Mumbai café visited by Tom Holland, Matt Damon and Christopher Nolan loses licence over hygiene violations

Mumbai’s 108-year-old Olympia Coffee House in Colaba has had its licence suspended after a Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspection found several food safety and hygiene violations.

The action followed a consumer complaint and comes months after Hollywood stars Tom Holland and Matt Damon and filmmaker Christopher Nolan visited Olympia Coffee House during their trip to Mumbai to promote the film The Odyssey.

FDA officials said that inspectors found a urinal inside the food storage area along with an infestation of cockroaches and flies. Meat and blood residue were also reportedly found inside a refrigerator.

The inspection also flagged unhygienic conditions in the food preparation and utensil-washing areas. Officials found food being handled directly on the floor and unclean water being used at the establishment.

The FDA also found that raw vegetarian and non-vegetarian food was not being properly separated. Inspectors reportedly found damaged wooden chopping boards in the kitchen and said that food handlers were not wearing appropriate protective clothing.

The food regulator has suspended Olympia Coffee House’s licence until further notice.

Olympia Coffee House is among 14 establishments across Maharashtra against which the FDA has taken action. The licence of the canteen at Mumbai’s Nair Hospital in Mumbai Central has also been suspended over food safety violations.

FDA has increased inspections across Maharashtra under its chief Tukaram Mundhe, with restaurants facing greater scrutiny over food safety and hygiene.

Olympia Coffee House came into the spotlight in July when Christopher Nolan, Tom Holland and Matt Damon visited the establishment during their Mumbai trip ahead of the premiere of their film The Odyssey.

The three reportedly stopped at Olympia Coffee House for tea served in glass cups along with bun maska and desserts.

The establishment has been part of Mumbai’s dining scene for generations and is known for its Parsi and Irani-style food, including mutton keema pav, biryani, kebabs, dal gosht, Irani chai and bun maska.