Around Town: How 106-year-old Olympia Coffee House remains an iconic Mumbai destination for non-veg food

Started as Olympia Coffee House and Stores in Colaba, the eatery initially offered a selection of Mughlai dishes alongside everyday products like soaps, biscuits, and candies. (Express photo)

“My grandfather and the three other men had come to Mumbai from Gujarat to earn a livelihood. It was a happenstance that they found employment at the same store at some point. Once they took over the ownership, they invited their families over. Not only did they become partners but also great friends, and today, you can see all of us living like one giant joint family,” said Amir Choudhary, 30. Dressed in crisp white kurta-pyjama with a skull cap, he mans the restaurant with his three other partners, the third-generation restaurateurs who took over the reins from their fathers about a decade ago.

Despite its 106-year history, Olympia has meticulously preserved its original interiors, including wooden counters, panelled walls, and marble-topped round dining tables. However, certain updates were made a couple of years ago, such as installing granite flooring, replacing the plastic chairs and changing the main shutter. The latter was prompted by the harrowing experience during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks when the shutter bore the impact of gunfire.

Despite its 106 years of history, Olympia has meticulously preserved its original interiors, including wooden counters, panelled walls, and marble-topped round dining tables. (Express photo)

“On that night, we were serving dinner when one of the managers saw firing outside Leopold Cafe. They immediately brought the shutter down and kept everyone inside. Some bullets were fired on it but thankfully, they could not penetrate. All our guests were taken out safely post-midnight with the help of policemen. I was still in school at that time but I remember the horror, the endless ringing of the phones,” Choudhary recalled.

Despite the ordeal, the eatery remains a cherished spot for patrons from various walks of life, including office-goers, longtime Colaba residents, and tourists. “People who have been dining at the restaurant for years tell me that once upon a time, they could eat mutton fry, three chapatis and a half-portion of rice for as little as Re 1,” he shared.

Amir Choudhary, 30, mans the restaurant with his three other partners, the third-generation restauranteurs, who took over the reins from their fathers about a decade ago. (Express photo)

The price, we notice, is still kept conservatively. “Good food in a restaurant shouldn’t be available exclusively to rich people. We also have a lot of taxi drivers who dine here regularly,” Choudhary said, adding that the busiest hours for their restaurant, which lifts its shutter at 7 am and runs till midnight, are breakfast and lunch.

Regarding the menu, Choudhary said that the eatery started with a handful of dishes, and the list expanded over the years to include offerings such as tandoor, kebabs, seafood, biryani, and milkshakes. “We also added a Thal option for family get-togethers three years ago. A Shahi Dawat Thal, which costs Rs 3,000, can easily accommodate seven to eight people,” he noted.

Mutton masala fry, mutton chap, mutton keema, rotis served with chutney, onion and green chillies on side. (Express photo)

Although a haven for meat eaters, for those who prefer a vegetarian diet or observe fast on certain days of the week, there is a small but selected menu featuring chana masala (Rs 70), dal fry in butter (Rs 65), and paneer tikka masala (Rs 140), among others. “Vegetarian options have also been there since the beginning. Of course, it was limited to dal and mix vegetable and we added paneer options later on,” he added.

Is there something they have refused to add? “Butter chicken! We also don’t want to add gravy-based starters. We still handpick our masalas and grind them in-house, we don’t want to add anything that is artificial or carries any form of additives,” he added.