Eat like you were born here

The naan qalia benchmark: tandoor naan by the hundreds and a mutton qalia that has not changed its mind in three generations. Lunch only, arrive before one.

A legend on wheels: butter dosas off a blazing tawa from six to ten every evening. Cash, patience and an appetite — that's the whole menu of requirements.

Unlimited Maharashtrian thali with a rotating Marathwada special — the shengdana chutney alone justifies the trip. Sunday queues are part of the experience.

Dum biryani in the old Hyderabadi style with an Aurangabadi temper — saffron on top, patience underneath. The Friday special sells out by two.

South Indian breakfast done properly: crisp ghee roast dosas, idlis like clouds, filter coffee in steel tumblers. Open from seven sharp.

Continental plates, wood-fired pizzas and the city's most serious espresso machine, on a quiet verandah off Jalna Road. Date-night territory.