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When you’re returning from a long night-out or want something to prevent the impending hangover at 5:00 am, the predominantly South Indian neighbourhood of Matunga in Mumbai springs to life. An old-school dining establishment by the name of Ram Ashraya, has been the source of an endless supply of idlis and filter coffee to city slickers that have a day and a half ahead of them in the bustling city. So, it comes as no surprise that the iconic eatery features as one of the scant seven restaurants on Taste Atlas’ list of 150 Legendary Restaurants from the world over for 2023.
Image Credits: Indian Veggie Delight
Ranked 112th, the eatery enjoys its latest badge of honour, along with Paragon (Calicut), Peter Cat (Kolkata) and Tunday Kababi (Lucknow), among others. Founded by Shyambabu Shetty almost 81 years ago, Ram Ashraya serves as a reminder for the many immigrants who came to Mumbai and shaped it into the city it is today. Located just a stone’s throw away from Matunga station, the establishment is known for serving piping hot plates of idli-sambar, upma and sheera. A large part of Ram Ashraya’s clientele comprises of students who throng the place from nearby colleges for its affordable and delicious food options.
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As the years passed, Shetty’s sons – Jayram and Bhaskar took over the day-to-day operations of the no-frills place, and has now evolved into a third-generation business where Jayram’s sons – Akshay and Amarjeeth have begun overseeing the business. For an eatery with a gargantuan reputation, Ram Ashraya does not have a printed menu card and has daily specials chalked on a blackboard for customers to pick from. With time, the restaurant has added 19 different flavours of sheera to their menu although the plain and pineapple options remain top favourites.
As testament to that, Ram Ashraya sells close to 15 kgs of sheera in a day – a feat only restaurants of this stature could boast of. Doused in ghee, their food is prepared in batches and fresh, as the day progresses and crowds come and go. Depending on the change in season, the availability of certain flavours change too – some of them include strawberry, mango, black grapes and guava. Be sure to drop by during your next visit to the city and share your experience with us, in the comments below!
