On 24 August 2025, Santa Maria, the modest and much-loved café at the gateway to Ranwar Village, will close after more than a decade of serving Bandra. It leaves behind not just a menu of favourites but a legacy of warmth, stories, and community. For many, its shutters coming down marks the end of an era in Bandra’s ever-changing culinary landscape.
Santa Maria Bids Goodbye
Known to loyal patrons as “Your Local Sandwich House,” Santamaria in Bandra was never just about sandwiches. It was about belonging. From 19 to 24 August, the café will open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., giving regulars and the inevitable last-minute visitors a chance to return for one final plate and one final memory.
The atmosphere at Santa Maria was always part of the charm. Inside, you’d find wooden tables, an old television buzzing in the corner, shelves of cassettes, and the sort of knick-knacks that gave the impression you were sitting in a friend’s quirky dining room rather than a commercial establishment. Even the chairs had a story! They were Rotação seats handwoven by Wasim Chacha, a craftsman whose work carried decades of local tradition into the café’s everyday life.
Their Legacy Will Be Remembered (Till They Come Back)
The food was no less story-worthy. “Peggy’s Piggy” pulled pork and arugula tucked into focaccia was a consistent crowd-pleaser. Vegetarians swore by the “Eggplant Melt,” with its smoky slices layered against tomato sauce, cheddar, mozzarella, and fresh arugula.
Then there was “Falling in Love Ft. Siddharth,” a playful nod to Elvis Presley’s rumoured favourite snack: bacon, peanut butter, banana, and maple syrup folded into a croissant. Outside the headline sandwiches, the Gunpowder fries, raw mango soda, watermelon-feta salad, and sturdy house-made breads built a loyal following of their own.
Taken together, the menu was a kind of edible map of Bandra, drawing on Goan, East Indian, Catholic, Mangalorean, and Pitt Boy influences.
Where: Santa Maria Café, Gateway to Ranwar Village, Bandra, Mumbai
When: 19–24 August 2025, 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM
Cost: ₹1000 for two approx.
Also Read: Enjoy Coffee With Books At This Bandra Cafe That Houses A Huge Library
The farewell message from the café made clear that this is not a full stop. It called the closure a pause, a step back before a stronger and more soulful return. For a place that stitched itself into the daily fabric of Bandra, that promise means everything to each foodie around the corner. Santa Maria’s last week will be more than a goodbye. It will be a gathering of stories, flavours, and faces that shaped a landmark!
Cover Image Courtesy: santamaria_bombay/Instagram
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