If you go deep into Mumbai’s busy Bhendi Bazaar, through the jumble of people and pushcarts, between the houses that hug each other so closely that a chai cup may be shared between neighbouring windows, you can find a street called Khadak.

Sit yourself down at any of the wooden tables that line the narrow road, joined end to end to create an endless feast. There are kitchens all around, the smell of a hundred different spices wafting in the air, plates heaped generously high with delicious fare that never stops coming.

Your fellow diners are to be savoured as well, with delightful stories and personal histories that tumble out over the course of a meal. You can meet some of them in our logo and on our pages, each one a special character that gives Khadak its unique flavour.

This is India’s street food heaven. And it’s not one street, but many. Crisscrossing right across the heart of India’s culinary map, it stretches from here to the historic Ballimaran in Old Delhi, twists and turns along the by-lanes of Lucknow, passes under the shadow of Empire in Kolkata, and comes out into the legendary alleys of Royal Hyderabad. Start at one end with an empty stomach, stagger out the other end filled to your heart’s content.

Welcome to our world of Khadak. We hope you relish it as much as we do.