History
The Frankie was invented in 1969 by Amarjit Singh Tibb at Tibb's Frankie in Bombay. He adapted the Lebanese shawarma format into a Mumbai-style wrap with masala onion, a thin maida-based flatbread and his own house spice mix. The format spread to street counters and chains across the country, but Tibb's still runs across Mumbai and remains the most recognised name on the dish.
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Tours, tastings and classes from the cities on this page, bookable on GetYourGuide.
Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Egg
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 4 large rotis or chapatis (made fresh or store-bought)
- 300g chicken or paneer, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi
- 100ml yoghurt
- 1 medium onion, sliced thin
- 1 tablespoon Frankie masala (or chaat masala plus chilli)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 tablespoons oil
- Coriander for garnish
- Salt to taste
- Optional: 4 eggs (for chicken egg frankie)
Method
- Marinate chicken in yoghurt, ginger garlic paste, red chilli, turmeric, garam masala, kasuri methi and salt 15 minutes.
- Heat oil in a pan, cook chicken 8 minutes until done.
- Toss sliced onion with Frankie masala and lime juice; rest 5 minutes.
- Warm each roti on a hot tawa.
- For chicken egg version: beat 1 egg, pour onto hot tawa, lay the roti on top, flip when set.
- Place chicken down the centre of each roti. Top with masala onion and coriander.
- Roll tight, wrap in paper and serve.
Tip from the editors. Use a thin roti, not a thick paratha; the wrap must stay light. Add a drop of mint chutney for the canonical Frankie taste.
Where to eat frankie
Frankie in Mumbai
Bademiya ★ 4.5
Bademiya's Tulloch Road stall runs until 03:00 daily. Charcoal kebabs, baida rotis and tikka rolls. Mumbai's canonical after-club queue forms here from 23:00.
OrderMutton seekh in a baida roti and a chicken tikka roll for the road.
TipCash and card accepted at the stall; sit-down rooms close at midnight.
Indigo Delicatessen ★ 4.3
Indigo Deli runs eggs benedict and an all-day brunch counter near the Gateway. Open from 11:00 daily; the bakery has fresh croissants and sourdough at 11.
OrderEggs benedict and a sticky toffee.
Cream Centre ★ 4.2
Cream Centre opened at Chowpatty Seaface in 1958 as a vegetarian sweets and snacks counter. The channa bhatura is the canonical dish; the hot fudge sundae.
OrderChanna bhatura with a Spanish omelette sizzler and a hot fudge sundae.
TipFamily-friendly with a high-chair stock; weekday lunches are quietest.
More cities are in research. Want frankie covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.