Irani cafes in Mumbai are a must visit if you are a tourist or even a local. Irani cafes are a novelty which are in very few cities in India. Mumbai is a cultural melting pot and you can find all sorts of cuisines around this city. And one such thing that has carved a special place in this city are the Iranian Cafes! These cafes were set up by Iranians especially the ones who migrated to India from the provinces of Yazd and Kerman. A lot of these Irani cafes have shut down over the years but a few of them still stand strong and serve some lip-smacking food. Here’s a list of some amazing Irani Cafes in South Mumbai which you must visit!
1. B Merwan and Co. (1914)
This century-old bakery & confectionery is located right outside Grant Road East station. The decor of this place will take you back to the 80s-90s; glass jars full of biscuits & chocolates, trays full of cakes, puffs & puddings, old wooden chairs, marble top tables, chequered flooring, a no smoking board and one big board with the detailed menu. Takes you right back to the good old days!
The location makes it a perfect place to grab a quick bite before boarding the local to get to office or college. The most popular dish here is their iconic mawa cake! These are the best in town and you won’t find such cakes anywhere else. They run out of these cakes by 10:30 – 11:00 AM so you need to get there early if you want them. Apart from that, you can try omelet, akuri, bun or brun maska + chai, jam puff, mawa puff, pudding, and biscuits. Be quick while placing your order as this place is all crowded and the servers won’t spending much time while you dilly dally; they will simply move to the next customer!
All the dishes that are available here are not only delicious but pocket-friendly as well! Also, they don’t accept cards or any digital payments, so do carry cash when you visit B. Merwan & Co.
Popular dishes: Mawa Cake, Bun Maska, Brun Maska, Jam & Mawa puffs
Address: Alibhai Premji Road, Grant Road East, Opposite Station, Grant Road, Mumbai
Closest Railway Station: Grant Road
Timings: Monday – 07:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Tuesday – Sunday 07:00 AM – 06:00 PM
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2. Kyani Bakery and Co. (1904)
This iconic cafe located opposite Metro Cinemas at Dhobi Talao is part of BMC’s heritage walk. It is said that this iconic cafe was frequented by M.F Hussain, Raj Kapoor, and Shashi Kapoor back in the day. High ceilings, large mirrors, rustic wooden chairs & tables covered with chequered tablecloths, glass jars full of cookies and biscuits, vintage photos of Mumbai from the bygone era, a board saying ”No Timepass allowed” that is how this place looks from inside.
The place is brimming with people during breakfast hours especially on Sundays and holidays. You will be sharing tables with strangers while you devour on the scrumptious spread available there. They have a vast menu and you are spoilt with choices. Indulge in their amazing Bun Maskas, Irani Chai, Keema Pav, Akuri Chicken Masala, Brownie, Naankatai and Chicken Keema.
Don’t take too much time to decide on what to order or loiter around the place especially during breakfast hours! The servers won’t entertain you if you do that, they may even reprimand you if you do so! They have to handle a large crowd and most of the time there are people waiting to get a table so they want to deal quickly with the people who are seated to make space for those waiting outside. The service is prompt and you won’t have to wait for long before binging on the delicious food.
Please carry cash as they do not accept cards and digital payments.
Popular dishes:
Bun Maska, Keema Pav, Irani Chai, Akuri, Naankatai
Address:
JSS Road, Jer Mahal Estate, Opposite Metro Cinema, Marine Lines, Mumbai
Closest Railway Station:
Marine Lines and CSMT
Timings:
Monday – Saturday – 07:00 AM – 09:00 PM
Sunday – 07:00 AM – 06:00 PM
3. Britannia and Co. (1923)
This place is located in Ballard Estate and has the perfect old-world charm. It was established in 1923 and catered to the British officers stationed in the neighborhood. The most popular dish here is the berry pulav which is the recipe of the late Bacha Kohinoor, wife of late Boman Kohinoor, the 93-year-old owner of Britannia introduced Berry Pulav to Mumbai in 1982. The berries used in this pulav are imported all the way from Iran! Apart from the pulav you should try the Saali Boti, Patra ni Macchi, Dhansak, Raspberry Soda, Caramel Custard here.
