Bengaluru’s heritage sweet shops serve up slice of nostalgia

Bengaluru’s oldest sweet shops have interesting origin stories. Sri Venkateshwara Sweetmeat Stall, for instance, was started by a gentleman who would go around selling Mysore pak on his bicycle in Chikkaballapura. 

The man, V A Venkatachalapathi Setty, started making and selling sweets in the early 1910s, when he was 14. “He mainly sold at temple fairs and exhibitions. It was only in 1952 that he moved to Bengaluru on the suggestion of a friend,” says Raghu Nagaraj, third-generation owner. For two years, he was unable to make even one sale. He was on the verge of packing up and returning to his home town, when he finally got his first customer. “So he cancelled his plan of moving back and instead brought his family to Bengaluru,” Nagaraj says. 

Mysore pak remains their most sought after product, especially during Deepavali. “We believe it was my grandfather who invented it,” he tells Metrolife. The Prime Minister’s office is one of their biggest clients. “They usually order our Mysore pak,” he reveals. The recipes have not changed since Setty started the shop. Apart from Mysore pak, their caramel dry fruit gujiya has also been popular during the festive season. “It was introduced seven years ago and was an instant hit,” Nagaraj shares. The store has four locations across the city. 

On Narayan Pillai Street, off Commercial Street, stands a 60-year-old shop — Santhanam Sweets and Savouries. Meda Santhanam was the head cook of a wealthy family that lived in Shivajinagar. After working for some years, he wanted to strike out on his own. He started by selling damroot and pumpkin halwa. Now, their specialties include kajjaya, rava laddoo, badusha, chandrakala and jangiri or imarti. 

Over the last two years, customers have shown a preference for their baklava during Deepavali. “This year, we introduced jaggery, coconut and date burfi, which has seen many takers,” says Sabrish Meda, head of marketing and sales. He notes that sales have scaled up exponentially over the years “because people do not have the time to make sweets at home, which was not the case earlier”.

Started in 1948, Bhagatram Sweets, Chaats and Fast Food on Commercial street, is popular for its jamuns. “When he opened the shop, my grandfather would stand outside, handing out free jamuns to people walking by. He told them to buy it only if they liked it. It soon became a success,” says Krish Giridhar Hinduja, the manager. His customers are keen on innovative and unique recipes. So options like strawberry katli and apple katli are added to the menu during Deepavali. At their Ulsoor branch, Sindhi sweets like sev barfi and tosha have been popular this season. 

At Sri Rama Vilas Sweets in Nagarathpete, Mysore pak and milk peda are the most popular this year. Every year, they also introduce special sweets like chocolate burfi, pista burfi and kesar peda for Deepavali. It was set up in 1932 by a man named Gundappa. “During my grandfather’s time, it was visited by old Bengalureans. Now, their children and grandchildren continue to buy from us,” says Pradeep Narasimha, Gundappa’s grandson.