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There is something about the Gateway of India. Why else would there be a swarm of people surrounding it round the clock, every day of the year, marvelling at it and the expansive sea hugging it? It’s why P J Ramchandani Marg, the road connecting Gateway and Radio Club, makes for a perfect spot for the first-ever Flurys Tearoom outside of Kolkata, renowned for its elegant ambiance and serving delectable assortment of pastries, cakes, and classic European confections for nearly a century.
Established in 1927 on Park Street by Swiss expatriate couple Joseph Flury and his wife Freida, Flurys was the city’s only tearoom offering traditional European confections. Think delicious and exotic cakes, creamy pastries, and hand-made Swiss chocolates, among other mouth-watering items. In no time, it became the rendezvous of the young and the old. British families and affluent Indians would come here to have their breakfast, especially on Sundays, and legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray was said to have ditched his adda at The Coffee House on College Street to have Flurys’ pastries. Actors Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar were said to be its patrons.
The tearoom in Mumbai offers glimpses of the past but in a revamped avatar. Spread across 2,000 sqft, the space offers about 100 covers, with both indoor and alfresco seating. The flooring still features chequered tiles that have become synonymous with the Kolkata outpost. One wall features a sketch recreating Calcutta of yesteryear, and an assortment of confectioneries can be seen waving from behind the glass counter on another wall, which also houses a yet-to-launch bar offering. The colour pink, however, has become muted, transitioning from a raspberry shade to salmon. The logo too has changed, replacing the cursive ‘flurys’ with bold capital letters.
The tearoom in Mumbai offers glimpses of the past but in a revamped avatar. (Express Photo)
“It is an iconic heritage brand of the country, especially of the East. We wanted to bring it to Mumbai in an evolved manner because the customer base is evolving. We are known for serving five generations, and we want to cater to Gen Z as well,” shared Rajesh Singh, national head of Flurys.
While the brand came to Mumbai a couple of years ago and has opened many cafe-like formats since, this is the first tearoom in the city. Speaking about scouting this location, he revealed that it took them about a year and a half.
We visited Flurys on a Monday evening and were lucky to find a seat on the aisle with tables for two, offering a beautiful view of the world outside and a glimpse of the Arabian Sea. Since the restaurant starts at 7 am and operates till midnight, the menu has options catering to everyone, from early morning joggers looking for a salad or breakfast spread to all-day options like flatbreads, sandwiches, burgers, as well as large plates for those looking for a hearty lunch or dinner.
In matters of taste
Considering that the heritage brand is known for its breakfast, we went for Shakshuka (Rs 400). It featured a warm pan with three poached eggs, each in different textures—one was runny, another was soft, and the third was well-cooked. Although we initially thought this variety was intentional, we later learned it wasn’t. Nonetheless, the eggs were laid out on a delicious bed of cherry tomatoes, yellow, green, and red bell peppers, and cheese, well-seasoned with spices and pepper, served with a slice of rye bread to mop the dish clean. Despite the inconsistency in egg textures, we really enjoyed this dish.
Although Flurys has earned a solid reputation for its confectionery that has lasted them for almost a century, we were a bit disappointed with its offerings. (Express Photo)
Next, we tried the cheese and tomato “original Flurys sandwich” (Rs 200) from their ‘Heritage’ section. It came packed in toasted brown bread with a side of French fries and delivered what it promised without any innovation. From the main course, we chose the teriyaki grilled portobello mushroom (Rs 450), which featured fragrant Jasmine rice topped with portobello mushrooms cooked in teriyaki sauce and served with crackers on the side. It was good but forgettable.
The one dish that left us craving for more was their flatbread — a section newly introduced for the Mumbai audience. We opted for a flatbread with blue cheese (Rs 400), a tricky ingredient that was well balanced with caramelised onions, white sauce, and rocket leaves. It was also baked to perfection.
Although Flurys has earned a solid reputation for its confectionery that has lasted them for almost a century, we were a bit disappointed with its offerings. Their much-celebrated rum ball, which has its own fan base, didn’t deliver. The plum cake was hard and lacked the gooeyness we were looking for. We were told that the brand has introduced macarons especially to cater to Mumbai. We sampled three flavours—pistachio, caramel, and chocolate—and they all lacked the depth of flavour and quality that we are used to, courtesy of macaron queen Pooja Dhingra, whose Le 15 debuted almost a decade and a half ago very close to where we were sitting. We were also disappointed with their house cobb salad, which neither looked appetising nor tasted well, and their latte coffee, which didn’t stand very tall against the promising coffee programs we are seeing throughout the city.
Do we see ourselves going again? Yes! Flurys has plenty of offerings, all priced very competitively, to call for multiple visits. We see ourselves hanging out with our colleagues post work or with friends, sipping on tea or cocktails. However, we would really appreciate it if they could give us the cakes and pastries that brought them all the fame.
Where: Flurys, PJ Ramchandani Marg, near Gateway of India, Apollo Bandar, Colaba, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400001
When: 7 am to 12 am
Price for two: Rs 1,500 (without alcohol)
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