Around Town: Inside Ayub’s, the Mumbai kebab and rolls legend serving politicians, actors, and late-night revellers for 41 years

Mohammad Ayub Sheikh started Ayub’s in 1985. (Express Photo by Akash Patil)

The vegetarian menu — which Sheikh said accounts for half of all sales — began almost by accident. A group of girls came regularly, one of them vegetarian, and would stand while the others ate. “I didn’t like that three were eating and one was standing,” Sheikh said. He offered to cook something for her, and she returned the next day with a block of paneer, an ingredient he said he had never encountered. He took it to Punjabi Ghasitaram Halwai Karachiwala to identify it, bought more, and made his first paneer tikka the following evening.

“I understand vegetarians’ apprehension so I kept separate skewers for paneer tikka. When that group of girls came, I served her paneer tikka. She liked it enough to bring her mother, who initially hesitated but eventually asked for extra to take home. Later that night, her father came by and asked me to make the paneer tikka regularly for the family,” he recalled, adding, “I still pray for that girl. She taught me something new.” There’s now a small Jain section on the menu too.

The shop moved to its current Kala Ghoda spot, behind Rhythm House, in 2002, after parking complaints from neighbours at the old location pushed Sheikh toward a commercial stretch. He sent a boy to the old spot with pamphlets pointing regulars to the new address. “It was challenging for a few months… but soon, we were doing well again.” Among its signature offerings are mutton seekh kebab, chicken reshmi kebab, chicken pahadi, chicken seekh and a variety of baida rotis.

Ayub’s is known for serving hot kebabs and rolls inside cars. (Express Photo by Akash Patil)

Today his sons Ayaz, 35, and Riyaz, 30, run the counter daily, and the clientele spans neighbourhood regulars to members of the Thackeray family, actors, and politicians. “I have been invited to CM Devendra Fadnavis’ residence to cook vegetarian tikka and rolls for a party, as well as at Jio in BKC for their events,” he shared. His sons recall Deepika Padukone visiting in disguise, Boman Irani stopping by, and Riteish Deshmukh as a longtime regular.

“People come here from across the city, especially at night. If they have gone out to party and didn’t like the food there, they will come here,” he added. It’s no surprise Ayub’s has become the punchline to Mumbai’s running joke about where the night really ends.

Ayub’s signature items including kebabs, rolls, baida roti among others. (Express Photo by Akash Patil)

Today, the shop operates from 5 pm to past 1.30 am, and sells an estimated 300 to 350 rolls a day on average across a month, rising well past that on weekends, and stays open 363 days a year — closing only for Ramzan Eid and Bakra Eid.

Asked about the FDA’s ongoing crackdown on iconic Mumbai eateries, Sheikh was unbothered. “My water is Bisleri. My oil is top quality — I use raw mustard oil, not refined,” he said, adding that the chutney is made without water. “There are only two causes of disease: dirty water or dirty oil.”

The shop is about to take its first extended break since the Kala Ghoda move — closing from Monday through Thursday for new flooring and a fresh coat of paint. By Friday evening, the grills go back on.