Once gathering spot for freedom fighters, an Iranian cafe stands as symbol of Ahmedabad’s history amidst modernisation
Renamed New Irani Restaurant, the café attracts university students and professors, offering traditional dishes as well as contemporary fusion options.
4 min read
A café known as Irani Café, serving plain bun maska and chai, grew in popularity due to the simplicity and warmth it offered along with the food. (Express Photo)In the bustling Lal Darwaja area of Ahmedabad’s walled city, a café known as Irani Café, serving plain bun maska and chai, grew in popularity due to the simplicity and warmth it offered along with the food. Behram Irani, a baker who immigrated from Iran, established this cage over 80 years ago.
People who frequented the café described it as an “old building with cracks on the walls”. Despite its condition, the café was known for providing free meals to the nearby fakirs. Located near the old Shaukat Maidan, now referred to as Bhadra, and situated opposite the Nishat hotel, it became a gathering place for freedom fighters, making it more than just a café.
Later, it was bought by a local businessman almost 71 years ago. The current owner, Yusuf Patel, from the same family, says, “Formerly called Bombay Bakery and Irani Hotel until the 1960s, the bakery section was later closed due to the road extension near the hotel.”
Behram Irani, a baker who immigrated from Iran, established this cage over 80 years ago. (Express Photo)
During the Covid period, Irani Café underwent reconstruction and was renamed ‘New Irani Restaurant’. A makeover later, it was renamed New Irani restaurant. Decorated with Middle Eastern motifs, Venetian window replicas on the walls, and deep yellow furniture, it recreates an antique feel. The wall adorned with an Urdu inscription, along with the blue windows and warm white-yellow decorative lighting, enhances its ambience. Located near Bhadra Fort, the café has already attracted a diverse crowd.
“Students and professors from nearby universities are frequent visitors,” says Patel.
The new version serves a menu providing traditional favourites like bun maska, keema pav, mawa cake, and berry pulao. Patel has also delivered contemporary tweaks to the menu with saffron-infused chai and innovative Parsi-Irani fusion dishes, catering to the younger generation.
The cafe has even served as a backdrop for filmmakers, including Arjun Rampal, who shot scenes for D-Day (2023) here. “Ahmedabad should have places like this where you can sip chai, share ideas, and think big,” a local filmmaker Nirav Shah says.
Over the years, the café has also welcomed esteemed visitors, including classical singer Begum Akhtar. Celebrated painter and former Rajya Sabha MP M F Husain also visited three times over the years, says Patel.
Later, the cafe was bought by a local businessman almost 71 years ago. (Express Photo)
“I have been a frequent visitor here for many years. The area has progressed while preserving the same authentic taste, and we often visit with our families,” says Dipak Parmar, a 43-year-old customer. Jamil Bhai, the owner of Emporium, who has run his shop near the café for 30 years, says, “The café keeps its authenticity. The food is incredible, and the staff is very polite and generous.”
“The vicinity was once filled with fakirs and had a rundown appearance, but everything changed during Covid. Now, it is a well-maintained café,” says Mushtaq Ahmed Razvi, 24, owner of a confectionery store.
Faiyaz Gandhi, 24, owner of a pan shop, says, “We have been situated near this café for 20 years, and we’ve seen it grow from a rundown eatery to a thriving café.”
Patel says, “Sourcing authentic ingredients and maintaining traditional cooking techniques require a lot of effort. It is not just about the food but also about reviving a culture, preserving a way of life, and creating memories.”
As Ahmedabad modernises, this Irani Café stands as a testament to its history, culture, and enduring love for timeless flavours.
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