There were hardly any eateries in and around Chamarajpet area that time and Mitra Stores was set up to cater to the needs of foodies there. This half-century-old food junction in Bazaar Street is popular for its bread and jam and delicious badam milk. The eatery has retained the old menu and gained many loyal customers.
Mitra Stores sells all kinds of bakery items especially breads, buns, biscuits, jams and chocolates. Apart from badam milk, they also offer coffee, tea and cool drinks. Though they don’t make bread and bun on their own, they do prepare fresh jam every day. The mixed fruit jam is quite tasty and leaves the customers asking for more.
The place is looked after by Shashidhar Upadhyaya, son of GNS Upadhyaya, for the last 40 years. “When we started the place, the population was less in and around the area and business was normal. Later on, we gained the confidence of customers and many people started coming in everyday,” says Shashidhar. He says that the combination of bread and jam, along with badam drink, is the most sought-after stuff by customers.
It a popular place for the office-goers and college students. As the Jain College hostel is near to the place, many hostellers rush to the store during evening hours. “I often visit this place with my friends. Though there is not much space in the shop, we manage to stand and eat. When compared to chaat items, bread is a healthy food,” says Ashish Bhaduri, a student. “The timings are also a plus point for us. We open at 6 am and close at 11 pm. As, most of the hotels wind up their business at 9 pm, people keep on visiting the place till we close,’’ says Shashidhar.