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{{Short description|Toasted sandwich}}
{{Good article}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2026}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2026}}
{{Infobox food
| name = Bombay sandwich
| name_lang =
| name_italics =
| image = File:Bombay cheese sandwich.jpg
| image_upright =
| image_alt = A sandwich with a layer of potatoes, a layer of vegetables, and bread in the middle, topped with cheese
| caption =
| alternative_name =
| type = [[Sandwich]]
| course =
| place_of_origin = [[Mumbai]] (Bombay)
| region =
| associated_cuisine =
| creator =
| year = {{Circa|1960s}}
| mintime =
| maxtime =
| served = Hot or cold
| main_ingredient = [[White bread]], [[potato]], green [[chutney]]
| minor_ingredient = [[Beetroot]], [[onion]], [[capsicum]], [[tomato]], [[cheese]], [[sev (food)|sev]]
| variations =
| serving_size =
| calories =
| calories_ref =
| protein =
| fat =
| carbohydrate =
| glycemic_index =
| similar_dish =
| module =
| cookbook =
| commons =
| other =
| no_recipes =
}}

The '''Bombay sandwich''' is a sandwich made of [[white bread]] covered in [[butter]] and [[chutney]] with a filling of [[potato]]es and raw vegetables, often as a [[toasted sandwich]]. It may be toasted over a flame or using an electric toaster. Its ingredients may include [[cucumber]]s, [[onion]]s, [[beetroot]], and [[chaat masala]], and it may be topped with [[cheese]] or [[sev (food)|sev]]. Many variations of ingredients exist. The origin of the Bombay sandwich is uncertain, but it may have been invented by migrant textile workers in the 1960s. The sandwich is popular as [[street food of Mumbai|street food across Mumbai]], but it is not as popular elsewhere.

== Preparation ==
[[File:Gastoaster.jpg|thumb|alt=A tool with two long handles to open a space that can fit a sandwich|A ''[[Pie iron|chimta]]'' used to toast a sandwich over a flame]]

The Bombay sandwich is a vegetarian sandwich consisting of two or three slices of [[white bread]] with their crusts cut off, spread with [[butter]] and a green [[chutney]], and filled with boiled [[potato]]es and raw vegetables.<ref name="Vijayakar">{{Cite news |last=Vijayakar |first=Kunal |author-link=Kunal Vijaykar |date=27 November 2022 |title=What the Fork: What Makes the Bombay Sandwich a Truly Mumbai Dish, Writes Kunal Vijayakar |url=https://www.news18.com/news/lifestyle/what-the-fork-what-makes-the-bombay-sandwich-a-truly-mumbai-dish-writes-kunal-vijayakar-6480733.html |access-date=26 January 2026 |work=[[News18]] |archive-date=26 July 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250726112114/https://www.news18.com/news/lifestyle/what-the-fork-what-makes-the-bombay-sandwich-a-truly-mumbai-dish-writes-kunal-vijayakar-6480733.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Nath">{{Cite news |last=Nath |first=Aatish |date=18 June 2025 |title=The Coolest Restaurants in Mumbai Have a Secret—and It’s Hiding between Two Slices of Bread |url=https://www.vogue.in/content/the-coolest-restaurants-in-mumbai-have-a-secret-and-its-hiding-between-two-slices-of-bread |access-date=26 January 2026 |work=[[Vogue India]]}}</ref> The sandwich uses vegetables such as [[onion]] slices, [[cucumber]]s, [[tomato]]es, [[capsicum]]s, and [[beetroot]],<ref name="Ramadurai">{{Cite news |last=Ramadurai |first=Charukesi |date=29 September 2023 |title=The Incomparable Bombay Sandwich |url=https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20230929-the-incomparable-bombay-sandwich |access-date=26 January 2026 |work=[[BBC News]] |archive-date=30 January 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260130100148/https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20230929-the-incomparable-bombay-sandwich |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Menon">{{Cite news |last=Menon |first=Smitha |date=2 July 2020 |title=Is the Bombay Sandwich Really from Mumbai? |url=https://www.cntraveller.in/story/bombay-sandwich-recipe-where-to-eat-mumbai-food/ |access-date=26 January 2026 |work=[[Condé Nast Traveller]] |archive-date=1 September 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250901134656/https://www.cntraveller.in/story/bombay-sandwich-recipe-where-to-eat-mumbai-food/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and it is seasoned with salt and [[chaat masala]] or [[mango powder]], or with a proprietary blend of spices.<ref name="Vijayakar" /><ref name="Nath" /> The chutney is made with [[pudina]] and [[coriander leaf]].<ref name="Menon" /> The sandwich commonly uses [[Wibs]] brand bread, which is large and soft.<ref name="Vijayakar" /><ref name="Menon" />

