IN PHOTOS: Mumbai’s summer harvest inspires chefs across the city

With summer arriving in Mumbai, local markets are brimming with fresh seasonal produce that has chefs and food enthusiasts excited. From raw mangoes, gourds and leafy greens to tropical fruits and cooling grains, chefs across the city are crafting dishes and drinks that highlight the natural flavours of the season. (Story by Phorum Pandya)

Updated On: 2026-03-10 01:35 PM IST

Compiled by : Tarun Verma

Summer arrives in Mumbai’s Dadar market with a vibrant spread of fresh fruits and vegetables, inspiring chefs and food lovers to explore seasonal flavours. FILE PIC/ATUL KAMBLE

Fresh mango produce at Crawford Market, vendors showcasing baskets filled with raw mangoes defining the city’s summer harvest

At HOM in Bandra, culinary director Saurabh Udinia eagerly awaits the arrival of raw mangoes, often using his family’s homemade aam pickle as a unique ingredient in dishes like seabass. Pics courtesy/HOM

Seasonal vegetables also find their way into HOM’s Veggie Chop, a patty packed with amaranth, green peas and edamame, paired with a sauce made from burnt cauliflower (left) and seabass (right).  

For food writer and curator Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal, summer produce inspires a variety of chutneys, using everything from ridge gourd peels to leaves, flowers and stems

Traditional chutneys made with gongura, hibiscus, moringa and tamarind bring both flavour and nutrition, reflecting the creativity of Indian kitchens

At Folk in Kala Ghoda, Jasleen Marwah highlights how ingredients like kokum, mango, beetroot and tamarind add both colour and cooling qualities to seasonal beverages, her personal favourite being the Goregaon station market to shop these ingredients. PICS COURTESY/FOLK

At Tillage, co-founder Shival Shah notes that markets begin to favour tropical produce such as avocados, mangoes and mangosteen as temperatures rise. PICS COURTESY/TILLAGE

Summer also brings a wave of refreshing drinks, from aam panna and kokum sharbat to sol kadi, kanji and chhaas, offering relief from the city’s heat

Seasonal produce at The Bombay Canteen. Pics courtesy/The Bombay Canteen

Chef Gaurav Yadav of The Bombay Canteen enjoys working with ripe tomatoes, tender gourds, cucumbers and fruits like pomelo and bael that naturally suit warm weather cooking

A walk through neighbourhood markets such as Grant Road Market or Sassoon Dock reveals the full bounty of the season, from fresh vegetables to the day’s seafood catch, capturing the spirit of Mumbai’s summer harvest.

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