It was one terrific trip back in time, as the features team put their heads together to nominate Mumbai’s iconic restaurants, eating places and watering holes, as part of mid-day’s bumper, week-long 35th anniversary editions. Needless to say, short-listing it to 35 wasn’t the easiest part of the process.

Without doubt, the Irani cafe and the Udipi bagged most space in this tribute, and rightly so. For decades, both kinds of eateries have provided great, value-for-money fare, cheer and warmth to lakhs of citizens and out-of-towners.