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Many spots discovered their love for sandwich-making during the pandemic. Annie Bafna, founder of The Nutcracker, says, “During Covid, when food delivery hit an all-time high, we started bottling and selling our hummus, pesto and bread.” In 2024, Bafna launched Noa by The Nutcracker, a grab-and-go brand featuring an elaborate sandwich menu with options on ciabatta, focaccia and sourdough.
These flourishing modern sandwich shops are swapping our beloved Wibs white bread for bagels, sourdough baguettes, focaccia and milk buns, each stuffed with locally sourced cheeses, specially cured meats and pickled tubers. Across Mumbai—but especially in Bandra—a carb-based meal is never far away. The past few years have seen Santa Maria and East 7th Pizza & Deli join stalwarts like Veronica’s and Kitchen Garden in the neighbourhood. Further afield, Pinto Sando in Malad serves Goan-inspired options like ox tongue and pork roast on katra pao, a bread usually found only in the sunshine state.
Sandwiches have long fed Mumbai’s appetite for comfort food, ready to step up when the city’s fast-paced lifestyle demands a quick, affordable and filling meal. With restaurants shuttered during the pandemic, many turned to making sandwiches at home—an impulse that evolved into a craving for bougie versions once the lockdown lifted. At Veronica’s, diners can choose from international favourites like the Po’Boy and pastrami. Just steps away is Santa Maria, known for its thick-cut bread, pillowy buns and Bandra-meets-Italy interiors. At East 7th, Rehan Mehta—chef and owner of East 7th Pizza and Deli, which moved from a Colaba-based delivery kitchen to a Bandra sit-down—serves an array of global sandwiches. “Originally, our brand was supposed to be just sandwiches,” he says, “but I didn’t think that model would be financially viable, because Bombay hadn’t yet been gripped by sandwich fever.” Clearly, things have changed.
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