The sandwich is often toasted, traditionally done by holding it over a flame with a [[Pie iron|chimta]], though some sandwich vendors, as well as restaurants, use electric [[sandwich toaster]]s.<ref name="Ramadurai" /><ref name="Menon" /> This gives it a texture that is soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside.<ref name="Ramadurai" /> The large sandwich is cut into four or six slices.<ref name="Vijayakar" /> It is often topped with [[grated cheese]],<ref name="Ramadurai" /> while some versions top it with crunchy [[sev (food)|sev]].<ref name="Vijayakar" /><ref name="Menon" /> Street vendors serve the sandwich with [[ketchup]] on [[paper plate]]s.<ref name="Ramadurai" /> It may be served hot<ref>{{Cite news |last=Promod |first=Sheba |date=22 December 2012 |title=Hot Food on a Cold Day |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/magazine/hot-food-on-a-cold-day/article4221500.ece |access-date=26 January 2026 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref> or cold.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sanghvi |first=Vir |author-link=Vir Sanghvi |date=12 July 2020 |title=Rude Food by Vir Sanghvi: Roll Redemption |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/brunch/rude-food-by-vir-sanghvi-roll-redemption/story-WLkxCkUTD0BSDcINWNAALI.html |access-date=26 January 2026 |work=[[Hindustan Times]] |archive-date=24 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221024034732/https://www.hindustantimes.com/brunch/rude-food-by-vir-sanghvi-roll-redemption/story-WLkxCkUTD0BSDcINWNAALI.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Many variations of the Bombay sandwich exist,<ref name="Vijayakar" /> with street vendors modifying the basic ingredients of the sandwich.<ref name="Nath" /> The Bombay masala sandwich uses the spiced mashed potatoes used in [[masala dosa]].<ref name="Vijayakar" /> A version of the sandwich uses [[paneer]], while another uses potatoes and peas.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Francis |first=Ali |date=27 September 2021 |title=You Haven’t Had a Toasted Sandwich Until You’ve Had a Jaffle |url=https://www.bonappetit.com/story/jaffle-maker |access-date=26 January 2026 |work=[[Bon Appétit]] |archive-date=2 February 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260202040905/https://www.bonappetit.com/story/jaffle-maker |url-status=live }}</ref> Upscale versions of the Bombay sandwiches use ingredients such as imported cheese, [[sliced meat]], [[avocado]], or [[Schezwan chutney]], while sweet versions use chocolate or [[Nutella]].<ref name="Nath" /><ref name ="Ramadurai" /> California-based chef [[Preeti Mistry]] has served a version made with [[Yukon gold potato]]es, [[Chiogga beet]]s, [[pickled onions]], and [[Monterey Jack]] cheese.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Duruz |first=Jean |chapter=Geographies of Fusion |date=2019-02-25 |title=Routledge Handbook of Food in Asia |pages=13–28 |editor-last=Leong-Salobir |editor-first=Cecilia |edition=1st |publisher=[[Routledge]] |doi=10.4324/9781315617916-2 |isbn=978-1-315-61791-6}}</ref>{{rp|15, 20}} Chef [[Meera Sodha]] adapted the Bombay sandwich into a recipe called Bombay rolls, replacing the bread with [[puff pastry]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Vaculin |first=Kendra |date=7 December 2020 |title=I'm Leaving Everything From 2020 Behind Except Meera Sodha's Bombay Rolls |url=https://www.epicurious.com/recipes-menus/meera-sodhas-bombay-rolls-best-2020-recipe-article |access-date=27 January 2026 |work=[[Epicurious]] |archive-date=24 August 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250824131138/https://www.epicurious.com/recipes-menus/meera-sodhas-bombay-rolls-best-2020-recipe-article |url-status=live }}</ref>

