Mumbai’s Iconic Irani Café, B Merwan And Co, Shuts Doors After 112 Years

B Merwan And Co., a century-old Irani café in Mumbai, recently announced its closure after 112 years of serving the city. Located opposite Grant Road station, B. Merwan and Co. opened in the early 1900s. Named after Boman Merwan Nazarabadi, it featured vintage glass shelves lined with pastries, wooden booths where generations of conversations took place, and staff who sometimes frowned when laptops appeared.

Seeking a better life, Nazarabadi left Iran for Bombay and set up shop opposite a train station, attracting commuters across the city.

The news of the closure became public when ‘Zoroastrian Heritage’, a Facebook page serving the Zoroastrian community, shared a photo taken by Viraf Langrana. The image displayed a notice on the café’s shutter stating, “We are closed. We thank you for your patronage.” This handwritten notice has reportedly been posted at the café’s entrance since January 1, 2026, although it was shared online only recently.

The café was known for its mawa cakes, bun maska, chai, and breakfast staples, drawing generations of Mumbaikars. The closure has stirred nostalgia on social media and in the city, with patrons recalling standing in long lines for Merwan’s tea and baked goods.

Merwan & Co. started during the peak of Irani café culture in colonial Mumbai as part of a thriving group of Persian-run cafés that became popular meeting spots while offering affordable food. While the exact reason for closure has not been confirmed, some believe it could be due to ageing owners, business changes, or redevelopment. Notably, the café had closed for a short period in 2014 for repairs before reopening, so many regulars now wonder if the 2026 closure might also be temporary.

Mumbai, in recent years, has been sprawling with everything contemporary, including the best of restaurants, cafés, and bars, in all of India. Every bylane, of the suburbs and of town, has been coloured in with a cool new spot that’s caught the attention of everyone in the city. As everyone flocks to these new-age spaces for leisure and dining, heritage spots such as these Irani cafés are slowly seeing lower footfall and dwindling popularity. And this shut down ties into that trend.

While a childhood favourite for many Mumbaikars, the closure of B. Merwan and Co. is part of the broader decline of the city’s Irani café culture, which is challenged by rising real estate prices, changing dining tastes, and a tapering number of successors. Its closure marks the end of an institution and highlights ongoing discussions about preserving Mumbai’s culinary heritage as the city evolves.