India’s first Pret A Manger store: Mumbai gets UK’s coffee and sandwich chain

The first Pret A Manger store in India is located at Maker Maxity, Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai.

Those who have been to the UK, may have most likely noticed the omnipresence of a particular coffee and sandwich chain. No, not Starbucks. There’s a Pret A Manger, or Pret as it’s fondly called, everywhere you go in the UK. The chain has now entered India with their first store in Bandra’s Maker Maxity under a master franchise partnership with Reliance Brands*. One more store in Mumbai’s Palladium Mall and another in Gurugram’s CyberHub will be rolling out two in quick succession.

What’s the fuss all about?
The UK-based chain of freshly made sandwiches and organic coffee was founded in 1986 in London, supposedly because founders Julian Metcalfe and Sinclair Beecham, who purchased the branding from a liquidated shop in Hampstead, couldn’t find a “proper sandwich” anywhere. And though the brand spread to 10 countries with more than 550 stores, London still remains the base with more than 300 stores. The ‘grab-and-go format’ is very popular with office-goers looking for a quick coffee and meal on the go. Every location has refrigerated and heated shelves, lined with wraps, sandwiches, salads, protein bowls, mac and cheese, soup, yogurt parfaits and juices. The shops are bright and well lit, the staff chatty and the service quick — you are out of the door in 60 seconds!

Let’s talk about the Mumbai Pret
Unlike Prets abroad that are anchored in quick service, the Mumbai store has a large dining space spread across 2,567 sq. ft. The idea being that Indians love to sit down and share a meal. Expect a mix of loungy sofas, tables for groups and even high chairs lined against glass walls for ample people-watching. Shelves stacked with sandwiches, salad bowls, wraps, desserts and juices line a wall while a large coffee counter graces the centre. Ordering is streamlined and easy. Customers can pick their choice of eats and pay for with their coffee order at the counter. Quirky food posters and a gigantic star — the Pret logo perk up the space. The Mumbai store has the maroon star painted with Warli art on a canvas soaked in coffee.

What’s on the menu?

Pret A Manger, which means ‘ready to eat’ in French, is all about its sandwiches. Naturally, the breads are of utmost importance. Pret Mumbai bakes its bread at the store with dough flown in from the UK every day. This according to the company spokesperson is done to match the quality and consistency of breads at their London stores.

Kale & Cauli Mac & Cheese Pasta at Pret A Manger, BKC, Mumbai.

Posh Cheddar & Pickle Stone Baked Baguette at Pret A Manger.

The menu is the same as Pret UK, barring a Mumbai Toasty, which is an ode to the Bombay sandwich with boiled potato, cucumber, and mint and coriander chutney in Pret bread. My picks from the menu include the posh cheddar and pickle baguette. The dense, weighty beast  packs a punch in all the components of a good sandwich — bold, mature cheddar, sundried tomatoes, wafer-thin slices of onion, perky salad leaves and a zingy dressing all neatly stacked between two slices of crusty, flour-smudged baguettes with remarkably good chew. The tamari and ginger chicken soba noodle salad may seem like a lot but is fairly light on the palate.

Quinoa & Roasted Eggplant Salad at Pret A Manger, BKC, Mumbai.

The greens in the salad and wraps are harvested at 20 days and not the industry standard of 45. This lends the leaves a giddying crunch and sweetness. The hummus falafel hot wrap has a mix of familiarity and surprise; the falafel is made of sweet potato, instead of the regular chick peas. The Egg Mayo Granary sandwich is lovely, though it could do with a sprinkling of pepper.

This is not to say that there were no erratic moments. Of the two soups on the menu, the chicken laksa feels like a luxurious punishment. Instead go for the smoky, peppery tomato soup. Those expecting an array of fresh juices will be sorely disappointed. The bottled pomegranate and kokum drink is cloyingly sweet while the lemon and mint in a sugarcane base lacks any hint of either.

Smoked Salmon Protein Box Salad at Pret A Manger.

Pret sandwiches are always accompanied by crisps. In India it comes with lotus-root crunchies (makhana) till the time the brand finds a suitable brand of chips. For drinks there is a good selection of Arabica coffee from Araku valley roasted to Pret’s specifications. Customers can choose from a variety of non-dairy milk options such as almond, oat, and coconut to customise their coffee order at no extra cost.

Mango & Banana Sunshine Bowl at Pret A Manger.

Will the 39-year-old British sandwich shop find fresh suitors in a market crowded with Tata’s Starbucks stores and a growing number of homegrown coffee brands? Now that will be interesting to watch.

Pret A Manger is now open at Maker Maxity, ground floor, Bandra Kurla Complex Road, Mumbai. Meal for two: Rs 1,000

Disclaimer: Reliance Brands Ltd* is a part of the retail arm of the Reliance Industries Ltd. Moneycontrol is a part of the Network18 group. Network18 is controlled by Independent Media Trust, of which Reliance Industries is the sole beneficiary.