== History ==
The Bombay sandwich was invented in [[Mumbai]]—then called Bombay{{NoteTag|Although the city's official name has been changed to Mumbai, the dish is still known as the Bombay sandwich.<ref name="Ramadurai" />}}—following the introduction of the British [[sandwich]] during [[Bombay Presidency|British colonial rule]].<ref name="Vijayakar" /><ref name="Ramadurai" /><ref name="Menon" /> Potatoes and bread had already been part of India's cuisine, introduced by [[History of Bombay under Portuguese rule (1534–1661)|Portuguese colonists]].<ref name="Vijayakar" /><ref name="Ramadurai" /> The vegetables used in Bombay sandwiches and the herbs in the chutney had come to Mumbai from other parts of India.<ref name="Menon" />

The Bombay sandwich is a recent invention relative to other [[Street food of Mumbai|street foods in Mumbai]],<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jaffrey |first=Madhur |author-link=Madhur Jaffrey |title=Curry Easy Vegetarian |publisher=[[Ebury Press]] |year=2014 |isbn=9780091949471 |pages=230 |chapter=Bombay Sandwiches}}</ref> though it is not known exactly when it was invented.<ref name="Vijayakar" /><ref name="Menon" /> Food writer [[Kunal Vijaykar]] and cookbook writer [[Sonal Ved]] both believe that the dish may have been invented in the 1960s by migrant workers during the boom in the city's textile industry, as they required a cheap and accessible food.<ref name="Vijayakar" /><ref name="Ramadurai" /> According to Vijaykar, the original version of the Bombay sandwich was not toasted, and it was often served with [[pumpkin ketchup]] rather than tomato ketchup as it was cheaper. Cheese was added once the sandwich began being served toasted.<ref name="Vijayakar" /> According to Perzen Patel of ''[[The Spinoff]]'', early vendors of the dish set up small tables, while later vendors had more permanent locations.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Patel |first=Perzen |date=9 April 2023 |title=The Bombay Sandwich Is Mumbai’s Ultimate Street Food |url=https://thespinoff.co.nz/kai/09-04-2023/the-bombay-sandwich-is-mumbais-ultimate-street-food |access-date=26 January 2026 |work=[[The Spinoff]] |archive-date=28 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250428025620/https://thespinoff.co.nz/kai/09-04-2023/the-bombay-sandwich-is-mumbais-ultimate-street-food |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Bombay sandwich was popular in the 1980s and 1990s.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Elsa |first=Evangeline |last2=Gulzah |first2=Farah |last3=Bhatia |first3=Shreya |date=22 December 2019 |title=UAE: 15 Street Foods You Must Try at the Global Village in Dubai |url=https://gulfnews.com/uae/uae-15-street-foods-you-must-try-at-the-global-village-in-dubai-1.1576661597386 |access-date=26 January 2026 |work=[[Gulf News]] |archive-date=10 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220610145918/https://gulfnews.com/uae/uae-15-street-foods-you-must-try-at-the-global-village-in-dubai-1.1576661597386 |url-status=live }}</ref> Food writer [[Vir Sanghvi]] states that it was the first Indian sandwich to achieve popularity<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sanghvi |first=Vir |date=2 February 2020 |title=Rude Food by Vir Sanghvi: The Great Indian Sandwich Theory |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/brunch/rude-food-by-vir-sanghvi-the-great-indian-sandwich-theory/story-ENzQkoXdFtystP3QFMTsEN.html |access-date=26 January 2026 |work=[[Hindustan Times]] |archive-date=13 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220113151930/https://www.hindustantimes.com/brunch/rude-food-by-vir-sanghvi-the-great-indian-sandwich-theory/story-ENzQkoXdFtystP3QFMTsEN.html |url-status=live }}</ref> and that its reliance on mass-produced ingredients is similar to other Mumbai street foods that became popular around this time, such as [[vada pav]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sanghvi |first=Vir |date=26 July 2020 |title=Rude Food by Vir Sanghvi: A Requiem for Bombay Bhelpuri |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/brunch/rude-food-by-vir-sanghvi-a-requiem-for-bombay-bhelpuri/story-rDn9SJCh72ABULSJS0FBMK.html |access-date=27 January 2026 |work=[[Hindustan Times]] |archive-date=27 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527120353/https://www.hindustantimes.com/brunch/rude-food-by-vir-sanghvi-a-requiem-for-bombay-bhelpuri/story-rDn9SJCh72ABULSJS0FBMK.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Consumption ==
[[File:Bombaiya Sandwich.jpg|thumb|alt=A sandwich with very thin vegetables between two slices of bread, topped with sev and ketchup and cut in four pieces.|A Bombay sandwich served in Mumbai]]

