Maharashtrian food has a wide range of mouth watering dishes both in the vegetarian and non vegetarian section.

Most dishes are consumed with rice, bakhris i.e. rotis made from rice flour or chappatis made from wheat flour. For cooking peanut or cashew nut oil is mainly used instead of coconut oil. The typical Marathi lunch menu would include rice or bakhris with chutneys, dry vegetables, followed by gravy vegetables and curries Bhendichi bhaaji (lady finger dish), Kobi chi bhaaji (cauliflower dish), Batatyachi bhaaji (potato dish). Also included in the dish are papads mostly masala papad.

Maharahtrians are also fond of non vegetarian dishes. People in the costal areas are known for their love for sea food. Bombil or what is known as Bombay Duck is a favorite. Then there are Promfret and Bangda (mackerel) dishes. Prawns better known in Maharashtra as jhinga is used for a very popular dish called sungtachi jhinga kodi. In this prawns are mixed with coconut gravy and spices.

In the interiors of Maharashtra due to the non availability of sea food, people eat chicken and mutton. Kolhapur is known for its mutton dishes.
Maharashtra is also home to some interesting and delicious snacks Vada Pav (the Indian burger), Kaande Pohe (onions and beaten flaked rice), Phodnichi Poli (made of left over chapattis with peanuts onion, chillies, and other spices).

Then there are sweets like Modak especially made during Ganapati festivals, Shreekhand made from thick yoghurt, saffron with cardamom powder and motichur ladoos which are sweetmeat balls made from gram flour.