TOI Food

Time of India

2 days ago

Editor's Note
Dear Readers,
Evenings and weekends transform London's Covent Garden into a gastronomical hub, a dream destination for foodies flocking to their favorite dining destinations. In the middle of this vibrant influx, one Indian restaurant which has been constantly drawing a diverse crowd of eager diners is Dishoom.
Foodies patiently wait in queue, for their turn to settle at Victorian wooden tables covered in pink-and-white checkered cloths that inspire colonial nostalgia. The air inside is heavy with the delightful aromas of Keema Per Eedu, freshly made Akuri, and fluffy buns slathered with melting butter—an olfactory temptation quite hard to resist. The restaurant's old-world colonial charm and pure, soulful food keeps drawing people back, time and again.
Since opening its first restaurant in Covent Garden in 2010, Dishoom has been a trailblazer in London's dining scene. However, the roots of this café culture run deeper and go back to India where the Irani immigrants first started the vibrant café tradition that Dishoom so lovingly revives and reimagines today in London.
In the 19th century, Zoroastrian Irani immigrants arrived in British India, fleeing Safavid-era persecution or seeking better economic prospects. These communities introduced a distinctive café culture, previously unknown in India, establishing unique social spaces in cities like Mumbai, Pune, and Hyderabad.
This Irani café tradition blended Persian hospitality with Indian flavors, leaving a lasting mark on India's urban foodscape.
In this edition of the newsletter, we will explore how intrinsically Irani and Parsi cafés have shaped the Indian culinary landscape—and how their impact transcends mere nostalgia or gastronomical validation. These cafés are living testimony of a time when culture, commerce, and community whose legacy endures not only in the dishes they popularised but in the gracious spirit of welcome they extended to generations of patrons, reminding us that food is as much about belonging as it is about taste.
India's iconic Irani cafes that breathe legacy
Bentwood chairs, marble to tables, high ceilings, old wall clocks, tiled floors and red check table covers, glass jars, cookies and creamy chai! These cafés, started by Iranian immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, became essential gathering spots for students, artists, office-goers, and dreamers. 5 iconic places, interestingly all in Mumbai that have stood the test of time are-
Kyani Co., Mumbai
Established in 1904, Kyani is one of Mumbai's oldest surviving Iranian cafés. Located in Marine Lines, it is famous for its Irani chai served in classic white cups, alongside brun maska and keema pav. The wooden display counters, glass jars filled with cookies, and sepia-tinted photographs make it feel beautifully unchanged
Specialties
Irani Chai Brun Maska Keema Pav
Yazdani Bakery, Mumbai
Founded in 1953 by Meherwan Zend, Yazdani is a beloved Irani bakery in Fort, known for its crusty brun bread, khari biscuits, and mawa cakes. With its high ceilings, wall clocks from another era, and a massive wood-fired oven, Yazdani remains a symbol of honest, old-world baking.
Specialties
Brun Bread Khari Biscuits Mawa Cakes
Britannia Co., Mumbai
Opened in 1923 by Boman Kohinoor's father, Britannia & Co. blends Persian heritage with Bombay's cosmopolitan palate. Famous for Berry Pulao, sali boti, and caramel custard, the café's peeling walls and colonial furniture radiate nostalgia. A portrait of Queen Elizabeth still hangs above the cash counter.
Specialties
Berry Pulao Sali Boti Caramel Custard
Café Military, Mumbai
A modest gem near Flora Fountain, Café Military was started by Iranians decades ago. Known for its mutton dhansak, cutlets, and simple Irani chai, it has stayed true to its roots with minimal décor and maximum flavor.
Specialties
Mutton Dhansak Cutlets Irani Chai
Merwan Co., Mumbai
Since 1914, Merwan near Grant Road Station has charmed patrons with fresh mawa cakes and steaming cups of tea. Early morning crowds gather for buns straight from the oven—a ritual unchanged for over a century.
Specialties
Mawa Cakes Fresh Buns Tea
'These Iranian cafés are more than eateries; they are guardians of memory, quietly preserving a culture where hospitality, simplicity, and authenticity are sacred.'
History
Are Iranian and Parsi Cafés the same?
While often mentioned together, they originate from distinct but related communities
Origins and Communities
Iranian Cafés
Established by Zoroastrian Irani immigrants who arrived in India during the 19th century, fleeing persecution in Iran and seeking better livelihoods.
Parsi Cafés
Zoroastrians who migrated from Persia to India much earlier, around the 8th to 10th century, and settled mainly in Gujarat and Maharashtra.
Cultural and Culinary Overlaps
Iranian Cafés
Both communities share the Zoroastrian faith, which leads to many cultural similarities reflected in their cafés and cuisine.
Parsi Cafés
As a result, the food served in Irani and Parsi cafés often overlaps due to shared religious and cultural heritage.
Distinct Identities
Iranian Cafés
Originally served more Iranian-style fare that adapted over time to local tastes and preferences.
Parsi Cafés
Tend to emphasize traditional Parsi dishes with recipes passed down through generations.
Interchangeable Usage:
In popular usage, especially outside India, the terms are sometimes used interchangeably because of the close culinary and cultural connections.
Irani and Parsi cafés share a common Zoroastrian heritage and many culinary traditions but stem from different migration histories and cultural backgrounds. Their cafés have together contributed richly to India's urban food culture, especially in cities like Mumbai, Pune, and Hyderabad.
'While the Irani café culture originated with Zoroastrian Iranian immigrants in 19th-century India, today's Irani chefs blend traditional Persian flavors with modern culinary techniques, keeping the heritage alive in contemporary settings.'
Irani Chai-Hyderabad's liquid heritage
In the early hours, when the city of Hyderabad is still asleep, the copper samovars of Irani cafés come alive with the aroma of crisp bun-maska and aromatic chai filling up the streets. There is something really unique about the milky Irani tea that it has continued to hold ground in cities like Hyderabad and Mumbai despite the world witnessing a dramatic change in beverage culture. From the first Irani immigrants who carried their recipes across the Arabian Sea to the marble-topped tables where generations have gathered, this chai is a testament to endurance, community, and the art of taking pause in a restless city. The chai is almost always served in a white Bone China cup or a transparent 'cutting' glass and smells divine due to the infusion of spices like cinnamon and cardamom.
Old-timers in the city will tell you the story of how this tradition arrived. In the late 1800s, waves of Zoroastrian and Muslim Iranians left Yazd and Kerman in Iran, escaping hardship and looking for opportunity. They brought little with them—perhaps a handful of family recipes and the memory of how chai should taste on a cold morning.
In cities like Hyderabad and Bombay, the samovar became a symbol of resilience. It was placed proudly on the café counter, where it never seemed to run empty. It warmed dockworkers at daybreak and lawyers at lunch, students in the afternoon and poets at twilight. No one cared about class or creed when they came in for Irani chai—it was a democratic elixir.
But how different is it from regular Indian tea?
Not a lot, but still quite and the difference may not be as much about the ingredients but the attitude! The regular chai is quick, hurried, working class. The Irani Chai may not be rich, but is classy, slow and indulgent. It must have been 'home' and happy memories for people who made it with love and patience because all they had carried to an alien land were a few memories and a handful of habits that they did not desire to change!
How do they make it?
It's regular Indian Chai made with full fat milk and a few teaspoons of condensed milk and is simmered on low flame for up to 30 minutes.
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Views expressed above are the author's own.