The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the licence of the 108-year-old Olympia Coffee House in Mumbai’s Colaba after inspectors found serious food safety and hygiene violations, including a urinal inside the food storage area, cockroach and fly infestation, and meat and blood residues in a refrigerator.
The action followed a consumer complaint. The FDA also suspended the licence of the canteen at Nair Hospital in Mumbai Central over separate food safety violations.
The two establishments are among 14 food outlets across Maharashtra whose licences were suspended after 27 premises were inspected. Other establishments included a Blinkit store in Chembur, Vishwas Sweets and Snacks and A-1 General & Dry Fruits in Ghatkopar, and Milan Punjab in Worli.
During the Olympia inspection, officials reported unhygienic food preparation and utensil-washing areas, food being handled directly on the floor and the use of unclean water. Raw vegetarian and non-vegetarian food was also not properly separated. Inspectors flagged damaged wooden chopping boards and a lack of protective clothing among food handlers.
The FDA said 34 of the 35 workers at the establishment had not completed mandatory food safety training. Required water-testing reports and sanitation records were also unavailable.
The action comes months after Hollywood filmmaker Christopher Nolan and actors Tom Holland and Matt Damon visited Olympia Coffee House in July for a quick tea stop ahead of the Mumbai premiere of their film Odyssey. The trio reportedly had tea with bun maska and desserts.
