End of an Era: Mumbai’s Beloved B Merwan & Co Closes After 112 Years

Mumbai bid farewell to one of its most cherished culinary landmarks in January 2026 as B. Merwan & Co., the iconic Irani cafe and bakery opposite Grant Road railway station, permanently closed after more than a century of service. Founded in 1914 by Boman Merwan Nazarabadi, a Zoroastrian Irani migrant, the cafe became a daily ritual for generations of commuters, office-goers, and locals. A simple handwritten note on the shutter, dated January 1, 2026, announced: “We are closed. We thank you for your patronage.” No further explanation has been provided by the owners, leaving the community to speculate on reasons such as rising costs or family decisions.

B. Merwan & Co. was celebrated for its timeless, no-frills menu that captured the essence of classic Irani cafe fare. Patrons flocked for the signature bun maska—soft buns slathered with butter—paired with strong, milky Irani chai, alongside melt-in-the-mouth mawa cakes that often sold out early. Other staples like mawa samosas, jam puffs, khari biscuits, and basic egg dishes offered affordable comfort in an increasingly expensive city. The cafe’s unpretentious vibe, checkered floors, and wooden chairs provided a rare pocket of nostalgia amid South Mumbai’s hustle.

The closure marks yet another loss in Mumbai’s fading Irani cafe culture. Once numbering in the hundreds, these establishments—brought by Irani immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries—offered egalitarian spaces where people from all walks of life gathered for simple meals and conversation. Rising rents, urban redevelopment, and changing tastes have steadily eroded their presence, turning surviving cafes into precious relics of the city’s multicultural past.

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News of the shutdown triggered an emotional wave online, with longtime visitors sharing fond memories of childhood treats, quick chai breaks, and unchanged routines spanning decades. For many, B Merwan was more than a cafe—it was a constant in Mumbai’s ever-shifting landscape. A brief closure in 2014 for repairs had sparked hope of continuity, but this final shuttering feels definitive.

As Mumbai loses another piece of its heritage, the story of B. Merwan & Co. underscores the challenges facing legacy food spots in a modern metropolis. Its legacy of warmth, simplicity, and community will linger in the hearts of those who savored its last cups of chai.

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