Oldie But Goodie: Pancham Puriwala

The only address listed for Pancham Puriwala is 8-10 Bazar Gate Street, Fort. Bazar Gate Street is the old name for what is now Perin Nariman Street, but proprietor Akshay Sharma has never felt the need to update the address. Pancham Puriwala is a landmark in itself, he said, and when people lose their way around Fort, they use the 160-year-old establishment as the starting point from which to find their bearings. Sharma, who has been running the enterprise since 1992, said Pancham Puriwala gets its name from his great-great-grandfather, Pancham Das Sharma who moved to Mumbai from Agra sometime in the 1850s, and set up a puri-bhaji stall in the Fort area. When he died, he left behind his prized puri recipe, which has been passed down four generations.

Not much seems to have changed at Pancham Puriwala since Das Sharma opened shop; it still has the feel of a roadside dhaba, and remains popular with labourers and office workers in Fort, and travel-weary passengers who alight at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus close by. It’s easy to see why: their wheat-flour puris taste fresher than any we’ve had in this city. You can opt for plain or masala puris (made with a filling of red chilli powder, salt and turmeric) that are served with curries of sabzis like aloo and bhopla (pumpkin). While the noisy, crowded and somewhat grubby interiors of Pancham Puriwala may turn you off, its puris are guaranteed to please. We recommend that you drop by, and place your order to go.

LocationPancham Puriwala
8-10 Bazar Gate Street
Opposite the main entrance of Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus
Fort

Phone90041 88052

HoursDaily, 8am to 11.30pm