Merwan & Co.

Merwan and Co. has been baking and serving tea opposite Grant Road station since 1914, and it is one of the best-loved of Mumbai's Irani cafes. It sits in Pannalal Terrace on the eastern side of the station, and for more than a century it has been part of the morning routine of anyone in the area with a weakness for its cakes.

Mawa cake is the reason most people come, and Merwan's version is one of the most famous in the city. The bakery also turns out butter buns, jam puffs, cream rolls and macarons, and everything goes perfectly with a cup of Irani chai. The cafe is open daily, but the most popular items tend to sell out by mid-morning, so the earlier you arrive the better your chances of finding everything on offer.

The atmosphere is that of a busy neighbourhood cafe rather than a place to settle in, and the staff are not keen on customers lingering with laptops, so treat it as a stop for breakfast or a snack. It suits early risers, budget travellers and anyone who enjoys traditional bakeries. Families will find plenty that children like, and buying a box of cakes or buns to take away is common. A box of mawa cakes makes a practical gift if you are visiting friends in the city. If you have your heart set on a particular item, go as early as you can, because once the popular cakes are gone they are gone for the day.

Allow 20 to 30 minutes for a sit-down visit. The cafe is a good starting point for a morning in the older neighbourhoods north of the Fort, and it is easy to reach by train or taxi, as it stands directly opposite Grant Road station.

From Grant Road it is a short taxi ride to Chor Bazaar on Mutton Street, to Mani Bhavan in Gamdevi, and to Girgaum Chowpatty and the northern end of Marine Drive. Combining Merwan with Kyani and Co. in Marine Lines and Britannia and Co. in Ballard Estate is a good way to see how the city's Irani cafes differ from one another, from bakery-led breakfast stops to full lunch menus.