Not Just A Corner Cafe

It took a few years of rebellion on the young Bedi’s part from them to reach a consensus. Following the family’s tradition of serving Indian cuisine,Bedi opened Clove Bar and Grill on the second floor of a building on Ambedkar Road,Bandra in 2009,while his passion project Yellow Tree Cafe occupied the ground floor. “This worked for a while,but then our customers wanted to only visit the cafe,” laughs Bedi. “We converted Clove into a reading room that’s part of Yellow Tree.” Now,Bedi has opened the cafe’s new outlet in Andheri’s Lokhandwala.

Yellow Tree Cafe is one of the many of its kind in Bandra that have raised the city’s leisure-cum-culinary bar. Pali Village Cafe,another Bandra favourite,was initially typecast as an upmarket hang-out for Bollywood A-listers. But rave reviews of their food,sangria and quirky décor have made it popular with couples,families and expats. Juhu’s Silver Beach Cafe may not have hit the mark with its cuisine,but it is popular for its wine list and day-time beverages. According to Riyaaz Amlani,MD and CEO of Impresario,which owns Salt Water Cafe and Mocha and Smoke House Deli (Lower Parel),cafes today offer an impressive gourmet experience. “The cafe culture has evolved to embody the best of a coffee shop and a restaurant.”

However,what emerges as the winner in the growing cafe culture is the chilled-out atmosphere. For instance: Salt Water Cafe,Bandra,is often thronged by freelancers looking for a place to work over breakfast and entrepreneurs to close a deal over a leisurely lunch. “With fine dining restaurants,there’s always the pressure to dress well. But a cafe,encourages guests to be themselves,” says Bedi.

Soon,one won’t have to head to the suburbs for a culinary experience that falls in between the bustle of a coffee shop and the formality of a restaurant. Cafe by the Beach opened to the enthusiastic residents of South Mumbai in December. Farrokh Khambata’s Cafe at NCPA is slated to open on January 23. Next week,office goers in Lower Parel will get a new haunt in Cafe Zoe,a 4,000 square-foot property,in Mathuradas Mills.

The cafe audience,a bit more mature than the regular coffee shop crowd,varies depending on the time of day. “During the day,we get a lot of people coming in for business lunches. Early evening a spurt in those who want an after-work drink. After 7 pm,families come in for dinner,” says Amlani.

With a menu packed with gourmet selections,many cafes have an extensive list of wines and spirits. Alcohol,however,isn’t integral to a cafe’s success. Cafe by the Beach’s New Year Eve party was sold out despite the absence of the midnight toast. “Success of a cafe depends on the space you pick for it. A beach-side property is rare in Mumbai,so it’s the experience that people look for,” says Varun Kapur,its owner.