Shreyas Talpade: Vada pav is more than just a snack, it’s an emotion

— Natasha Coutinho

Vada pav once again earned global recognition — this time as part of TasteAtlas Best Sandwiches in the World list for 2025 released last month. Mumbai boy, actor Shreyas Talpade, joined us in expressing his love for this delicious snack. But for Shreyas, “Vada pav is more than just a snack — it’s an emotion.”



‘Vada pav was a staple diet in our college’Shreyas recounts that the snack forms a big part of his school and college memories. He says, “We were allowed to have it in school, once in a while, with the green and red lehsun ki chutney and chillies. It was priced at 50 paise back then. From then on, it became a staple diet. Once I entered college, it was all we could afford. I studied at Mithibai College, and the vada pav sold outside the college is among the best in the city. I was into theatre and would munch on vada pav in between rehearsals. We would request the vendor to add the extra crumbs as well, and that’s how we filled our tummies. I also loved the vada pav at Dadar’s Shivaji Park, where I played cricket.”


‘Vada pav and cutting chai are lifelong partners’Speaking about the ultimate vada pav experience, Shreyas says, “There’s something about street stalls that you miss at restaurants. Vada pav and cutting chai are lifelong partners, miyan-biwi hain! Just like you cannot make a film with only actors and a director, you need a DOP, music and art director, similarly with vada and pav you need the chutneys - green chutney, tamarind and lehsun to make it what it is. I wonder why it took the world so long to recognise the awesomeness of vada pav.”



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