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A century-old bun maska institution has just been given a very 2026 problem. Kyani & Co., the beloved 122-year-old Irani cafe in Marine Lines, is the latest Mumbai eatery to have its FDA licence suspended after a food safety inspection uncovered multiple violations.
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspected the South Bombay cafe on September 27 and found several food safety and hygiene lapses in its food preparation and storage areas. The findings prompted the immediate suspension of the cafe's FSSAI licence under Section 32(3) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
The action comes as part of a statewide crackdown by the Maharashtra FDA, led by Food Safety Commissioner Tukaram Munde, under its 'Safe Food, Safe Maharashtra' drive. For a cafe that has been serving generations of Mumbaikars its famous bun maska, chai and other old-school favourites since 1904, this is certainly not the kind of throwback anyone ordered.
What did the Maharashtra FDA find at Kyani & Co. during the inspection?
During the FDA inspection conducted on Septmeber 27, the inspectors found live flies, rat droppings, cats, and dead cockroaches near food preparation and storage areas. Not just that, the food inspectors found blood accumulated in the refrigerator and also an open sewage manhole reported to be found in the processing area.
Additionally, the Maharashtra FDA found food stored directly on the floor and raw dough covered in newspapers – plus, raw and ready-to-eat food was not adequately separated, raising concerns of cross-contamination. The FDA also flagged unhealthy hygiene practices among the staff members.
In recent weeks, the FDA has suspended licenses of multiple SoBo cafes and restaurants, like Cafe Mondegar at Colaba Causeway and Ayub’s in Fort, which lost their licenses over hygiene and food safety violations.
For now, the FDA’s order directs Kyani & Co. to stop the sale and distribution of food products until the cafe addresses the violations and meets the necessary food safety standards before its licence can be restored.