Mumbaiwala Is Celebrating Diwali and the Cricket World Cup with Indian-Inspired Burgers

The team at Indian eatery chain Mumbaiwala love any reason to celebrate, and this spring they have two: the Cricket World Cup and Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights.

Boasting venues in both Auckland and Christchurch, Mumbaiwala was first launched in 2016 by Aneri Nathu, who has hospitality expertise running through her veins. Aneri's parents Anup and Sadhana Nathu are the founders of the Tandoori Palace, which was an institution in the Indian dining scene in the South Island before shutting up shop in 2019.

At Mumbaiwala, Aneri wanted to showcase a different side of Indian cuisine to her parents, focusing instead on street foods you might stumble across in the depths of Mumbai, with many dishes made to share.

Throughout October and November, she's also celebrating burgers. Mumbaiwala is serving up a special Diwali burger menu that's aptly named Burgerwala. There are three options to choose from: the fried butter chicken burger, the pulled lamb raan burger and the onion bhajee burger. For $25, diners will get their choice of burger, a side of masala curly fries, and an alcoholic or non-alcoholic drink.

Aneri is excited to be able to celebrate two important events for both her family and Indian culture, with the Cricket World Cup being held in India at the same time as Diwali, which is all about coming together to celebrate joy.

"We love a reason to celebrate, and Diwali holds a special place in Indian culture, just like cricket," Aneri said. "We wanted to create a one-of-a-kind Indian experience for our cherished customers."

Mumbaiwala's Burgerwala menu is available during its lunchtime service in October and November. The Auckland store at 252 Ponsonby Road is serving it up from Friday–Sunday and the Christchurch outpost at 120 Hereford Street is doing so seven days a week.