Tickle your tastebuds: Food groups help you explore the culinary scene in Mumbai

Foodies in the city who love tickling their taste buds with different cuisines and trying out new restaurants don’t have to wait any longer for friends or family to accompany them. Mumbai’s food groups offer the perfect opportunity to savour eclectic food and beverages and form new connections with people.

‘It’s just like going out with your friends and splitting the bill’Sahil Makhija from Khar runs the group The Serial Eaters. It started with a bunch of people on a WhatsApp group, but as word spread, foodies from all across the city who were keen to explore the culinary scene, reached out to him on social media.
Sahil says, “Currently we have one or two meet-ups every week. The group is open to people from all walks of life, professions and ages. I normally decide the restaurant or if there is a lot of demand for a particular place, then I organise a meet-up there. It’s just like going out with your friends and splitting the bill but in a more organised manner.”

‘A couple met at a food meetup & are now married’Another popular food group in the city, Pet Pujaris, has members who have not just discovered good food but even their life partners at group events. Founder Kumar Jhuremalani says, “This couple met during an event, for the love of food, and later, tied the knot, and have been married for nine years now and counting.”

‘We try coffee from diverse origins’Coffee lovers can find their counterparts in Mumbai Coffee Collective that was formed to explore a shared passion among a few friends for exploring the world of specialty coffee. Founder Ashwin Karangutkar says, “We were eager to try out coffee from diverse origins like Colombia, Ethiopia, Panama, etc. To make this more accessible and cost-effective, we decided to pool our orders, allowing us to leverage group discounts and split shipping costs. This collaborative approach proved successful, and soon, word of mouth and social media helped spread the word, attracting more coffee enthusiasts to our meetups where we brew international coffees.”

Know your food and beverage groupsThere are no charges to join the group
Members can join via social media
Benefits include group discounts and freebies at restaurants
Members include ages 2 years old to 60 and above
Founders keep an eye out for new restaurants, cuisines and social media trends that members can participate in

At the start of the month, I host a Fatka Meetup where bill pe fatka lagega (fine dining experience). It’s expensive food and drinks. Towards the end of the month, I do a Kadka Meetup - street food, hole-in-the-wall joints and food walks through different areas of the city
- Kumar Jhuremalani
Pics: Tejas Kudtarkar