With its hearty tandoori fare and drool-worthy dishes, Mini Punjab has not only fed generations of Mumbaikars but also played a defining role in shaping the city’s large-scale wedding and event catering landscape. What began as a small eatery in Sion Koliwada steadily expanded into one of Mumbai’s most prolific and trusted catering powerhouses.
From A Small Eatery To A Catering Giant In Mumbai
According to The Indian Express, Bahadur Singh arrived in Sion Koliwada (now GTB Nagar) in 1958 with his wife and two young children. After moving from Amritsar to Delhi and eventually to Mumbai within a year, he was searching for a stable way to support his family when he met an elderly man named Hakam Singh.
He invited him to help run his small pakoda shop and even offered to share the profits, a turning point that would lay the foundation for what would later become Mini Punjab.
Soon, Bahadur Singh suggested adding what would later become the iconic Fish Koliwada, a fish fry recipe he was familiar with, to the menu. It wasn’t an instant success; in fact, it took him years to perfect the preparation. But once it clicked with customers, there was no looking back. The growing popularity led him to introduce other favourites such as Pomfret Koliwada and Prawn Koliwada, all cooked on a traditional koyle ki bhatti, to the menu.
These dishes grew so popular that customers would wait up to two hours for their orders, and everything would often sell out by closing time. The loyal clientele even included celebrities such as Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand and Dara Singh.
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Mini Punjab: A Legacy Woven Into Mumbai’s Culinary Fabric
Interestingly, the eatery wasn’t always known as Mini Punjab. Speaking to The Indian Express, Bahadur Singh’s son, Karnail Singh, revealed that the name emerged in the early 1980s. It was Bal Thackeray, who, while addressing a gathering in the neighbourhood, reportedly gestured toward the bustling eatery, then filled with men in turbans, and referred to it as “Mini Punjab.” The name stuck, and the legacy continued. They went on to open restaurants in Bandra, Powai, Bhiwandi, Malad, Thane, and Vashi over the years.
Before opening their Bandra outlet in 1991, Mini Punjab had already forayed into the catering business in the 1980s, and the rest, as they say, is history. Over the years, the brand has catered some of Mumbai and Maharashtra’s most high-profile events.
From the wedding celebrations of Arun Gawli’s daughter Geeta to numerous large-scale social and political gatherings attended by leaders such as Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Mini Punjab’s catering presence is firmly established across Mumbai.
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So, if you’re in Mumbai and wish to experience the magic of robust Punjabi flavours, then don’t forget to visit Mini Punjab!
Cover Image Courtesy: Just Dial & X/Shrilesh
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