German Bakery is Pune’s Cafe Leopold

Wooden benches,cane mats,sloping roof and the premises spilling out onto the pavement nearby re-create an ambiance that is cool,classy and very Goa-like. What really endears you to it though is the eclectic menu that offers about 15 varieties of teas,a large choice of sandwiches,salads,breads,cookies and a host of puddings ranging from lemon tart to apple strudel,served with a panache that would make any foreign visitor feel right at home.

Little wonder then that the bakery would,at any given time,have more foreigners digging into a platter of fresh greens or sipping their masala chai than Indians. In fact,for members of the Osho Centre,it’s always been like a second home,and one they lent much colour to,lounging there all day long in their flowing maroon robes and Osho chappals. Opening its doors from 6 am and serving its customers some incredible omelettes,it’s also one of the city’s best known breakfast places.

The café is almost bang opposite Chabad House,and a stone’s throwaway from Osho Commune — both of which were reported to be on the target radar of terrorists last year. Significantly,it is also situated at the beginning of the lane that houses Hotel Surya Villa,the place where David Coleman Headley is reported to have stayed.

The German Bakery was started in 1987 by a local who lived in Germany for three years and returned determined to introduce the Deutschland cuisine to Puneites. Over the years,it has experimented and what has stayed is a very noticeable adherence to health food.

Most destinations in the area are explained with reference to its prime location on the bustling North Main Road. Ironically,the same location seems to have been behind the tragedy that struck the place on Saturday evening.