This post was originally contributed to me by Ms Asha Nayak
Mumbai’s romance with its Irani Cafés dates back to the early and mid-years of the 19th century. Irani cafés had begun to appear on the scene of Mumbai, then Bombay which was in the process of being metamorphosed into a financial powerhouse of the newly independent India propelled by the flourishing textile industry. These cafés soon became the icons of cosmopolitan Bombay and gave the city a ‘restaurant culture’ which it lacked till then. People from all ethno-religious communities were welcome at these cafés, thereby shedding the social and religious barriers of those times. Bombay boasted of around 350 Irani cafés then, thriving at almost every street corner. Pune and Hyderabad too is home to quite a few of them.
Let us now delve a bit into their history. It is important to know here that the Parsi community differs from the Irani community. Both Parsis and Iranis are followers of the Zoroastrian faith.
Around the 8th century, when Iran (originally known as Persia) was invaded by the Arabs, many people fled the country. Some of them migrated to a province named Yazd in Iran. Many opted to leave Iran for good and migrated to China, Germany and India. In India, when they landed on the coast of Gujarat, they pleaded to the then king of Gujarat for refuge who whole-heartedly assimilated them into his land and its culture. The migrants too easily blended with the locals of the region and adapted themselves to the Indian culture. They began to be known as ‘Parsis’ (Persian).
The Iranis migrated to India much later – somewhere around the 19th century and hence have a stronger connection with their native land as compared to the Parsis.
After migrating to Bombay and other parts of India, they had to build their lives from scratch. Many started off to do what they were good at – selling bun and Irani chai on their bicycles. Those who were financially sound started their bakeries and eateries.
A typical Irani café is characterised by its corner location and the classic colonial ambiance – high ceilings, Persian artifacts, dark paneled wooden showcases, huge glass mirrors, Belgium bentwood chairs, vintage posters, a grandfather’s clock and weighing machine, Burmese teak wood tables with Italian marble tops covered with chequered mats. One cannot miss the see-through glass jars that entice you with their goodies.
In earlier times, these cafés had areas partitioned by screens and marked as ‘Family Room’ to encourage women to dine at these places which was otherwise considered to be a taboo.
One unmissable note – It was the Irani cafés who pioneered to introduce the ‘Jukebox’ to Bombay. A jukebox is a coin operated ‘musical ATM’ which can play unlimited music. This too is now only a faded glory!
Irani cuisine : Iran is naturally abundant in fruits. Hence, raisins, prunes, apricots, berries, pomegranates etc. feature widely in their food preparations.
The Irani cafés of Mumbai mainly serve their trademark ‘bun maska’ or ‘brun-maska’ and the specially brewed ‘Irani chai’ a.k.a ‘paani kam chai’ (milky tea). It is interesting to note here that in Iran, milk is not added to chai!
Other special items on their menu include mutton samosas, keema pav, akuri, berry pulao, dhansak, biryani, cream custard, bread pudding etc. Many also offer khari biscuits, Shrewsberry biscuits, til-rawa coconut biscuits, nan-khatai, tea-cakes and Raspberry drink.
These institutions which thus left an indelible mark on the fabric and culture of the city are now on their downhill path and are fast disappearing from the landscape of Mumbai.
The latter years of the last century witnessed the mushrooming of many Udupi eateries and street food joints of vada-pav, sandwich, chaat etc. all over the city; add to it the onslaught of fast food giants viz. McDonalds, Dominoes, Café Coffee Day etc. As a result, these cafés have now diminished to a mere 25 as against the 350 in the 1950s.
One of the major reasons for their downfall is family disputes among business partners leading to shutdown. Gen Next and Gen Z Iranians, armed with higher education land up with lucrative corporate jobs, turning their back to their legacy. Also, business big-wigs and corporate houses are constantly on the hunt for alluring buy-outs of land on which these establishments stand.
The electronic and print media loves to mourn about the near-demise of Irani cafés and have become their object to film, write and blog about. Actually, it is not lamentation but ‘patronage’ that these dainty ones are vying for. But, do the millennials have the time and taste for it?
Many of the café owners who are now in the sunset years of their life opine that it is sheer passion, determination and emotional attachment to their legacy that has kept them going. Most of these cafés are certified as Grade III eateries. It is strongly felt that if a special heritage tag is assigned to them as is done for century old structures, then it could ensure their longevity.
…. Hope floats
It is heartening to see that Irani entrepreneurs of the newer generation are engaging in innovative ventures to ensure that this piece of their culture lives long and strong!
The trademark menu is being experimented with to make it more appealing. Customers who are tourists, students, physically challenged, uniformed personnel, activists etc. are meted with concession in price. Specialised Irani delicacies are now supplied to various restaurants all over the city. Alcohol has been added to the menu and music bands perform live. Interiors are re-modelled to suit the taste of the present clientele. New age restaurateurs are successfully re-creating the Irani café theme and offering the trademark dishes in outlets not only in India but abroad too.
