What is inside
What is inside Bombay Frankie?
Bombay Frankie is a Mumbai-style roll of warm flatbread wrapped around a spiced filling with chutneys and fresh vegetables. Here is what is inside it, layer by layer, and why each one is there.
From the Tapri Chai kitchen · November 2026 · 2 min read
Layers
5 in all
Key ingredient
Spiced filling
Heat
Medium
Served
Hot, rolled in paper
The 5 layers of Bombay Frankie
Bombay Frankie is built from 5 parts. They are listed in the order you meet them, and the numbers match the diagram.
The flatbread
A soft roti or paratha-style bread, cooked on a griddle and brushed with butter until pliable and lightly crisp.
The chutney spread
A layer of green chutney, tamarind chutney and sometimes a red chilli sauce spread across the bread.
The filling
A spiced mixture, such as potato, aloo tikki or paneer, heated on the griddle until crisp at the edges.
The onions and cabbage
Raw sliced onion and shredded cabbage, added for crunch and freshness.
The frankie masala
A tangy spice blend sprinkled over the filling just before rolling.
01
What it is made of
A frankie is a handheld version of a chaat plate. The bread holds everything together, the filling brings flavour and the fresh vegetables and chutneys supply the contrast.
- Flatbread
- Spiced filling
- Green chutney
- Tamarind chutney
- Onion and cabbage
- Frankie masala
- Butter
02
How the layers work together
Soft, warm bread, a savoury and tangy filling and a crisp bite from raw onion. The chutneys supply sweetness and heat, and the roll is generally more rugged and heavily spiced than a standard wrap.
03
Where it comes from
Frankies are a Mumbai street food, popular since the late twentieth century, and are closely related to the kathi rolls of Kolkata. The idea of a flatbread wrapped around a spiced filling is old, but the frankie’s chutneys and masala are its own.
04
Variations and other names
The same roll takes many fillings:
- Aloo tikki frankie: with a crisp potato patty.
- Paneer frankie: with spiced cottage cheese.
- Schezwan frankie: with a fiery red chilli sauce.
- Noodle frankie: with Indo-Chinese noodles and Manchurian.
05
How to eat it
Hold it in its wrapper and eat it hot, like a burrito. It is a meal in one hand.
06
Bombay Frankie at Tapri Chai
Bombay Frankie is $9.99 CAD on our menu. We make it in a 100% vegetarian kitchen at 200 Kennevale Dr Unit 104, Barrhaven, Ottawa, open Tuesday to Sunday, 11am to 11pm, closed Mondays.
Questions, answered.
What is Bombay Frankie made of?
Bombay Frankie is made of flatbread, spiced filling, green chutney, tamarind chutney, onion and cabbage, frankie masala and butter.
How many layers does Bombay Frankie have?
Traditionally 5: the flatbread, the chutney spread, the filling, the onions and cabbage and the frankie masala.
Is Bombay Frankie vegetarian?
Yes. The traditional recipe is vegetarian, and every dish at Tapri Chai is vegetarian.
Is Bombay Frankie spicy?
It is medium, with heat from the green chutney and masala. You can ask for it milder.
Where can I try Bombay Frankie in Ottawa?
At Tapri Chai, 200 Kennevale Dr Unit 104, Barrhaven, Ottawa. Bombay Frankie is $9.99 CAD on our menu.
At Tapri Chai
Taste it for yourself.
Our kitchen in Barrhaven is 100% vegetarian. 200 Kennevale Dr Unit 104, Ottawa. Tuesday to Sunday, 11am to 11pm. Closed Mondays.