The bustling neighbourhood of Tardeo is popular among foodies for Sardar pav bhaji — an Amul butter-soaked Mumbai favourite. Established in 1966, it is often regarded as the area’s oldest culinary landmark. That is until you spot a nondescript store  a few blocks from the eatery. In fact, had it not been for a huge poster announcing the availability of its season special aamras, it could easily pass off as a mundane shop with a nondescript white counter selling anything but ice cream. Jyoti Sales Corporation is actually an ice cream parlour, as we discovered, that was established in 1927 at Fort’s Mint Road, and shifted to Tardeo’s Road Number 34 in 1966.

Success is in the name

“That’s exactly how my father named it,” laughs co-owner Hemant Mehta when we inquire about the unusual name for an ice cream parlour. “However, we are popularly known as Jyoti Ice Cream across the city.” Jyoti Ice Cream started as a milk supplier by Mehta’s grandfather Mohanlal in Fort. Hemant’s father, Shashikant took over the business in 1952, and introduced ice creams, basundi and aamras in the late 1960s, shortly after opening another branch in Tardeo. While the Fort branch remains named after his grandfather Mohanlal till date, and is currently managed by his uncle Nirmal’s son, Chandresh, they decided to name the space in Tardeo after the eldest child in the family — Jyoti. Since then, it’s been a successful ride for the Mehtas.