Bombay Sweet Shop, Byculla

Byculla, Mumbai
2020
Hunger Inc.
4,000 sq ft

Bombay Sweet Shop is designed to revive the childlike thrill of being ‘a kid in a candy shop’. Repurposing an old Byculla warehouse into a contemporary mithai factory, the project takes inspiration from the concession stalls and Deco theatres of 1950s Bombay. The design reaches out to the street with a façade reminiscent of cinema fronts, inviting the city inside.

At its heart is the ‘Mithai bar’, framed by cast iron columns and curved glass cases, recalling vintage snack stalls. A 20-foot finishing counter allows chefs and customers to interact, while the ‘Chikki bar’ offers customization on terrazzo counters cast in pista and rose hues. Viewing windows reveal the buzzing ‘Hot Mess’ kitchen, turning production into spectacle.

Craft is central: terrazzo floors inlaid with katli flowers and honeybees, fluted timber displays, and hand-painted murals of mithai-loving monkeys. A special gifting station, Deco-inspired arches, and a discreet passage to a hidden theatre add to the layered experience. Nostalgic yet inventive, the design transforms mithai into a cultural celebration of Bombay’s past and present.