Cafe Excelsior

Naresh Shirodkar

3 months ago

5.0

Cafe Excelsior is one of those heritage Irani cafés that carries decades of nostalgia with it. In its prime, it was a landmark dining spot in Fort — a place where classic Parsi and Irani flavours defined comfort food for generations. On our recent visit, however, the experience felt more like a reminder of its glorious past rather than its present strength. We ordered the Bun Maska with Chai, which remains a simple, comforting classic. The chai had that familiar strong brew, and the bun maska did evoke a bit of old-school charm. The Mutton Cutlet one of their most talked-about dishes — was decent, with the cutlet nicely fried, though the gravy lacked the richness we had expected from all the praise it receives. The Kheema pav and kheema Ghotala was flavourful and satisfying, pairing well with pav, and probably one of the better dishes of our meal. The menu itself is extensive and filled with iconic dishes like Mutton Pattice, Sali Boti, Chicken and Mutton Dhansak, Kheema Pav, Chicken Roll, Mutton Burger, and even hearty plates like Triple Fried Rice. Their dessert section still showcases classics such as Caramel Custard and Bread Pudding, along with nostalgic beverages like Raspberry Soda and Ice-Cream Soda — all of which reflect the café’s rich culinary history. However, beyond the food, there were noticeable gaps in the overall experience. The service was considerably slow despite the place not being overly crowded. Hygiene and upkeep could definitely use more attention — from table cleanliness to the general maintenance of the space. For a café with such a legacy, these details matter. Cafe Excelsior undoubtedly holds historical value and sentimental charm, and it’s easy to imagine how special it must have felt in its prime years. Today, while the food is still reasonably good and certain dishes retain their nostalgic appeal, the overall experience feels like it needs revival and renewed care. With some focused improvements in service speed, consistency, and hygiene, this iconic café could very well reclaim a bit of its old magic. For now, it remains a place worth visiting once for the heritage factor — but perhaps not quite the culinary standout it used to be.

+2

Pranave Nanda

3 years ago

4.0

Visiting Cafe Excelsior is like entering a time machine. A rustic ambience with antique clocks adorning the walls, Cafe Excelsior is more than a 100 years old! To my advantage, the place is a stone's throw away from my office and I happen to be somewhat of a regular here for breakfast. Coming to the food: the bun maska is on point, and the kheema pav is scrumptious and melt in your mouth! The chai here is special and as good as expected. Must visit for those craving a visit to older, simpler times. Prices are slightly on the higher side for what is offered, but the languorous and vintage vibe is worth a shot! Note: Items like the Mutton Cutlet, Salli Boti are available only post 11 am

Priyanka Borkar

1 year ago

4.0

Cutlet gravy and salli chicken is to die for, Triple Fried Rice is tasty and quatity is pretty good. Accompany it with raspberry or ice-cream soda and it just makes your day. Ambience is simple, informal but clean, a good and pleasant place to chill, a typical Irani joint. It's an old place so don't expect the new type getup and furniture here. It feels like you go back in time and I simply love looking at the 6 or so grandfather wall clocks they have. Waiters are friendly.

The Foodie Kudi

3 years ago

4.0

This was the yummiest gravy with cutlet combination I’ve ever had. I’d recommend this to everyone cuz it’s delicious!! I’ve also tried the mutton samosa and khari from here along with their chai and all of them too were just so tasty!! Total value for money.

Mridula B

3 years ago

3.0

Let’s be honest, the bakery items, they don’t serve it fresh. Ordered for the Chicken Patrice which was microwaved. The owner and servers were seen fighting and shouting. The positives: Tried the Bread Pudding with Hint of Vanilla, it was yummy. It is a 100 year old cafe, totally reminiscent of the past. The clock from the colonial times still ticks. Some fellow eaters while I visited recommended to try their Chicken and Mutton Kheema, definitely coming. But I do believe there are better Irani cafés serving Parsi food with better hygiene and taste as well as ambience like Military.

Mahwish

10 months ago

1.0

Ordered Tea which was served absolutely cold , caramel custard was tasteless, mutton keema paw was also very tasteless no salt absolutely bland ,and was served with bread slices which were okay ( just the bread slices were fresh ) not the keema .

Beaulah

11 months ago

1.0

Ordered for chicken biryani and all they have was chicken masala with rice on top of it and that too without salt. Also their kheema was not good at all. Bland and bit watery.

Radhika Todi

2 years ago

1.0

Horrible place. Filthy, bad taste or food even tea, used cutlery, dirty seating tables and chairs. Do not order the kheema pav.

Harshal Bhalerao

3 years ago

1.0

Super rude owner, unjustified pricing, unfair portion/size, okayish food taste, okayish ambience, overrated cafe.

SNEHAL WANERE

3 years ago

1.0

It was tasting bitter and the chicken patty was smelling of oil .... Very bad experience.... Never order this