Every traveller heading to Mumbai — whether to look for job prospects or in the quest of making it big — can always count on two pals: bun and some maska (butter). Priced economically, the meal won’t burn a hole in the pocket.
That being said, everyone who feasts on this breakfast with a side of chai (tea) develops a soft spot for it in no time. True to the moniker of ‘best friends’, the delicious duo will be at your beck and call, whether it is 5 am or late at night. And will leave you feeling warm, comforted, and satisfied.
Join The Better India today, as we virtually walk you through the bylanes of the city. We’ll be stopping at some cult favourite spots which whip up a hearty breakfast. And (it goes without saying), there will be lots of helpings of bun maska. Let’s proceed!
1. B Merwan and Co
The decor with its rustic chairs and the cutlery with its antique designs reflect a timeless charm at the century-old B Merwan Irani Cafe in Mumbai’s Grant Road. Started in 1914 by a gentleman Boman Merwan, the cafe is now helmed by the third generation. Its standout item, since the beginning, has been its mawa cakes (an Indian cake prepared with milk solids).
B Merwan and Co has been treating Mumbai to its iconic mawa cakes for years now, Picture source: LHS: X: Mumbai Heritage, RHS: Instagram: Bong Mumbaikar
Speaking to Condé Nast, Chef Viraf Patel termed the breakfast here as one of his favourites. “They offer the freshest bread — both the pao and brun pao are always loaded with heaps of butter, just the way it should be. The omelettes, eggs and kheema (minced meat) with these butter paos are to die for. Finish the meal with a cup of tea and a mawa cake (or six!) to go. Old school — done right!”
2. Veronica’s
Amid the ever-changing dynamics of cuisines across the globe, the popularity of finger food hasn’t dimmed a bit. And one spot in the posh Bandra suburb of Mumbai, Veronica’s is giving this range of snacks their dues through their sausage rolls, shrimp popcorn, mushroom puffs, and croissants.
History aficionados will be delighted to know that Veronica’s is located in an erstwhile bakery, which marked a significant spot in the city in the early 70s. In an interview with Architectural Digest, Sameer Seth, co-founder of Hunger Inc recounted an anecdote of how this St Jude Bakery was the first choice for families, who did not possess an oven, to send their dough and cakes to when they needed to be baked.
3. Kyani & Co
Zoroastrian migration and its attendant cuisine have been grafting itself into Indian gastronomy since the 10th century when Iranian immigrants began flocking to the city. They left an indelible mark on the country’s culinary canvas. One of these legacy eateries where this is visible is the Kyani & Co. This Parsi cafe was born in 1904 when a gentleman Khodram Marezaban willed to bring the unique Irani cuisine taste to the city.
Kyani & Co is one of the most iconic Parsi bakeries in Mumbai that serves authentic Parsi fare, Picture source: LHS: Instagram: Ruchi, RHS: Instagram: Food and Comfort
The red checkered mats on the tables are an ode to the colonial setting in which the Parsi cafe scaled. Kyani & Co is a favourite of almost everyone who has walked through its rustic doors, and food writer Kalyan Karmarkar is no different.
As he wriote in a Facebook post, “The kheema at Kyani was indeed good. The meat and spices were robust, not smelly or too oily as it is in many of Mumbai’s iconic kheema places. The poro (Parsi-style masala omelette) was pretty much the way my mom-in-law makes it and way tastier in this 112-year-old place than omelettes (the far more expensive omelettes in the city’s new cafes). Though the smiles all around were the best part of the breakfast.”
4. Vig Refreshments
The dal pakwan (a Sindhi speciality that combines lentil curry with crispy fried bread) is a draw at this 75-year-old eatery. Praveen whose great-grandfather was the mastermind behind the pakwan recipe, told Faroma India, that following the Partition, the family moved from Lahore to Chembur in Mumbai where they settled in a refugee camp.
Elaborating on what makes the dal pakwan phenomenal, Praveen said, “Normally it’s just channe ka dal (chickpea gravy) with sweet chutney. We added a twist with aloo ki sabzi (potato vegetable), moong dal (curry made of green gram beans), sweet chutney, and hara mirch (green chilli)! It has a nice spicy kick now; a fusion of Sindhi and Punjabi cuisine.”
Among the other hits on the menu are chole bhature (chickpea curry with flatbread), lassi (sweetened milk), and naan (a kind of Indian flatbread).
5. Cafe Mysore
“The oldest restaurant in Mumbai for South Indian delicacies! Over 1 crore ppl served since 1936,” reads the Instagram bio of the iconic Cafe Mysore.
Cafe Mysore is one of the oldest South Indian restaurants in Mumbai, Picture source: RHS: Meenakshi Malpani
It all shaped up prior to Independence when a man, A Rama Nayak, came to Mumbai from Mangaluru with his mother. The duo stayed at an ashram where Nayak cooked in exchange for accommodation. Between 1942 and 1960, Nayak took over the management of several hotels in Mumbai; one of them was Cafe Mysore. Shanteri Nayak, his daughter-in-law, now oversees operations at the cafe.
The menu boasts delicious South Indian fare — including idlis (steamed rice cakes), crispy Mysore masala dosas, rasam (a spicy South Indian soup), and sheera (Indian pudding made with semolina).
6. Cafe Churchill
Hailed as the place that introduced the city to cheesecakes, Colaba’s Cafe Churchill has been owned by a couple, Polly Mistri and Brenda Mistri, since 1995. It is hearsay that their trips to America compelled them to introduce continental fare at the cafe. According to an article in Lifestyle Asia, the guest list was always an opulent one — featuring names like legendary artist M F Husain, actor Farooq Shaikh, actress Tanaaz Currim, and film producer Firoze Nadiadwala.
Cafe Churchill is said to have introduced Mumbai to cheesecakes, Picture source: RHS: Nishank Magoo
Whether it is the club sandwich, the chicken lasagna, the Fernando Pasta, or Fungi Spinach Alla Parmaggiano pasta, each dish is a gastronomic celebration that imbues a hint of continental culture.
7. Cafe Madras
Over eight decades of relevance and reigning Mumbai’s South Indian gastronomy, Cafe Madras was started in 1940 by a gentleman, Gopal Purshottam Kamath. Among the wide range of fare that the place offers, the dosa (savoury Indian crepe) and filter coffee continue to be crowd pullers.
Cafe Madras serves a breakfast comprising of the iconic filter coffee and idli butter podi, Picture source: Instagram: Cafe Madras
Other menu hits are the neer masala with stew, idli butter podi, pessarattu dosa (a kind of dosa originating from Andhra Pradesh made with green gram batter), malgapodi (a chutney powder made from roasted dal and dry Kashmiri red chillies), and the Madras dahi misal (a curry made of spicy sprouts and yoghurt).
8. J Hearsch & Co
While you can’t expect much seating at this iconic Mumbai bakery whose story is intertwined with World War I, its delicious offerings compensate for this. As the story goes, it was a German baker (J Hearsch) who handed the bakery to a woman Sophia Liberata Fernandes in the 1920s, following World War I (1914-1918).
J Hearsch was looking to lease his bakery to someone and seek refuge in Germany following a strain in relations between Britain and Germany. Since India was one of Britain’s colonies, it wasn’t safe for J Hearsch anymore. And so, he trusted Fernandes. While the management has changed hands, the ownership lies with Fernandes.
The menu boasts a number of finger foods and snacks; you cannot go wrong with the chicken cutlets, the cheese croissants, and the chocolate balls. A personal favourite of mine has always been their mutton samosas and chicken lollipops.
Edited by Pranita Bhat
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