Ten minutes’ walk north of CSMT, Crawford Market — officially Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Mandai — opened in 1869. Its Norman-Gothic clock tower and the stone reliefs above the entrance, designed by Lockwood Kipling (father of Rudyard), front a huge iron-roofed hall of fruit, spices, dry fruit, sweets and household goods.
Beyond it begins the old “native town”: lane after lane of specialised bazaars. Mangaldas Market sells cloth, Zaveri Bazaar gold and silver, Chor Bazaar antiques and bric-a-brac. Running north through it all is Mohammed Ali Road, the heart of the city’s Muslim quarter.
What to see and do: Crawford Market & the Bazaars
Shop Crawford Market
Come for spices, tea, dried fruit and, from roughly April to June, Alphonso mangoes. Unofficial “guides” may attach themselves to you at the entrance; a firm no thank you is fine.
Thread the bazaars to Mumbadevi
Walk through Mangaldas Market and Zaveri Bazaar to the Mumbadevi temple, dedicated to the goddess from whom Mumbai takes its name.
Eat on Mohammed Ali Road in Ramadan
During the holy month, the streets around Minara Masjid fill after sunset with stalls selling kebabs, nalli nihari, malpua, phirni and much more, until late at night. It is a superb, very crowded food experience. Outside Ramadan the area’s old restaurants and sweet shops are open as usual.
Hunt in Chor Bazaar
The “thieves’ market” around Mutton Street deals in old clocks, film posters, brassware, furniture and curiosities. Many shops are closed on Fridays.
How to get there
- On foot: Crawford Market is about 10–15 minutes’ walk from CSMT.
- By train: Masjid station (Central and Harbour lines) is closest to Mohammed Ali Road; Marine Lines (Western line) is closest to Zaveri Bazaar.
- With a guide: market and street-food tours make the lanes much easier to navigate.
Insider tips
- Go in the morning for shopping and after dark for food.
- The main market is quiet or partly closed on Sundays.
- Lanes are tight and busy: carry a small bag in front of you and keep your phone secure.
- Dress modestly, particularly if you plan to step into a mosque or temple.
Tours that include this stop
These guided experiences cover this place or combine easily with a visit:
Evening food walk from US$15 Mumbai: Street Food and Night Markets Tour
An evening walk through Mumbai’s night markets with stops at the food stalls locals queue at. You taste a run of vegetarian and non-vegetarian snacks along the way, and the guide does the choosing — the surest way to eat Mumbai street food without guessing which stall to trust.
- Vegetarian and non-vegetarian snacks at well-known stalls
- Night markets and bazaars lit up after dark
- Stalls chosen by a local guide
Early-morning guided tour from US$16 Mumbai Morning Market Tour of Flowers, Fish and More
Mumbai before breakfast: the fish market in full cry, the colour of the flower market, the morning’s laundry being beaten clean and a ride on the local train. It is the city most visitors sleep through.
- The wholesale fish market and flower market at full tilt
- Morning laundry in action
- A ride on the local train
