Mumbai: K Rustom & Co closes for renovation after FDA suspends licence

K Rustom & Co has put up a signboard informing customers about the closure. Photo Courtesy: Nascimento Pinto

Mumbai's iconic ice cream parlour K Rustom & Co at Churchgate has shut for renovation after the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suspended its licence earlier this week.

Many excited Mumbaikars and tourists unaware of the recent development spotted the ice cream shop closed in the last few days with a signboard for customers. It reads, "We regret to inform all our lovely customers that we are shut for renovations from July 8, 2026 - K Rustom & Co"

The renovations comes after the FDA inspection by authorities allegedly found serious hygiene and food safety violations, including the presence of live rats, houseflies, expired food products and lapses in cold chain maintenance, an official statement said.

The action on the popular ice cream parlour was a part of a statewide food safety drive in which the FDA also suspended two other food business licences.

Being a popular hotspot for locals, along with Mumbaikars and tourist travelling from all over to spend time at Marine Drive, a celebrated ritual over the years, many fans of K Rustom & Co., are disappointed. However, they say food safety comes first and important. The shop that is usually packed with many excited people having to wait for a long time to satiate their sweet tooth craving, is now quiet. Patrons including former Mumbaikars who used to go to colleges in the area, and had made it their ritual, hope they will open soon.

While the ice cream parlour is famous in Mumbai and among many Indians across the country, it also gained global recognition over the years. In June 2025, K Rustom & Co. was also featured in the top 25 on TasteAtlas's ‘100 Most Iconic Ice Creams' list in the world in late June for its popular Mango Ice cream Sandwich, one of the many iconic flavours of the ice cream sandwich, that was made popular by the outlet over many decades.

Tourists and Mumbaikars will have to wait for the popular ice cream parlour to re-open to enjoy the famed ice cream sandwich, but till then it is closed for renovations until further notice.