"In the mid-1990s, I lived at a working women’s hostel, and our warden, Mrs Galgalikar would cheer us up with sweets from Mishty Bela in Walkeshwar, I loved their chocolate pedas. By the early 2000s, my nostalgia for childhood came rushing back with a taste of Sri Krishna Sweets’ Mysurpa. I would ask friends from Mulund or Chembur to bring it for me," says author and poet Arundhathi Subramaniam. (Pic Courtesy (L)/Instagram)
At: Sri Krishna Sweets, opposite Adarsh Hotel, Chembur; Shop no 2, Jai Commercial Plaza, Mulund West
At: Mishty Bela, Krishnaraj Building, Walkeshwar Road, Malabar Hill
"I have been eating Mathura peda from Camy [Wafers] in Colaba for as long as I can remember. Even as we speak, I am on my way there to pick some boxes to give to relatives and friends during Diwali. I love Mathura peda, and especially from Camy because it has the perfect texture. I love its milky flavour. It has a nice brown colour with a very rich taste. They never go wrong with consistency either. It’s a tradition now to get these pedas for Diwali," says Salome Roy Kapur, dancer-tutor, and Miss India (1972). (In Pic (L)/Pedas from Camy Wafers)
At: Camy Wafers, Oxford House, near Colaba market, Colaba
"My grandparents used to always place a large order of malai khaja from N Lookmanji in Mohammad Ali Road. It is my favourite. Even Tawakkal in Bohri Mohalla has some of the best malai khaja. The dish is a puff pastry stuffed with sweetened cream and garnished with rose petals. My parents would hide it because I used to polish it off in minutes," says author Shabnam Minwalla.
At: At N Lookmanji Mithaiwala, Tardeo; Tawakkal Sweets, Bhendi Bazar, Byculla
"It was a tradition for my ajji (grandmother) who would make every sweet by herself. I still remember the taste of her chirotis and karanjis, with a simple stuffing of coconut shavings and gur (jaggery). I never found something similar, except at Vinayak Keshav Company in Girgaon, says chef and culinary director, Rahul Akerkar at Waarsa. (In Pic (L)/Chiroti. Courtesy/Wikimedia Commons)
At: Shop No. 125, Maharaja Building, LensMartin @Giragaon, Jagannath Shankar Seth Rd, Ambewadi, Girgaon, Mumbai
"When growing up, sev barfi from Karachi Sweets and Sindhu Sweets in Khar were two of my go-to places for desserts in Diwali. While Karachi Sweets has closed down, Sindhu Sweets is still doling out boxes of their trademark sev barfi. We would buy big boxes every year. Get there early on busy days as these sweets disappear from the shelves," says Abhijeet Kini, illustrator and creator of Angry Maushi comic series. (In pic/Sev barfi remains a favourite for Kini)
At: At Sindhu Sweets, 3, Satguru Shopping Centre, Ram Krishna Nagar, Khar West
"I have fond memories of heading to Chandru’s Pure Ghee Sweets in Versova while working in the city. They do the most delectable, melt-in-the-mouth Sindhi sev barfis. Not far away in the western suburbs is another favourite — Tewari Brothers Mithaiwala in Juhu.Their imartis drenched in syrup and dripping with ghee are a no-brainer. On days when I’m craving a nice crispy jalebi, I drop by Bikaji in Malad West. I don’t have a mithai buddy in Mumbai, but I’m a Gemini, so I’m always in the company of myself," says Ashish Vidyarthi, actor and vlogger. (In pic/Jalebis from Bikaji)
At: Chandru’s Pure Ghee Sweets, near Versova Metro Station, Andheri West
At: Tewari Brothers Mithaiwala, Model Town Society,Juhu
At: Bikaji, Evershine Nagar, Malad West
Also Read: A trip down memory lane! Prominent Mumbaikars recall their favourite Diwali mithai from the city
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