Many documentaries made to depict the journey of the Irani chaiwallas from Persia to the cafés of Bombay are showcased on various occasions. Organisations like the ‘Irani Chai Foundation’ and ‘Indo-Iranian Friendship Society’ strive to provide assistance to Iranians to keep their culture alive in India and to promote peace and goodwill.
So, Dear Reader, the next time you happen to pass by an Irani café, do hop in for some Bun Maska Chai…
Feature Image Credit: Just Dial
glad to receive the first comment to my first blog by u, dear friend!!
Bun Maska used to be our favourite breakfast when I worked in Mumbai and that charm of sitting at the old Iranian cafes in South Mumbai is unmatched. Nostalgic!
It has been a pleasant reading for me, I really like the way you write. Irani cuisine is new for me so thanks for the little panoramic. Thanks for sharing your personal experience. – Paolo
Wow, what an interesting read! Would love to try Bun Maska Chai one day. Thank you for sharing this!
I enjoyed reading this very much. Thank you for sharing. I will be sure to try some Bun Maska Chai as I am intrigued. Such a fascinating culture.
Enjoyed reading the detailed description of Irani cafe’s, reminded me of my trip to Iran where I tasted some of the foods mentioned here.
Moni,
I would like to visit an Irani cafe, but we do not have any in the vicinity. But I have learned so much about them already from your post! Would be quite an experience to try the food and drinks they serve.
These cafe’s sound interesting. Would love to visit one day.
I recently saw a movie about Iranian cafe owner and his story. And that’s when I realised how much character they add in Bombay. It’s so fascinating to know more about them. I would love to visit one of them the next time I am in Bombay.
This sounds so delicious. I’ve never tried it before but now I want to! Thank you for sharing your lovely photos!
Very interesting read, thank you for sharing.
Nice blog. Thanks for sharing about this. This place sounds really interesting for me.
Enjoyed reading the detailed description of Irani cafe’s. I would love to visit that cafe and try all the amazing things there
Never heard of this before but this place seems lovely! Glad you had fun and thanks for sharing your experience with us!
I’ve never heard of this place before but it sounds lovely. Sounds like you had a great visit!
I didn’t know there was such a big history behind the cafes. All I know is that I would love to go and try them out.
True that! Irani cafe is famous for Bun maska chai.
You should visit Pune too for the same, on FC road, you will find it.
Even I have mentioned about it in my blog in Pune travel.
I love learning the history of religions. Fascinating stuff.
I will definitely try this chai drink. I’m a fan of chai tea latte and I wanna know whats the biggest difference between the two.
I always love learning new things about different cultures. Your post was fascinating.
What a great read! I enjoyed it!
xoxo
Lovely
http://mynameislovely.com
To be honest this is the first time I’ve heard of this kind of cafe, thanks for sharing this post and next time I’ll definitely hop inside when I see one.
I love cafes like this! You absolutely can’t beat the ambiance. Their coffees and drinks are delicious, as well.
OMG this made me want to have bun maska right now!
This is an interesting read, I love reading about new places and you gave an indept description. Thanks
Your post reminds me of Bun Muska, a movie I saw on Netflix recently. I have been to many Irani cafes and their menu always surprise me.
I loved reading about the history and where everyone ended up. That has always been fascinating to me. And so many cafes! I thought that was more of a modern day thing. It’s funny that there are so fewer now.
It’s such a shame that the big chains have forced so many Irani cafes to close down. I’d love to go there for lunch and a cup of tea, especially that they are so old and have such a tradition behind.
This is the sort of place I love to go to. I’ll be over the moon when lockdown is over and I can start visiting independent cafes and restaurants again 🙂
Louise x
I haven’t been to an Irani cafe. I am not sure if there is one here in Arizona or not. If I find one, I will definitely check it out! I love middle eastern food!
Would love to visit someday, thanks for the info!!
This is an interesting read. Its cool to know about the history and I love reading your post.
That is really cool about the Jukebox! We had an Irani cafe where I used to live that I was obsessed with, Miss it so much!
Looks like a delicious place to go to for some chai. Thank you for sharing with us this information.
Oh its been so long since I have been to a cafe! I always love visiting new cafes and checking them out!
Never knew about Bun Maska Chai an Irani cafe, until this. Sad to say that because of this pandemic, these cafes has to be closed. But in no time it will continue to serve its teas.
I have never been to an Irani cafe but I would love to visit!
This was an interesting read. I hope these restaurants are not going to all disappear. I would give my support and visit them if I had the opportunity. Just a small way to help preserve the culture.
Great post – so interesting to learn about the history and different culture of the Irani and Parsi cafes.
This certainly brought back nostalgic memories of days gone by. It was in the mid nineties when I was in Bombay for a month, And there was this Irani restaurant in Bandra where I used to be a frequent visitor. Keema Pav, Chai and their Biryani used to be my favorite.
