ate, the kitchen sent out a few tasters, including a blood sausage that was mildly spiced and meaty.

Time Out tip: Sinlung makes a few dishes on pre-order only. Consider asking for the smoked prawns in Mizo style before your visit.

Address: Shop no 3A, 1st floor of Almeida Avana. 152 Kalina Kurla Road.above KHA-Burgers,Fries, Kalina, Masjid, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400029

Opening hours: Mon-Sat. 11.30am-10 pm. Sundays closed.

Price: ₹500 for two

What is it: Naga food served in a contemporary casual space.

Why we love it: Started because the owners wanted to bring comfort food to the homesick, Naga Belly has always had a focus on keeping flavours true to its roots. Now, the restaurant also adds popular fare with essential Naga flavours across its dessert and appetiser menu. One of the very few Northeastern restaurants to stick to Naga dishes alone, (no Indian Chinese or ramen on this menu!). Pair your meals with a fermented drink for a heady evening. Warning: this place may not be for vegetarians.

Time Out tip: Take any excuse to try the purple rice – while it is served in seafood, pork and chicken thalis, it is excellent paired with fried pork too.

Address: Shop No 7, Ground Floor, Hubtown Premier Residences Commercial, JP Rd, Gharkul Society, Four Bungalows, Andheri West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400053

Opening hours: Sun-Mon. 12pm-4.30 pm, 6.35pm-11 pm.

Price: ₹1,500-2,000 for two

What is it: The OG Northeastern Restaurant that still serves some cherished specials

Why we love it: Set in the lowkey Kalina neighbourhood, Thotrin serves largely Manipuri dishes with a few Naga specialities thrown in. The smoked Hoksa and Iromba have stayed consistently popular, but the spicy Thotrin chicken salad is what gets people coming back. There are no curated menus here. Thotrin has a lot that doesn’t actually feature on the menu but if you ask nicely, it will be made for you.

Address: Shop No 2, Opp Saint Roque, Kolevery Village, Kalina, Santacruz East, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400029

Opening hours: Sun-Mon. 12pm-11 pm.

Price: ₹500 for two