Archive · 16 Sep 2026
Cafe Mondegar Licence Suspended Over Food-Safety Violations
Cafe Mondegar is a famous café in Mumbai’s Colaba area.
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration inspected its kitchen on September 12.
Inspectors said some food was not kept at safe temperatures.
They also found problems with thawing, cooling, drainage, flooring and cleaning equipment.
Because of these findings, the café’s food licence was suspended on September 15.
The inspection was part of a larger check of food businesses before festivals.
Some people supported the action because they were worried about hygiene.
Other people felt sad because they have many memories of the café.
Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration suspended Cafe Mondegar’s food licence after a September 12 inspection.
Inspectors found hot food below 60°C and cold storage above the required 5°C threshold.
The inspection also cited improper thawing, inadequate cooling, damp flooring, poor drainage and unsanitised equipment.
The action was part of a wider festival-season food-safety drive led by FDA chief Tukaram Mundhe.
The suspension divided Mumbaikars, with some criticising hygiene while others expressed nostalgia for the Colaba institution.
- Who
- Cafe Mondegar and Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration, led by Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe.
- What
- The FDA suspended Cafe Mondegar’s food licence after finding multiple food-safety, hygiene and structural deficiencies.
- When
- The inspection took place on September 12, and the suspension was announced on September 15, 2026.
- Where
- Cafe Mondegar’s Metro House premises in Colaba, Mumbai.
- Why
- Inspectors cited unsafe food temperatures, improper thawing and cooling, damp flooring, inadequate drainage and insufficient equipment sanitation.
Support for Enforcement
Concerns and Nostalgia
Food-safety action
Support for Enforcement
Supporters said the suspension was justified by the FDA’s findings and welcomed inspections of restaurants and other food businesses.
Concerns and Nostalgia
Some business owners have criticised Tukaram Mundhe’s enforcement methods as heavy-handed, while a Bombay High Court case cited in the article raised broader due-process concerns about prolonged licence suspensions.
Cafe Mondegar’s reputation
Support for Enforcement
Some Mumbaikars said the action was overdue, citing poor hygiene, bad food, overcrowding and alleged sightings of rats.
Concerns and Nostalgia
Other Mumbaikars expressed sadness and nostalgia for the long-standing Colaba café, while still acknowledging that better quality and hygiene were needed.
- Establishment
- Cafe Mondegar, a Colaba café associated with Mumbai’s social and dining scene since 1932
- Regulator
- Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration
- FDA chief
- Tukaram Mundhe
- Inspection date
- September 12, 2026
- Suspension announced
- September 15, 2026
- Temperature findings
- Hot food was not maintained above 60°C, and cold storage was not maintained below 5°C
- Other cited deficiencies
- Improper thawing and cooling, damp flooring, inadequate drainage, and poorly cleaned and sanitised equipment
- Wider campaign
- The FDA said it inspected 38 food establishments and collected 47 samples in Greater Mumbai from September 11 to 14
