Britannia & Co. — Indian Hospitality Magazine
Cafe Edition

Britannia & Co.

The keeper of the Berry Pulao — Fort's 100-year Irani institution

B

Rashid Kohinoor (origin: Iran)

Founder · Est. 1923 · Fort, Mumbai

Rashid Kohinoor arrived in Bombay from Iran in the early twentieth century and established Britannia & Co. in Ballard Estate in 1923. For over a century, the kitchen has prepared the same dishes with the same recipes. The Berry Pulao — made with barberries (zereshk) imported directly from Iran — has not changed in a hundred years.

The founder continued working at the restaurant well into his nineties, passing away at 97 after seven decades of daily service. His portrait of Queen Elizabeth II hung on the wall for decades. After the Queen's passing, the family updated the portrait. The decision generated more conversation in Mumbai's food media than most restaurant openings.

The restaurant has been written about in The New York Times, The Guardian, Vogue India, and Condé Nast Traveller India. Every piece of coverage says the same thing: nothing has changed, and that is precisely the point.

Britannia & Co. — additional image

We have been making the Berry Pulao the same way since 1923. Why would we change it? Has the zereshk changed? Has hunger changed? No. So the pulao stays.

What Defines Britannia & Co.

Berry PulaoFragrant basmati rice cooked with zereshk (barberries imported from Iran), caramelised onions, and chicken or mutton. The zereshk arrive annually from Iran by arrangement.
Sali BotiSlow-cooked mutton in a spiced gravy, served with sali (crisp fried potato straws). The Parsi preparation that defines the community's approach to meat.
DhansakThe definitive Mumbai Parsi version — slow-cooked lentil and meat preparation served with brown rice.
Caramel CustardThe dessert that every regular orders without looking at the menu. The caramel is made from scratch.
Raspberry SodaThe house drink, prepared from a house-made syrup. It tastes like 1923 Bombay.

The Experience

The Britannia & Co. experience is governed by the clock: arrive after 1:30 PM and you may not get a seat. Arrive after 3:00 PM and the kitchen may have already finished the Berry Pulao. The dining room is spare — formica tables, bentwood chairs, ceiling fans, and a wall that has accumulated photographs and commendations over a century without being curated.

Rated & Reviewed By

Condé Nast Traveller India · New York Times Travel · Zomato 4.4★ · BBC Good Food

Editorial Notes

  • Lunch only, six days a week — the kitchen closes at 4:00 PM. The Berry Pulao frequently sells out before 2:30 PM.
  • The restaurant does not accept reservations — a founding policy, not an oversight.
  • The zereshk (barberries) are imported annually from Iran — a supply chain established in 1923 and maintained without interruption.
  • Mandatory curriculum reference for students studying Parsi culinary heritage and Irani café culture.

Getting There

Nearest railway station: CST / Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (10-minute walk north through Ballard Estate). By road: Wakefield House, Sprott Road, Ballard Estate.