If you have ever visited this place earlier you must have seen late Mr. Boman Kohinoor the co-owner of Britannia. You could find him smiling, making conversation, asking you to guess his age (Britannia was started by his father in the year he was born), telling people about the history of the place and taking orders while giving you sweet little compliments. He was adorably sweet! He was 93 years old and passed away in September this year.
The paint of the walls is peeling, the place looks old, the timings are odd – they aren’t open in the evenings apart from Saturday, the prices are on the higher side but the food is great and so are the owners. You must experience eating at this vintage place at least once.
They do not accept cards and digital payments so don’t forget to carry sufficient cash when you visit Britannia.
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Popular dishes: Berry Pulav, Saali Boti, Rasberry Soda, Caramel Custard
Closest Railway Station: Marine Lines and CSMT
Address: Wakefield House, 11 Sprott Road, 16 Ballard Estate, Fort, Mumbai
Timings: Monday – Friday – 11:30 AM – 04:00 PM
Saturday – 11:30 AM – 10:30 PM
4. Yazdani Bakery (1953)
This bakery is named after Yazd, the region in Iran. Located in the bylanes of Fort near the first Starbucks that opened in Mumbai, it still retains its old-world charm. A lot of people will ditch the fancy lattes and mochas for the delicious Irani chai at Yazdani. The bakery has posters and advertisements from the yesteryears, vintage photographs, letters, and certificates adorning its walls. You will also spot a plaque declaring Yazdani Bakery as an ‘Urban Heritage Monument’ in 2007 there. The menus displayed outside and inside are written with a chalk on a wooden blackboard just like the olden days.
The bread and cookies they serve here are freshly made in wood-fired ovens! One of the most popular dishes here is bun maska; the bun is extremely soft and they slather it with a generous amount of butter. Apart from that the apple pie, mawa cake, and pudding are really popular and they run out of them as soon as they are out of the wood-fired ovens. The rum-soaked plum cakes available around Christmas are one of their specialties.
The staff and owners are friendly and you could have a friendly chat with them while you are there! They shall tell you about the history of the place and how it has managed to stand tall all these years.
Popular dishes:
Bun Maskas, Apple Pie, Tea, Brun Maska Pav, Irani Chai, Egg Puff, Mawa Cake
Address:
Fountain Akbar Ally, Saint Thomas Cathedral, Fort, Mumbai
Closest Railway Station:
Churchgate and CSMT
Timings:
Monday – Saturday – 07:00 AM – 07:00 PM
Sunday – 07:00 AM – 12:00 PM
5. Jimmy Boy
Located at Fort this is a popular place to gorge on some delicious Parsi food. This place has been around since the 1920s and was called Cafe India back then, it has got the current name in 1999.
The most popular dish on their menu is Lagan nu Bhonu which is a seven-course Parsi meal that consists of fish you can choose from Saas Ni Macchhi or Patra Ni Macchhi or Tareli Macchhi, next is chicken and your options are Salli Margi or Margi Na Farcha, then there is Chicken or Mutton Pulav with Dhansak Dal accompanied by Sago wafers, Parsi rotli, Gajar Mewa nu Achar & Lagan nu Custard or Kulfi. Sounds delicious, isn’t it? A vegetarian variant of Lagan nu Bhonu is available too. Apart from this, there is Berry Pulav and Bun Maska that are popular here. This is one of the very few places that serve Pallonji sodas! Don’t forget to sip on one when you are here.
The old world decor, beautiful chandeliers, courteous and friendly staff, and amazing food makes this a must-visit place!
Popular dishes:
Dhansak, Saali par eedu, Chicken Farcha, Berry Pulav, Pallonji Sodas, Lagan nu Custard.
Address:
Vikas Building, 11 Bank Street, Off Horniman Circle, Lane Opposite Cheetah Gate, Fort, Mumbai
Closest Railway Station:
Churchgate and CSMT
Timings: Monday – Saturday – 08:30 AM – 11:00 PM
Sunday – 11:00 AM – 04:00 PM, 07:00 – 11:00 PM
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