The Bombay sandwich is primarily a street food, eaten as a snack or light meal.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dina |first=Arzoo |date=14 February 2022 |title=Best Bombay sandwich in Mumbai, as Picked by the City’s Top Foodies |url=https://www.cntraveller.in/story/best-bombay-sandwich-in-mumbai-as-picked-by-the-citys-top-foodies/ |access-date=26 January 2026 |work=[[Condé Nast Traveller]] |archive-date=6 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606030339/https://www.cntraveller.in/story/best-bombay-sandwich-in-mumbai-as-picked-by-the-citys-top-foodies/ |url-status=live }}</ref> It is available in every part of Mumbai.<ref name="Ramadurai" /><ref name="Menon" /> A Bombay sandwich costs about 25 to 30 rupees (about US${{To USD|25|IND|r=1|year=2018}}), as of 2018.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Peterson |first=Lucas |date=20 December 2018 |title=Mumbai, a City Both Uplifting and Heartbreaking |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/20/travel/frugal-mumbai-budget-travel.html |access-date=26 January 2026 |work=[[The New York Times]] |archive-date=18 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240418003919/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/20/travel/frugal-mumbai-budget-travel.html |url-status=live }}</ref> It is popular among college students and office workers, and many vendors attract long lines. It is also served at restaurants. Charukesi Ramadurai of [[BBC News]] attributes the dish's popularity to its unique texture and flavour combination.<ref name="Ramadurai" /> Despite its popularity in the city, the Bombay sandwich is not well known outside of Mumbai.<ref name="Sanghvi 2023" /> It is uncommon in Delhi, with a few vendors of the dish in [[Sadar Bazaar, Delhi|Sadar Bazaar]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Soofi |first=Mayank Austen |author-link=Mayank Austen Soofi |date=9 July 2014 |title=A Taste of Bombay |url=https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/70AUCOozV9rkoYuaGWT8XP/A-taste-of-Bombay.html |access-date=26 January 2026 |work=[[Mint (newspaper)|Mint]]}}</ref> It is served by some restaurants in the United Kingdom and the United States.<ref name="Sanghvi 2023">{{Cite news |last=Sanghvi |first=Vir |author-link=Vir Sanghvi |date=19 July 2023 |title=Rude Food by Vir Sanghvi: Hits and Misses on the Sandwich Scene |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/lifestyle/brunch/the-rise-of-sandwiches-in-india-from-street-food-to-gourmet-and-the-advent-of-the-deli-tradition-with-buffalo-meat-pastrami-in-mumbai-s-veronicas-101682094045308.html |access-date=26 January 2026 |work=[[Hindustan Times]] |archive-date=2 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231102153931/https://www.hindustantimes.com/lifestyle/brunch/the-rise-of-sandwiches-in-india-from-street-food-to-gourmet-and-the-advent-of-the-deli-tradition-with-buffalo-meat-pastrami-in-mumbai-s-veronicas-101682094045308.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Vada pav]]
*[[Dabeli]]

== Notes ==
{{NoteFoot}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Sandwiches}}

[[Category:Culture of Mumbai]]
[[Category:Indian sandwiches]]
[[Category:Indian vegetable dishes]]
[[Category:Maharashtrian cuisine]]
[[Category:Potato dishes]]
[[Category:Street food in India]]
[[Category:Vegetarian sandwiches]]

Bombay sandwich - Revision history

Sougataghosh: Stub - done