The short answer
Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale: what visitors should know first
Yes, as a quick stop to buy bakarwadi, shrikhand or Maharashtrian sweets to try or take home; it's a shop rather than a café, so plan for a short visit rather than a sit-down experience.
History and context
The story behind Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale
Bhaskar Ganesh Chitale began a milk distribution business in Bhilawadi, Sangli district, in 1939, which was disrupted after disease affected his cattle. His sons Raghunath and Narsinha Chitale founded Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale in Pune in 1950, opening the first outlet on Bajirao Road as a sweets and namkeen business.
The now-famous bakarwadi recipe, refined within the family through the 1970s, went on sale in 1976 and grew rapidly in popularity; production was mechanised in 1996, the first such mechanisation of bakarwadi in India, allowing the business to scale nationally while retaining the original recipe.
Useful facts
Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale facts at a glance
- Location
- Original outlet on Bajirao Road; branches citywide
- Dining style
- Retail sweets and snacks counter
- Price signal
- ₹ — sold by weight, inexpensive
- Signature order
- Try: the original bakarwadi, and shrikhand if in season
- Good for
- Buying edible souvenirs to take home
Why it matters
Why Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale is worth your time
The Chitale family's food business traces back to a milk distribution venture in the 1930s in Sangli district, and its move into sweets and namkeen in Pune from 1950 turned a family recovering from an earlier business setback into the name most associated with bakarwadi nationally. The 1976 debut of their bakarwadi recipe, refined within the family and later industrialised in 1996 as India's first mechanised bakarwadi production, illustrates a broader story of Indian regional snacks scaling from a single shop into a recognised national product without losing its local identity.
For visitors, buying bakarwadi here connects a simple purchase to that specific local history, offering a compact, transportable way to take a genuine piece of Pune's food culture home, rather than a generic tourist souvenir.
Highlights
What not to miss
- 01
The original bakarwadi
The spiral, sweet-and-spicy snack that made the brand nationally famous after its 1976 launch.
- 02
The Maharashtrian sweets counter
Shrikhand, pedas and barfis alongside the savoury namkeen range.
- 03
The Bajirao Road original outlet
The shop's first location, still operating in the old city where the business began in 1950.
Plan your visit
How to experience it
Bakarwadi, a tightly rolled, spiral snack combining a spiced, tamarind-tinged filling with a sweet-and-savoury edge, is Chitale's signature product and the reason the brand is known well beyond Pune. It was perfected within the family in the mid-1970s and went on sale in 1976, later becoming India's first mechanised bakarwadi production in 1996, scaling output while the shop maintained its original recipe.
Beyond bakarwadi, the shop sells a wide range of traditional Maharashtrian sweets, including shrikhand, pedas and barfis, along with savoury namkeen snacks, all sold by weight and well suited to takeaway. The original Bajirao Road outlet in the old city retains a straightforward, functional retail feel rather than a café atmosphere.
Because the shop is quick to visit and produces genuinely durable, packable snacks, it works well as a final stop on an old-city walking day, letting you carry a taste of Pune onward rather than needing to eat everything on the spot.
Plan with confidence
Small decisions that make the visit easier.
- Buy vacuum-packed or well-sealed items if travelling far, to keep them fresh
- Visit a quieter branch during major festivals to avoid queues at the original outlet
- Ask staff for recommendations if the range feels overwhelming
- Check weight-based pricing before buying larger quantities
Know before you go
Timing, access and comfort
- Area
- Original outlet on Bajirao Road; branches across the city
- Time needed
- 15–20 minutes
- Best time
- Any time during shop hours; mornings are generally less crowded
- Walking level
- Easy
- Senior comfort
- A simple, level, walk-in retail counter with no significant walking required; queues can form at the original outlet during festival seasons, so a quieter branch may be more comfortable at busy times.
- Tickets and access
- No reservation needed; it is a retail counter, with packaged sweets and snacks sold by weight, well suited to carrying home or giving as gifts.
Best for
Plan it with
Plan the practical part
Hotels near Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale
Staying close keeps journeys short — useful for early starts and for anyone who tires quickly.
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Travelling with parents?
A simple, level, walk-in retail counter with no significant walking required; queues can form at the original outlet during festival seasons, so a quieter branch may be more comfortable at busy times.
Raahzo can arrange an arrival or day companion who handles tickets, queues and pacing, and keeps the family updated.
See concierge supportFAQs
What is Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale famous for?
Its bakarwadi, a spiced, spiral snack first sold in 1976, which became a nationally recognised product while still being made using the family's original recipe.
Is Chitale Bandhu a restaurant?
No, it is primarily a retail sweets and snacks shop, best visited for a quick purchase rather than a sit-down meal.
Where is the original Chitale Bandhu outlet?
On Bajirao Road in Pune's old city, where the business first opened in 1950; branches now operate across the city.
Sources and further reading
Timings, fees and access rules change. Recheck with the official source before you travel.
