Sanji's Bandra: A Pierre Hermé-Trained Pastry Chef Bakes Her Childhood on Waroda Road

Sanji's is Chef Sanjana Arora's neighbourhood bake and treat shop on Waroda Road in Bandra West. The pastry chef behind La Folie trained in Paris and London, and here she turns her grandmother's sweets, her parents' favourite desserts and old Bombay bakery treats into cookies, Scoop Cakes, sundaes and nostalgic drinks.

A Treat Shop for Tiny Wins

Most dessert places in Mumbai wait for an occasion. A birthday. An anniversary. A reason. Sanji's doesn't. Its own Instagram calls it a treat shop for your tiny wins. You finished the week. You found parking on Waroda Road. That counts.

The Story Behind Sanji's Bandra: From Pierre Hermé to her grandmother's pistachio barfi

Sanjana Arora grew up in Mumbai and started out in journalism before pastry pulled her away. She trained at Le Cordon Bleu in London and Ferrandi in Paris, apprenticed with Pierre Hermé, and in 2014 co-founded La Folie, one of the city's most serious French patisseries.

That is the precision. Sanji's is the heart.

The menu took close to two years to build, and almost every item leads back to someone. Her grandmother's pressure-cooker cakes and pistachio barfi. Her mother's homemade desserts. The Bombay bakery treats she grew up on. She has called it the most personal expression of her baking, and you can see why. Some cakes are literally named after her parents.

The Arrival: Red, Yellow and Waroda Road

I arrived on a weekday afternoon, walking down Waroda Road past the old Ranwar bungalows, and spotted it from a distance. Red, yellow and white, cheerful in the way a school tiffin box is cheerful. Inside, the counters do the talking. Warm cookies. Cakes you scoop rather than slice. A soft-serve machine that never seems to rest. It feels less like a patisserie and more like the bakery you wish you had grown up next to.

The Cookies: Where Nostalgia Starts: Bread and jam, pistachio barfi and a baby brûlée

Start with the Jam Toastie Cookie, inspired by the bread-and-jam breakfasts every Indian childhood runs on. Then Mr Pista, filled with pistachio ganache and inspired by her grandmother's pistachio barfi. It is the cookie that tells you the whole story of the shop in one bite. The Baby Crème Brûlée Custard Cookie brings the French training back in, small and very pleased with itself. For the friend who reads labels, the Blueberry Baddie Pro-Max Cookie is gluten-free and protein-forward, made with almond.

Scoop Cakes and Sundaes: The Main Event: Cakes you eat with a spoon

This is where Sanji's gets playful. The Cookie Misu is a tiramisu Scoop Cake layered with vanilla mascarpone soft serve, cookie crumble, coffee and fudge sauce. The Bandra Banoffee Custard Pudding brings custard, banana and Nila wafers together like a school-canteen memory that went to finishing school.

The Sobo Chic Choc is the one South Bombay kids will recognise instantly, with Bournvita, Maltesers and Melody toffee. Order it as a cake, or as a sundae with chocolate ice cream, vanilla mascarpone soft serve and a warm Milo Lava Cookie on top.

There is also Papa's Pineapple Nougat and Mom's Choco Berry Cake Slice, which is vegan. Named after her parents. Of course.

The Drinks and the Savoury Side: Tang cold brew, cherry cola and a proper hot chocolate

The drinks menu reads like a 90s lunchbox. Tang Cold Brew. Cherry Cola with a Strawberry Float. Peach Marmalade Iced Tea. Fruity Matcha. And the OG Hot Chocolate, finished with soft serve, which is exactly as comforting as it sounds.

If you need something savoury, there are salted butter croissants, caramelised French maple palmier hearts and canteen-style puffs. Vegan, low-sugar and gluten-free options run through the menu, so nobody has to sit out.

Who Sanji's Bandra Is Best For

• A Friday "I deserve this" stop after work

• The friend who still misses their school canteen puffs

• A Bandra afternoon walk down Waroda Road with a cookie in hand

• Late-night sundaes, since it stays open till midnight

• Anyone who has ever eaten Bournvita straight from the jar

My Honest Take

I came in for one cookie and left with a box. Sanji's is what happens when someone with serious pastry training decides to stop being serious for a minute. The technique is all there, in the textures and the balance. But the feeling is pure childhood. It is playful, generous and very Bandra. A place for small celebrations, which, honestly, are the best kind.

Quick Snapshot

Address: Shop No. Z, Firdous Building, Waroda Road, Bandra West, Mumbai 400050

Timings: 11 am to 12 am, Tuesday to Sunday (closed Mondays)

Cost for Two: Approx. ₹700

Phone: +91 93269 55279

Founder: Chef Sanjana Arora

Instagram: @sanjisbakes | @chefsanjana

People Also Ask (FAQs)

Where is Sanji's in Bandra?

Sanji's is in Firdous Building on Waroda Road, Bandra West, near the Ranwar Village bungalows.

Who owns Sanji's Bandra?

Sanji's is by Chef Sanjana Arora, the co-founder and managing and creative director of La Folie, who trained at Le Cordon Bleu and Ferrandi and apprenticed with Pierre Hermé.

What should I order at Sanji's?

The Mr Pista cookie, the Cookie Misu Scoop Cake, the Sobo Chic Choc sundae and the OG Hot Chocolate with soft serve.

Does Sanji's have vegan or gluten-free desserts?

Yes. Mom's Choco Berry Cake Slice is vegan, and the Blueberry Baddie Pro-Max Cookie is gluten-free, with more vegan, low-sugar and gluten-free options on the menu.

What are Sanji's timings?

Sanji's is open Tuesday to Sunday, 11 am to midnight.

Final Take

A world-class pastry chef. A grandmother's barfi. A box of cookies on Waroda Road. Sanji's takes the treats you grew up on and makes them properly. Save this for the next small win that deserves a sundae.

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