New in Thane? Here are nine food spots that locals swear by, capturing the suburb’s shifting mood and culinary confidence

The evolution of Thane from a slow town identified with the ldquomental hospitalrdquo to a bustling echo of Mumbai has gathered speed in the last decade Along with the residential boom eateries have undergone a sea change as well Most of the wellknown chains have outlets in Thane but we cast an eye over our list of personal favourites and picked out the ones we think you should go forVeg mein kya milegaFor a vegetarian restaurant with a difference we like The Family Tree at Panchpakhadi Itrsquos childfriendly obviously Jainfriendly and has the cutest deacutecor with seats assigned by family position grandpa aunt etcThe restaurant has been around for some eight years and has built up a decent reputation along the way Wersquove heard good things about the food here from friends and it hasnrsquot disappointed us on our repeat visits We almost always go for the Continental choices our favourites being the Orange Cottage Cheese the Vegetable Au Gratin and the Burrito Supreme Friendsrsquo faves are the innovative Pav Bhaji Fondue California Potatoes and Stuffed Mushrooms and they say the Chinese menu has some excellent picks as well Quirkilynamed mocktails are refreshing and their desserts are worth leaving room for The place is designed for gettogethers and is suitable for a vegetarian dineout option with hatke choicesWHERE Ravi Industrial Estate Panch Pakhadi Thane WestTIMING 1130 am 330 pm630 pm 1130 pmPRICE Rs 1500 for twoBowl food that pleasesWe first came across Cafeacute Nutrithink in the aftermath of the pandemic and we were keen to support local businesses so we ended up ordering a lot of their food to take home once we tried and liked it When restrictions were lifted we hung out with friends at the cafeacute itself too You can have a casual business chat here or a date or just a quiet friendsrsquo meetup The deacutecor is modern but not ldquoedgyrdquo and gives a comfortable vibeWhat first caught our fancy is the cafeacutersquos bowl meals mdash protein the right amount of carbs fresh vegetables and the perfect sauce to pull it all together The salad lovers in our group are thrilled especially with the Grilled Chicken Paillard Salade Nicoise and the Nutrithink Special Salad Started by Vaishnavi Natu and chef Mandar Kadam Cafeacute Nutrithink seems to be popular with the picky Gen Z set And we oldies like it too The cafeacute is located in Hiranandani Estate but at the time of writing they were planning to relocate and were offering deliveryonly until thenTO ORDER cafenutrithinkuengageinCONTACT 8104334768PRICE Rs 1200 for twoMaska laga keIrani Canteen is part of the recent eruption of trendy cafeacutes and restaurants in Panchpakhadi creeping slowly right up to the Eastern Express Highway Cheek by jowl with this writerrsquos trusted old bank is an equally comforting space mdash the familiar Irani joint Whether itrsquos Bun Maska with tea naturally or Chicken Farcha Berry Pulao or Dhansak yoursquoll find the regular Irani cafeacute favourites hereIf yoursquore not opting for one of the usual suspects mdash Sali Boti Kheema Cutlet Pao and so on mdash we recommend the goodsized range of sandwiches But no matter what you eat it has to be washed down with a Pallonjirsquos Raspberry or Ginger Lemon and crowned with Caramel Custard or a cheesecake if you swing that wayWHERE Sita Vihar Panch Pakhadi Thane WestTIMING 830 am to 1130 pmPRICE Rs 900 for twoSacred simple satisfyingGajanan Sukhdev AndhaleImagine a dining experience rooted in temple tradition so authentic that guests leave their footwear outside before eating Founded by Gajanan Sukhdev Andhale who is not a trained chef but a lifelong student of Maharashtrian cuisine Prasadalaya began with a simple idea to serve the kind of prasad thali he encountered during a visit to ShegaonUnsatisfied with his earlier success running multiple misal outlets Andhale travelled across Maharashtra to study regional food learning to cook every dish himself before it made it to the menu The thali is generous yet rooted in simplicity seven vegetables three chutneys puri bhakri zunka kadve wal usal chapati kosimbir thecha papad kadhi aamti taak and a daily sweet like puran poli modak or sheeraThe staff here hail from rural Maharashtra prayers precede service and every thali echoes the flavours of home mdash warm nourishing and unmistakably traditionalWHERE Shop No 6 Lokmanya Society Near Sant Gajanan Maharaj Chowk Veer Savarkar Marg Thane WestTIMING 12 pm to 11 pmPRICE Rs 600 for two people approxMaharashtra unfilteredSpecific Surmai Thali PicsKirti Surve ParadeChef and founder Sunny Pawaskar trained at IHM Guwahati built Metkut and Kath n Ghat two restaurants that stand out for their uncompromising commitment to traditional Maharashtrian food shaped by a lifetime of travelling across Maharashtra to document how recipes shift from region to regionAt Metkut the focus is on vegetarian dishes rooted in homestyle flavours Think dadpe pohe kela che dirde pudachi wadi dalimbichi usal handeshi vanga bharit hev bhaji ananas amti dubuk vade and comforting staples like pithlabhakri or simple varanbhaattoop Every dish is prepared fresh with no shortcutsmdashand no paneer which Pawaskar avoids because it spoils quicklyAt Kath Ghat he brings the same rigour to nonvegetarian classics Saraswatstyle fish fry Kolhapuri mutton kolambi cutlets rustic egg dishes and a standout surmai thali featuring curry fried fish tisrya sukha and thecha Both eateries honour Maharashtrarsquos culinary diversity with sincerity precision and warmthPaloli Rasaa bhaji Fanas Bhaji ModakWHERE Metkut 12 Zala Saffire Ghantali Mandir Road opp Ghantali Mandir Thane WestTIMING 10 am to 11 pmPRICERs 400ndashR600WHERE Kath n Ghat Service Rd Dandekar Colony Panch Pakhdi Thane WestTIMING 1230 pm to 12 amPRICE 1200R1300 average for two peopleOld faves new hauntsTime was when misal meant Mamledar the joint next to the Mamlatdarrsquos office off Talao Pali But many new places have come up along with the rise in Thanersquos social status so we curated the best alternatives to the popular old favouritesMisal Pav Yoursquoll still see queues for Mamledar but Varhadi Misal is the spicy new kid on the block and already gathering its own followingWHERE Cosmic Arcade Thane Station RoadPav Bhaji No contest itrsquos Preeti Sandwich amp Juice Centre Ask for the special thecha say connoisseursWHERE Govind Bachaji Road CharaiVada Pav Forget Gajanan and Kunj Vihar and even Rajmata Dardis diehards go to Khidki VadaWHERE Ajit Darshan Society near Teen Petrol Pump