Churning icecreams since 1887! The legacy of Taj Icecream in Mumbai is unmatched!

Loved for its hand-churned ice creams, made with just milk, sugar, and fruits for over a century now, Taj Ice Cream at Bhendi Bazaar is delicious and was even loved by Madhubala, Waheeda Rehman, and Johnny Walker.

It was Valilji Jalaji who arrived in the city of dreams, Mumbai, in 1887 from Kutch with a simple business idea on his mind. He opened up a small shop in the Bhendi Bazaar area near Mohammad Ali Road and started selling fruits and milk mixed in an earthen pot. These ice creams were hand-churned, had an excellent taste, and in no time won the tastebuds of Mumbaikars. Fast forward to 2023, this small shop is still small but has completed 136 successful years and is loved by every ice cream lover in the city. " It was founded by my great-great-grandfather, but my family has passed down this legacy. I am the 6th generation and continued to follow that legacy of manufacturing hand-churned ice cream", says Aamir Ice Cream Wala who is the current owner of Taj Ice Cream.

Ice creams hand churned for 3 hours

Taj Ice Cream still abides by the same technique that Jalaji had introduced and is prepared in wooden barrels. The cow milk is first boiled, then cooled down, and later the fruits are added. After this, the mixture is poured into a copper ‘sancha’ from Jalaji’s time and hand-churned for hours. "It takes 3 hours to make each flavour and the mixture has only 3 ingredients: milk, fruits, and sugar. We source the ingredients from local vendors. Some of them are from Bhendi Bazaar while some are brought from Vashi market," explains Aamir.

Also Read: From owning a stall in Karachi to becoming Mumbai’s iconic restaurant chain, the legacy of Bhagat Tarachand beholds.

Once loved by Madhubala and Waheeda Rehman

Initially, this legacy shop used to sell bite-sized pieces of grapefruit, pineapple, and chikoo, mixed in milk as well as dates which would be served cold in clay pots. With time, the menu extended, featuring over 20 flavours such as Guava, chocolate, dry figs, lychee, and even faloodas. This place has even served celebrities like Madhubala and Johnny Walker during Jalaji's time and has beautiful black and white photographs of them in the shop.

Today, Taj Ice Cream makes 50-60 kgs of ice cream each day and has customers not just from Mumbai but countries like Kuwait, London, and even Paris. "There are customers who are in their 80s, and they tell us how they used to come to Taj back then with their grandfather and parents and how the taste hasn't changed at all. This love and loyalty keeps me going," says Aaamir Ice Creamwala.

Our favorite picks from this legacy shop are Mango and Guava. If you haven't been to this place, you are missing out on a lot of good stuff, and so why not plan a visit?

Where:  Shop No. 1, SBUT Transit Cluster - D Kharat, Chimna Butcher St, Bohri Mohalla, Mumbai
When: 10 am to 11.30 pm
Price: Rs.70 onwards

Also Read: Enjoy a sip at Sancha Tea Boutique, where some rare Assam teas are plucked from the 100-year-old tea bushes!

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