When it comes to history, I am always fascinated regardless of the culture of reference!
How interesting! It’s sad that the Irani cafes are disappearing. I hope that this part of the country’s immigrant culture is able to be saved.
Oh wow this sounds great. I love learning about other cultures. It makes me miss traveling so much.
It was really interesting to learn about Bun Maska Chai but also the history of Iran! I learned something new today!
Never been that far away but I do love what they have on the menu 🙂
That was a very interesting read, I was glued from start to finish, such a shame these cafes are disappearing
I haven’t tried eating in an Irani restaurant, reading this made me find it interesting. I hope I could try it over the soonest.
I love everything about the Persian culture… the food, the music, the decor. I really hope that all these places will stay open and will thrive in the future, it would be a real shame if they disappear.
i learned so much from your post. that is fabulous that the early irani bars had a special place for women when it wasn’t common practice. bravo.
I would love to visit an Irani cafe in Mumbai. I plan to on my initial visit!
I would love to have Bun Maska Chai! It would be delicious to try!
I haven’t heard of Irani cafés before. Therefore, this is really educational and inspiring. Too bad I won’t have a chance to visit as soon as I’d wish.
I would love to visit one they sound very ornate and beautiful
This is such an interesting post, so cool to learn about bun maska chai so much history!!!
I have never been to Irani cafe but if ever I go there I would try Bun Maska Chai. It seems a nice breakfast for me.
very interesting. I didn’t know the history of bun maska chai. thanks for educating. P.S. it’s delicious
It’s so interesting to hear about the history of Iranian cafes, they have such gorgeous interiors. Hopefully I’ll be able to visit one soon.
I hope there’s more food photos next time. I want to try the Bun Maska Chai soon.
Wow! Never thought Mumbai has this kind of story. It seems there is a lot more to discover about this city!
This is an interesting piece of article dwelling more on the important historic aspect of Irani cafe’s! Such a fascinating discovery.
You had my attention at samosas! Dang those things are GOOD. I learned how to make them about 10 years ago. Tasty!
The cafe looks interesting! Hoping I could visit it someday!
Interesting! I didn’t know about any of this.
This is an awesome blog! No wonder bun maska chai is a huge hit. Also, I would love to try their samosas 🙂
What a great post. Thanks for sharing some history too. I love learning about different cultures and cuisines. I’d love to try some of these foods.
I loved visiting Irani cafes last time I was in Mumbai, actually the cafe culture generally in Mumbai was awesome, I loved just sitting and watching the world go by x
thanks so much for sharing this interesting piece, I enjoyed reading it
cheers, siennylovesdrawing
I had my first Bun Maska in a restaurant here in Manila and I like it a lot. I would love to try authentic one someday. That cafe looks busy though.
Oh wow how much of a good read was this. I love to learn through food and drink about the culture and history. thanks x
I would love to visit a cafe in Iran one day!!
Very interesting, I never heard about it
i loved that you also wrote about country rich history , as it puts it all more into perspective
Never heard of this place before. Looks like you guys had a great time.
This is so fascinating. I have never been to Irani Cafes. Being an expat myself (German living in the USA), I am especially fascinated with any cultural co-mingling and ways one culture holds on to its roots in another culture. It does make me very sad that such institutions have such a hard time surviving the globalization of our culture, when big brands from the USA or Sweden or from wherever, take over all the small mom’n’pop businesses. It’s quite different if we learn about other cultures because people migrate and bring their cafes, than if a big brand from another country just comes in and takes over.
What an interesting an educating blog. Loved reading it.
Sounds delicious, thank you. Next time I happen by an Iranian restaurant, I will definitely try this.
What an amazing story!!! I’ve never heard of bun maska chai before to be honest! I would love to experience this, super cool…
I would like to step back in time and see this wonderful Irani cafe! So much history, thank you for the lovely post.
Interesting article. thank you for sharing
I love coffee! This is so many great resources! Also a lot of educational pieces to help guide us
I am a bun maska chai lover. They just uplift and you can have them easily on the go. Thank you for sharing about the Irani caffes history.
I love visiting the cafes in different countries. I definitely wouldn’t mind visiting the Irani’s cafe. The place looks awesome!
I have never been to India and I didn’t know about these Irani cafes! Thank you so much for sharing the history. Suddenly I’m craving some chai!
Your post makes it a lot better and since I have never been to India, I want to try it. The way how you shared it is very good.
Interesting read, Irani cuisine is completely new for me!
Thee last time I went to Mumbai, I made it a point to visit as many Irani cafes as I could! They are a true custodian of the old school cafes.Loved your post!
I have never heard of bun maska chai, but I like coffee so I am sure I would love this. Thank you for sharing!
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This sounds like a great place to visit someday. I will be added this on my bucket lists.
I haven’t heard of this before. Sounds like a great cafe to visit someday. I a, a huge fan of chai.
Seems like another good place to try Chai, nice post!